is there money in being a truck driver

Trucking has the widest pay scale from $20K to better than $85K. It all depends how you play your cards.

If you want the big money, you have to have what it takes to be an owner operator and have some business sense.

The average company OTR driver with experience makes about $1000 a week.

Good money? Divide by the long hours work and the overtime you are exempt from. It amounts to peanuts. Many sacrifice health for money. You gotta do it because you love it.

 

The thing is an OTR road driver is economy proof, if the company your with starts to stumble and files bankruptcy you move on to another, you don't have to worry about not finding work..

Its best not to think of what your truly make hourly, I look at like this, if I was working in a factory your on your feet all day long, following a routine EVERYDAY,
in trucking you have such a variety EVERYDAY, no one day is like the other..
It does suck that the average pay is the same as it was in 1996, but so is every other job out there, I know people who work in the factory's or offices that haven't had a raise in 5 or more years, its the world we live in i guess, Government officials get a raise every year, prices go up every year, pay for the American people stay the same....

But to answer your question, yes there is money in driving a truck, are you going to make a million dollars ?? NO
Can you support a family on 50 k a year ?? YES
The people who tell you there is no money in driving are the ones who like to sit around the terminals or truck stops sitting in the restaurants or playing video games
where they could be out rolling down the road.....

 

It also depends what part of the country you are from. What someone considers good money/living in, say Kentucky; might be like living on welfare, in a high cost of living part of the country.

Also, I see many people post "I make good money, but then again, I only have a cellphone bill". If you have a mortgage, car(s), wife, kids -- it's pretty risky to take financial advice from someone with no bills. You have a lot more to lose...

 

The yearly range will go from $30,000 your first year all the way up to $55,000 within in a few years, BUT it all has to do with the company you work for and the area you live in. ARE you willing to spend 3-4 weeks out on the road for the first year or two, if not driving is not for you, Your first year,, you will probably gone at least two weeks minimum. When you get some time in you can usually find something more regional or local were you can be home at least every week or every night.

 

Annual earnings are good. Don't figure your hours. You won't like it. One BIG tip. Keep ALL reciepts and get a good tax person.

 

aint that the truth..

 

Are you working in the oil patch now danc694u? Last time i read you were at Watkins Shepard. That was when i used to come on and post as suzeca (like 3 years ago).

 

Excuse me? I'll tell you something buddy. There are way more crappy companies out there than there are good ones. I have yet to find one that i wanted to stay at. I live in the truck because my income is so up and down that i dont trust renting a place. The last 4 weeks i averaged $350 a week. I bust my ##### to try and get myself into a good postion only to have it screwed up by any number of things. Including crappy dispatching,

But the worse thing of all is being lied to and treated like this weeks kicking post. When this current boss hired me he looked me in the eye and told me he would pay me .33 cpm. We shook hands on it and i was happy enough. So i go get my things in Oregon with a uhaul and move over to idaho where they are based out of. Rent a car to drive across state to start work only to find out after i get into the truck and start working that i am getting paid .28cpm. YEAH. You read that right. Do I sound pissed off by any chance? How dare you insinuate that i am lazy and good for nothing.

And before you make another stupid remark like "well if you dont like it then leave" this is the 4th driver mill of a company i have had the displease of working for. I will not be looking to work for another otr company i have seen enough. Next time we talk i will be in the oil patch where i will at least get paid for my time!

 

i agree its gonna be up to you for the most part

 

An example...

Last week I cleared $146.00....this week I cleared $1,378.00...most weeks average around $1,100.00