OTR Earnings

Driver pay is a function of SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIABLES...including, but not limited to:

• how much CDL "seat time" you have (and can verify)
• where you are located geographically--some parts of the US pay more
• the type of freight you are pulling--generally speaking, the more specialized the freight, and the more experience required for it--the better the pay
• how many/what CDL endorsements you have
• the carrier for whom you are driving; some carriers pay more than others, for the same freight
• the time of day/week you pull freight; fuel haulers make more at night/on weekends/holidays
• I'm sure I've probably left out something.....

With all that said--your spreadsheet is just "an example" of what can theoretically be made by a top driver at a carrier if everything goes EXACTLY RIGHT for him/her, in a year of good freight volumes.

-- Lual

 

Expected average?

Suggestion: I don't know how much "seat time" you now have....I believe you started driving not long ago. But....with that said....

Get AT LEAST A YEAR of driving where you're at now (& more than that will make you look even better). After that....start looking around at some of the private carriers that are near your location. See what experience/endorsements they want/require....and when you have that.....apply to one (or more) of them.

Private carriers are NOT trucking companies. Private carriers are instead businesses that specialize in something else--but have their own fleet of big rigs to move their product(s) about. Easy examples: Walmart, Tyson Foods, Pilot/Flying J, Love's, Kroger, Frito Lay. You get the idea....

Driving for a private fleet is a great way to make better than average driver earnings--for the same work that a non-private driver elsewhere will do.

-- Lual

 

Well, you answered your own question.
Indeed, according to your spreadsheet, if you drove 550 miles a day, every day, you'd make $110k.
The problem is, you can't drive 550 miles a day for 365 consecutive days.
If you were to AVERAGE 3000 miles a week, and most members here would tell you that's a pretty strong average for a company truck, and if you did it for 52 consecutive weeks, you would gross $85,800.
But that ain't gonna happen.

 

I think probably the biggest thing you are missing is accessorial pay & bonus pay.

I drive for Schneider (team) and I get $200-$300 per week with those. Plus there is supposed to be a 2% bonus at the end of the year. We average 6300 miles per week & drive 5.5 days. I know we are a low paying company but I really enjoy it.