New Driver/Single, and saving up money while trucking.

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Kingty9183, Jan 15, 2020.

  1. Kingty9183

    Kingty9183 Light Load Member

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    Ok I'm 36 and single and starting Trucking school in March. I was wondering if I go OTR and run hard how much can I save a year average. I live in the Northeast ( for now) I have a teenage daughter who I pay 80$ a week for and my lease is gonna expire in August this year. The school is 5 months long so I'll be free and clear of any rent. What realistically am I looking at saving per year by running hard and being frugal?
     
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  3. lovesthedrive

    lovesthedrive R.I.P.

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    Get your license first.
    Then work for a mega carrier for a year.

    Then and only then start making a plan.
     
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  4. Mid-May Trucker

    Mid-May Trucker Road Train Member

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    It depends entirely on the company.
    Could be 40 could be 80 could be 100.
     
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  5. Hazmat Cat

    Hazmat Cat Medium Load Member

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  6. HoneyBadger67

    HoneyBadger67 Road Train Member

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    Keep the Loch Ness monster out of this
     
  7. meechyaboy

    meechyaboy Heavy Load Member

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    Detroit, Michigan
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    Main priority year one is keeping that record clean. But it all depends on you and the company you choose.
    Company -depends on their freight/dispatch and if their trucks are reliable. Do they have fridges in the trucks?(big money saver/convenience) is it per mile? Percentage? What all do you get paid for?<need to have that in writing before you’re stuck at a shipper for 2days to find out there’s no detention pay.
    You- how hard do you really want to run? If there are no fridges in the truck can you survive off pb &j for a year or are you eating expensive truck stop food? You turning down terrible loads?
    I’d plan atleast 6 months with a mega before searching for the big bucks
     
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  8. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Your biggest expense will be food on the road. Get that expense under control and you can probably bank a few hundred a week after the $80 child support.
    If you can go with a company that provides refrigerator or allows you to install your own refrigerator, that will save tons of money on meals.
    A crock pot can be used to cook healthy meals and can cook them while your driving. Can put a chicken or roast in it with potatoes, carrots, etc. and have a hot, delicious meal waiting when it's time to stop for food.
     
  9. TravR1

    TravR1 Road Train Member

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    Biggest thing is if you go solo OTR or team drive. You'd make more teaming vs going solo, but it's harder to share a truck with another guy and sleep while the truck is moving.

    Take the per diem option if they allow you to use it. You will save more as the year goes on and you can earn interest off of it.

    Like it's mentioned above your over the road expenses are not joke, they can get away from you in a hurry. Every time I go up into the Northeast I have to pay $10 for a can of dip alone.

    There's things you can do to reduce road costs though. How much you save depends on you really and how much you are earning. You can get rewards cards from truck stops and earn points when you fuel. You an use those points to buy snacks and water, drinks, whatever.

    You can also take it further and use credit card rewards. The thing to know there is you use it as a cash card. Do not carry a balance over to the next month. You can get like an American Express Everyday card which offers 2% back on grocery purchases, for example. I just go into my AMEX app like 2 a month and just pay the full balance. Easy. No interest.
     
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  10. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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  11. Coffey

    Coffey Heavy Load Member

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    A good company you should make atlest 1000+ a week. different field can get you more money or less and the mega aren't the only place that hire new drivers since you got 5+ month before deciding i would suggest just calling all your local company and talking to them about future employment possibilities you might find a gem or you can play it safe and go with a mega with a good reputation
     
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