A different question about first year pay

I have been reading the various forums online for people looking to get into trucking and one question that always comes up is how much can I make and it usually boils down to experience and how much you want to get home but what happens when your not trying to get home. If someone new starts out but does not need to get home how much more can someone earn the first year?. Is 45K a realistic minimum if your willing to stay on the road ?.

Thanks in advance for any info!.

 

$45K is realistic if you have all the endorsements, TWIC & a passport.
Shop carefully for your first company and you can do $45K or better.

 

Sorry, what is a TWIC?.

 

TWIC is for entering seaports, chemical plants, and some military bases. Most tanker companies require TWIC. Google will show where the nearest TWIC office is. It's a background check, fingerprints, picture. Some serious crimes might prevent getting TWIC, but not all.

 

Thanks for the info, I will look into getting it.

 

I'll back china on this one.

But - choose carefully.

 

What most don't understand is there are Hours of Service regulations. So the person who goes home a couple of days a month could make the same as the person who stays in his truck all year. Most don't know how claustrophobic a truck can get after a few weeks. With the low pay most of the starter companies offer and depending on their availability to move freight in the slow times of year. So that means a driver would have to go for the extra ways to make money that doesn't depend on mileage like fuel bonus/ limiting Idle times and driving slower. Recruiting bonus, Safety Bonus and or any other bonuses the company may offer. Also having TWIC,HAZMAT, and Passport etc will not guarantee you more money. It just helps in the fact you have a wider selection of companies to choose from. Some who want those requirements do pay more, but in my opinion. Not enough to run out and spend 300 bucks on something you will use only a few times a year. Some companies will even reimburse you if you get it while you are employed with them. I have had Hazmat off and on for at least 10 of my 15 years and I probably did 5 hazmat loads. I've been to ports many times and I don't have a twic card you usually just pay an escort fee that the company reimburse. Crossing into Canada can be time consuming, and please don't try to use your wifi up there are you will expect a big surprise on your phone bill.

You also must understand 45,000 dollars and you home every day or not living on the road is one thing. But living on the road can add and expense of 3 to 500 dollars are more depending on how tight you want to hold those dollars. So again if you think you can make it just based on mileage and staying out. You will probably be disappointed. But if you add the bonuses then you have more of a possibility. I'm not a betting man, but if I was. I wouldn't bet on that.

 

Starting average pay just say 30 cpm at a 120k miles is 36k per year. 150k miles is 45k per year. So you would have to drive 2884 miles per week for 52 weeks straight to get 45k your first year. This tells me its a unrealistic minimum no matter how long you stay out lol. I am not saying its impossible but don't get your hopes up. even if you made 40 cpm you would have to drive around 2150 miles per week for 52 weeks straight. I have heard of noobies making around 45k per year but I haven't seen a w-2 so ill believe it when I see it. It really depends on which company you can get on with, but I think 45k your first year is wishful thinking.

 

There's a lot more to consider other than milage pay; you must factor in assessorial pays also. If all you get is milage pay, you will probably qualify for food stamps. For example, if you get $40.00 tarp pay and do one tarp load a week, then that's $2800.00 on top of milage pay. Then add in layover pay, stop pay, load pay, detention pay, some companies have pre-trip pay, post-trip pay, fuel pay. Many flatbed drivers make over $50K and many tanker drivers make between $60K - $65K and many much more. I worked with OTR tanker/hazmat drivers that make average $72K and I made average $65K. Even some reefer drivers make $55K - over $60K when assessorial pays are added.

$45K isn't wishful thinking! $45K the first 12 months after orientation and training as a solo driver. Most drivers pay will be on the low side during orientation and road training. Once they're solo is when the good pay starts.

As for TWIC, I used TWIC almost every week and sometimes twice a week.

 

There were and are plenty of drivers at Millis Transfer that made over 50k in their first 12 months solo...that is with three weeks vacation too.