Experienced truckers: what drives the low first year income potential for newbies?

lol I get those moments often "if I knew back then" your always learning out here, a driver might claim he knows it all and is a master but I think everyone can always learn something new. it does take time to master skills though, you wont be a great driver, backer etc right out the gate, it takes time and patience getting the experience.

As for earnings yes experience plays a role in it, some drivers can get lucky and get that better paying gig but not all can and some have to work up to that point. For the first several months I struggled to make enough money to pay my bills and take care of my family back home but I kept persistent and landed my dedicated gig that makes me right around $50k a year estimated. There were a lot of times I wanted to hang the towel and just quit. Also with experience comes quickness which in turn equals more money made since your not wasting as much time, for example a newbie taking 30min to back into a dock but a vet coming along and doing the same dock in a minute, the vet maximized his time much better. Thats just a quick example I could think of. Some others could be learning routes and directions to save time and minimize getting lost for excess miles. Some of my moments looking back could be a few times I trip planned poorly and either got lost adding a lot of time or just not shutting down in the best places/times. You learn from the mistakes you make and just keep on trucking trying to make the next day better.

 

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge".- Darwin
Thought I knew it, but learned I didn't understand it. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.

Possibly the best lesson I ever received in my life was to continually challenge what I think I know by examining how I think I learned it. Too often the answer to that question is suspiciously vague if not nonexistent.

 

I made 45k my first year back in 1996.... I got on with a company and I ran... I ran and I ran.. I took driver unloads.. mostly tires... did a lot of stuff others wouldn't do.. I ran Houston unloading at sears and NTB's in june and july.. I say all that to tell you this.. There is money to be made.. You won't make it working for the puppy mills of trucking.. Find a good small to mid size company... and run your rear end as much as you legally can.. Don't say no... Let them know I have to be home such and such date.. and don't try to be home every weekend.. Get out there and bust your hump for a year or 2 and get a good regional job..

Good Luck..

 

The things that eat into you first year earnings are CDL school, orientation with your first company, then riding with a trainer. Your real pay starts the day you go solo; from that day forward until completion of 12 months solo gives you a benchmark of what pay to expect with that particular company. This is why it's important to shop carefully for your first company after graduation from CDL school. When you submit applications during CDL school, be fully prepared with all the endorsements, passport, TWIC; otherwise you will be self-relegated to low paying jobs.

When I started, I assumed "all truck drivers make big money." My first couple of paychecks was the "aha moment" for me. There was no internet forum such as this one or I could have avoided many mistakes in the first couple of years.

 

haha I used the internet and researched a ton and still made mistakes, sometimes you just have to learn the hard way.

You can still make money with the megas but dont expect it quickly, normally you need to land a dedicated gig to make the better pay otherwise the megas pay you didly. I work 6 days a week and take a 34 at home and im averaging a little over $1k a week but before I got into dedicated I saw some paychecks that would make a grown man cry. My lowest check ever was $4.79 after taxes, school deduction etc.

 

What is the "if only I'd known back then" type? stuff?

Pulling tankers is where the money is, Only been at it a couple months. "You live and you learn"

 

Well, lets do the math.


70/8 = 8.75
8.75*7 = 61.25 = most you can work in a week w/o a reset

10000/61.25 = 163 weeks = 3.17 years.

I'v been driving for 2.5 and am doing well above average, but certainly have not reached my max profit potential. But then again, Im owner op. They sky is the limit for me. That being said I male as much as or more then some drivers who have been driving for 10+ years. So, IMO there is not rule of thum like this for trucking. The hours dont matter, you can always learn more, and always improve.

 

In todays trucking hauling general freight even the veteran company drivers won't reach their earning potential.I''ve never been an owner operator so I can't speak from that side of the fence.But as a company driver I have yet to find a company that will pay me what i'm worth.Many vets bust their ### day after day and for what,peanuts.Companies don't pay the vets much more then someone just starting out.Thats one of many reasons why the high turn over rate.Many of the exp drivers are no longer driving,they've had it.From 2003 when I first started to present this industry has gone to hell and only getting worse.For general freight as a company driver,the earning potential just is'nt there especially for mega carriers.The smaller carriers 250 trks or less you could make more.In this profession truckers are a dime a dozen and pretty much treated with the same low respect by companies/dispatchers/dot/ ect.If you can find a company that keeps your bills paid/supporting your family and support your life on the road,they I would say you're doing pretty good.

 

When I first started driving there wasn't nearly as many laws and policies from carriers as there is now.So say you start with a company at 40 cpm because of your exp,so what that doesn't mean you'll get the miles or checks will look good.There is always something stopping you from making great money.People come into this industry with dollar signs because websites,ads,recruiters, everyone leads ppl to belive it otherwise they wouldn't get many drivers.Trucking is the lowest paid job there is.After taxes its really sad what the worker makes if you broke it down to per hr.I have yet to meet a rich driver.