A few questions from a wanna be

actually start driving for a company until you have your CDL. So you can't make money driving trucks while you're in school because you will only have a CDL permit until you graduate and pass your CDL test. If you go to a company sponsored school I believe you have to sign a contract with the company saying you'll work for them for so long. If you go to a private school you are free to look for any job after you get your CDL. There are pros and cons to both. Once you get a job...you'll most likely pair up with trainer for a while and run with him or her in their truck. While you're in training you get paid . This is where I'll leave the rest for someone else to explain. I've never had to train like this because I got my first job back in 1989 and was " lucky " enough to start out on my own running solo. haha........you don't want to hear how that went. But I finally settled down in the seat and the rest is history. I did go to a private trucking school way back in 1988.

 

The school part is a total lose, for making money

Training, can be a negative also if you pick the wrong company.

Personally, I would advise you to get your CDL, then hire on with a company in the student capacity. DO NOT choose a company based on "training" provided. They will OWN you, and treat you as such.

 

The length of training depends on the company you choose, and then what account they put you on. Of course if you go 48 states you get more drive time. Alot of the big companies like to put you on account where you unload trailers more than drive. I went twith Werner you have to do 275 driving hours with a trainer before you can test out. If you fail the test you have to do another 125? don't quote me on that. It took me 3 month to get 275 driving hours in. Your not gonna make alot of money training anywhere, or for the first year for that matter. So if you want to become a truck driver dont plan on making good money for atleast 12 months

 

It takes about 4 weeks for an accredited truck driving school to give you the basic skills to pass the tests to become a class a driver. Some schools will offer less time in school and others will offer more time and consequently will cost more money.

Training schools will charge anywhere from 3500 to 7500 for the training.

Wether you get the training thru signing a contract through the mega companies like Schneider or Swift and work for a year to pay back your debt or you pay the cost out of your pocket and sign on with a different carrier, the result is the same; You have a cdl and the "potential" to make a decent living.

Do not make the mistake of believing just because you are a licensed cdl holder after you graduate that you are now a "truck driver." You do not become a true truck driver until you get "experience."

Each Good company out there (meaning better pay, benefits, equipment, hometime, etc.) will require at least several years of "verifiable experience" in addition to a good work history and clean mvr and dac.

In the meantime you will have to get your foot in the door of a trucking company willing to take the time to train you. This will usually be with the large otr truckload carriers.

As for training pay this varies from company to company. Last I heard the going rate is around 50.00 per day for a trainee and you will be paired up with a senior driver for that company for 4 to 6 weeks usually. You will be paid a daily amount regardless of how much or how little work you did. The senior driver (some are referred to as trainers others use the term mentor instead) will be paid for all the miles he drives and all the miles you drive while on his truck. Many trainers will push trainees to drive as much as possible to maximize the trainers earnings.
You may be away from home for 2 to 4 weeks at a time while you are "being trained" so be prepared to be away from your friends and family.

After you have driven in all types of terrain and all types of weather conditions you will be tested at the home office. Traditionally this is a simple road test to evaluate wether you handle the truck well enough to be permitted to run as a solo or first seat driver. Once you pass this final road test for the company you are working for you will be assigned to your own truck.

Now the real trucking begins. You will be paid for the miles you drive based upon a routing program such as PC Miler or Rand McNally. The pay for a fresh first seat driver will vary from place to place but figure around .25 cpm to .30 cpm to start. Average otr truckload miles per week will be from 2000 to 2500 miles to start. Many drivers will improve their time management skills over time and be able to log over 3000 miles per week and improve their paychecks considerably. The more experience you get the more pay you will receive.

Figure on earning around 35 to 40 grand your first year and be at 50 to 60 grand within 5 years. There are many benefits such as medical, dental, vision, 401k, sick days, paid holidays, paid personal days, layover pay, detention pay, breakdown pay, congestion pay, stop pay and other accessorials to help beefup your compensation package. The very best pay packages are offered by the union carriers and the lowest are usually the otr truckload carriers.

 

One thing that you will just need to accept. It takes time to learn this business. There are a hundred little details that make a huge difference to your bottom line when you are trucking. No one can tell you for certain what you will make. I can say for certain that it won't be what you would LIKE to make for the first year or so. Mistakes cost you money but the knowledge learned will eventually make you money.

A lot depends too on the company you work for and how well trained you are before you get a solo ride. All of this, in my opinion, is just part of learning the business. No one can teach you everything. Most of it comes from hard knocks.

This is not a get rich quick scheme. It is a business with all kinds of pitfalls and traps in it. If you love it, you'll survive and eventually make money. If you don't love it, you'll most likely leave for something else. Money is NOT the reason most of us stick around.

 

One thing I have learned is that "good money" is different for different people.

I was unemployed for almost 2 years. unemployment paid me around 471 (after taxes) each week. for me this was better than I expected and I lived comfortably. (I wasnt struggling to make ends meet) I decided to go to school for trucking. paid out of my pocket $2700. I figured as long as I bring home $471 a week id be fine.

I got hired with Werner and did 300hrs of training. (2 months) at 250 to 350 a week. it was crap but I new I what i was getting myself into.

after training I did team 48 for 2 months and now Im on a dedicated acct.

I am satisfied with the pay. I am bringing home around 550 to 700 a week. (it might not be much to others here, but im not struggling to survive.)