Solo Driving: Impossible To Make $?

As a solo driver you can make money. But you must becareful who you drive for. I have made as high as 900.00 in a week to as low as 50.00 in a week. Pending who you drive for and how they run. Some companies I worked for were more short haul companies, I hated them, spent more time at docks than on the road. One I drove for I was paid even to ride around a truck stop looking for a parking place. Paid Hub miles. They did not pay as high as some but if the wheels were turning I was getting paid. Drop off trailor at the yard and bobtail home 80 miles away, got paid. Go to the store to get something to eat, GOT paid to go..

 

in my opinion , if your not bringing in $800-$900 on the road it's not worth it. when i was over the road i was bringing home anywhere from $1000-$1200 a week. the occassional bad week would slip in and i'd only get like $750-$800 but that was usually my fault. some weeks i just didn't feel like running hard. Of course this was running a dedicated account (target). you can make some good money out there but you just gotta get 'er done and not play around and waste time.

 

I just started out and am in a trainer's truck. I make $500/week gross while training but if I had been paid mileage I would have made approx. $910 (2600 miles x $.35/mile) gross that week...and that doesn't even count the extra $40-60 for tarping and maybe an extra $20 for detention pay. I did all the driving but about 300 miles when we were heading home, because my trainer wanted to hammer down and get there quickly.

Find the right company and you can make some good money. Freight is slow all over right now so the miles are down, but $800-1000/week is pretty good money.

 

no offense, but I have a rat-box in my truck...
14hr rule does exist, so even if I log Chi as off duty, it still takes my time away...

And as I said, they weren't going to give me a 1300 mile run...

Now! Since I have proven I am not going to wreck the thing in a city, I have been getting more miles, lowest mile run during the last month was 785, and the rest were over 1000

Don't acuse me of being lazy simply because I want to actually PASS a DOT inspection, AND the SNI snoopers.

Oh, the money got better too, imagine that... I proved I wasn't going to go crying to mommy for not being home to get drunk every Friday.

When did the trucking industry start paying based on location? I missed that memo... If you're living in an area where you can't keep up with the bills on our income, then why are you in the job? Go back to being a 9-5'r if the money is so much better at the factory or office.

Keep in mind, I never said it was spectacular money, but it is enough to live on and save. There's tons of people out there who make less that 18k a year, to them I make a spectacular amount of money.

It's a matter of perception, if you need $5000 a month to be happy then yeah, you won't make it. If you want to pay your bills and save some, then yes you can do that. Shop smart and you'd be amazed how much you can save. Start cutting the extras.

 

Some dedicated runs will pay 800-900 per week no matter how many miles you drive. I think I read that on a schneider site about their bulk division.

 

I'm gonna hafta stick up for otr_gamer.. the reality of schneider and the first few months is a pittance paycheck to those that most make in the industry.... he's accurate and not slacking your first about 5-6 paychecks with SNI will be about 450-550..... then they move up.. I have a couple friends who are near 3-4 months into the co and they are seeing regular 650+ checks(no dont bother quoting miles I ran as hard as them 2000+

Anyhow.. he's making a better living then he was so he is happy and that is really all that matters in this world.. is if your happy!

 

I see your messages here, but I'm anal. How exactly does it break down? I've had it explained to me once. I'm under no illusions that I'll be independently wealthy in two years time; but I've always been led to believe, as has been said here, that if you drive constantly, even within DOT rules, you'll make good money.

You've got the miles you run, drop offs, pick ups, layover pay, and the like. That brings in money. I figured for weekly and monthly expenses stuff like food, sat radio, sat phone, toiletries, and health insurance. Am I missing other regular expenses? I figure stuff like clothes, VISA bills, and student loans are other regular but ever-changing expenses that can go down if really paid off. At 2,000 miles per week, that should leave me, after expenses I've estimated, taxes, and charitable donations, at least $1,000 per month. That's if I'm wise and live in my truck. (That last part is a tall order, but I want to make some money. I don't have a home nor a family. Why rent an apartment if I'm going to be gone for six of seven days?)

Have I understated my expenses? Do I have it close? If I'm willing to run and I'm any good, are they going to give me 2,000 miles per week to start?

 

hmmmm, that is a tall order to ask of yourself. you about got the idea of it and the whole concept. bottom line is you only make money when those wheels are turning. I did the live on the road thing last year. it's rough no lie. by my choice i ran 3 months straight without time off or a day off. the biggest thing to worry about by doing that is burnout. it got to me to a point of screw this at the end of it. but i wouldn't trade it in though. i learned a lot by doing this but it's not for everybody. start out by doing short times at first, you know a couple of weeks then take a day or two off and go from there. your body and mind will tell you what you can and can't do. just listen to it.

 

My boss at the cab company said he did it for a year. You just have to be willing to put up with the loneliness. Unless you can make nice and hook up with fellow drivers like he said he did.

I've thought of burnout, but I like to travel and see stuff, even if it's through a windshield. You bring up another question. After you do a run and drop off your cargo, can you ask for a couple of days off wherever you may be? Or do they have everything lined up for you in advance by a certain number of days? Like if I was sent to L.A. on a run and wanted a couple of days off so I buy a bleacher seat at a Dodger game. (Although I'm a Padre fan. )

 

if you ask in advance that when you get to say l.a. you want to take your scheduled time off there or if you get there early enough you can drop your load and set your eta for the next day(i have done that one) it all depends on your relationship with your driver manager. i once asked for a fla run and a short time later i found myself in miami. it was nice. i had a real good d.m. i worked hard for him and he helped me when i wanted it. bottom line you don't have to do your timeoff in your hometown. communication is the key. most dm's will work with you to keep you happy.