if all companies are bad

I think that I paid $3,300 back in the early 1980's, at that school I said now costs $10,000 .

even back then they were high priced. considering what you paid, my price should have been around $800 to $1,000

 

Thing that blew my mind was that most schools in the Atlanta area are charging 5k. Now, add that to the fact that this place teaches each driver individually 1 on 1 with the instructor and you get 2 hours each session. (By the end of the course, they promise roughly 40 hours drive time. I took two extra classes because I wanted to, otherwise it would've been 3300$.)

Yeah...

 

Still it goes to show however, that back in my day, that expensive school here was just as expensive back then

 

Im astounded. They are huge prices. I got mine cheap, 16 years ago I paid $800 for a HC licence which is a heavy combination, semi. Theres one up from mine, MC, muilti-combination, road trains. In certain areas you can haul 3 trailers, but usually just the 2.

A local semi driver could earn between $18-20 per hour, not sure about long haul, driving a rigid, twin steer, I was on $27 per hour. As your vehicle gets smaller, so does your pay generally, but industry has a big influence, theres no money in meat or hospitality. Coach drivers could make $25 per hour with a full bus, but if driving an empty vehicle, their pay drops to $15 an hour.

What is the pay structure like where you are? Anyone.

 

Per mile and per unload. I'll top out at 33 cents per mile and 55$ for the first unload, 15$ thereafter.

I like unloading the trailer myself, but I admit I wouldn't like it quite as much if I wasn't paid for it. The summer months are getting hellish though........

 

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Tough for me to give a definitive salary. Some places advertise for drivers at 28¢ per mile, needless to say, they constantly advertise.

Some places are at $18 per hour, some at $19, some at $22.

the union shops one of which I worked for paid 40¢ per mile for line haul, back in 2005 when I left.

I think the more drivers saturated in an area lowers the pay. As too many are available for work.

My current job, I am on a modified salary, (dedicated run) and get $200 per night, and I only work (on average) 7-8 hours, 5 nights a week. Which is roughly $25 per hr.

 

When you think about the return though, that's the kicker.

It's the only job I know of where you spend so little to get so much. Eventually you could make the same as a neurosurgeon does a year (in the right area.) but that guy spent 10 years paying off his loans.

I spent a summer of 40 hour workweeks...

 

As I had said, I believe the areas dictate the pay scales. If one area of the country has 1 million licensed CDL drivers, the pay would be nearly minimum.

Go out mid-west, south-west where there may only be 500 CDL drivers, the pay for drivers would be outstanding, because of supply and demand.

That's what it boils down to, supply and demand

 

That's a given, as you said it's supply and demand. I was more thinking specialty stuff like oversized, overweight, ect.

 

Only so many are either qualified or willing to do such.
There are a few companies out here that handle that stuff of course, but the people at them, don't leave, and not too many if any job openings advertised or even by inside word. I got several friends in such jobs, never any openings.