OTR Pay

Hey man! Bulgarian? Couldn't help but notice your name

 

Another newbie that wants the world to just lay at his feet, some drivers get real lucky and get decent paying jobs out of the gate. but for the most part a new guy is gonna be in the 30 to MAYBE 35 to 37k range the 1st 12 months. Get all of the endorsements possible , and like was stated....Make sure that you stay accident free , get your TWIC and pass-port, so that you have a well rounded marketable skill-set. The money will come, maybe not out of the gate, but if you do your part, it will be there. Good Luck..

 

I am a student just like you, so I will just say what I think, based on what I already know.

1. Most likely you would not start more than 31 cents/mile. If you do consider yourself lucky.
2. Average 700 miles a day? Be a little more pessimistic, that way you won't be TOO disappointed when reality hits you in the face. From what I have read, average weekly miles for a starting new driver can be anywhere between 2200-2500. Do the math.
3. Never heard of drivers that did $70,000 their first year. The best I have heard (and I base my opinion on posts here on TTR) is around $46,000 which is GOOD for first year.
4. Like critters said - take whatever you can. First year you don't make more than if you flipped burgers at McDonald's anyways, if you factor in all the hours that you spend on the road.
5. Coast to coast might not be possible, you don't get to choose where you go.

Just my 2 cents

 

The first thing you need to do if you're going to be working in the transport industry is not to expect anything!

 

If you really want to increase your chance of success and make better money then stick with the smaller companies. Also you may want to find yourself a specialty besides just hauling dryvan. Reefer, flatbet, tanker, heavy haul etc... all pay more per mile than just simply pulling a drybox.

 

If you count all hours you are on the road and away from home, you are making minimum wage.

 

or better yet expect to be screwed and be happy when youre not

 

and generally speaking all get less miles also, aside from maybe reefer, but then you spend heaps of time on docks.

 

Your lucky to get close to .30CPM. I got .25CPM.

 

My fifth year i averaged 451 miles per day everyday for the whole year, jan-dec, but i ran like a dog, logged like a fool, and lived in the truck. i took one two week vacation the whole year, the rest i ran. It ain't easy, and it certainly isnt possible your first year, and really now a days isnt possible to log like that any more, nor should you want to either. One of the keys to getting good loads and great miles, if thats your thing, is to know your company. Stick around a while with one outfit and figure out their system. Notice i said my fifth year, not my first, all with the same company, cause by then i knew if i was in LA on a friday i would get a better load then on a wednesday, or if i was in georgia on a tuesday i could get a decent run out of there. I would rather sit thursday afternoon out in LA and be ready for an east coast load friday, then get a Seatle run out of LA on thursday. You got to figure out the system your working under, then work the system. But anymore, i say log it legal and get the loads with more stops on them and make up lost mileage pay in higher delivery pay. I would rather take 25 stops in Houston and San Antonio from NC on a friday night delivering all the stops monday and tuesday then take a load from NC to Los angeles on friday delivering tuesday. I make more money per week doing it then i did averaging 451 miles a day every day all year, tired as a dog, and worried bout scum bag lawyers all year. What ever you be safe and above all be courteous.