Can I expect to make more than $8/hr as a local driver?

The problem is getting the local driving job. Most places want a couple years OTR, unless you want to drive a class B vehicle (dump truck). How old are you, do you have kids, commitments or hobbies that you CAN'T or won't give up. If so OTR might not be for you. Most local drivers around here are paying about $15-18 an hour. Keep in mind that D.C. is one of the most expensive areas in the country and the cost of living is WAY high. Also some class B jobs you will have to do some manual labor to unload the truck.

Only you can decide what is right for you, keep reading and make an informed decision. If you do decide to get your CDL you might as well get your A and even if you stop driving KEEP IT!! You never know when you might be out of a job and NEED to use it.

 

Depends who you drive for.

Most OTR driver get paid by the mile. If you drive 60 mph for 1 hour at .23 cents a mile, thats $13.80 an hour.

If you drive for a local dirt truck like I did in 2004, you might get paid 25% commision.
This means the company I worked for charge the construction site how much dirt was delivered.

I averaged $700/week working Mon-Fri home every night.

Beverage trucks tend to pay commision on how many cases was delivered.

Some straight trucks pay by the hour. Pretty certain more than what your making now.

Remember trucking isn't consitant unless you have a dedicated route.
Even then things happen.

Construction is seasonal...we didn't drive in the rain.

Hope this helps.

 

Basically, if you are not home nightly. consider yourself working however long you are out. with some time for sleep, usually daily.

If you can get your 8-11 hours of driving in, in only 8 or 11 hours. then you will have some down time. But you are still most likely to be sitting in the truck, or in a truck stop.

It might be best to compare weekly take home pay, if you are still considering the trucking life.

Mikeeee

 

I have no idea about the college. But most the replies here have said to get out and knock on doors in person to find a local job. It is hit or miss, with a lot of misses.

Mikeeee

 

I don't know about where you live but in NC dump drivers make $12-$18 but like someone said they don't work when its raining, snowing, or too cold, when my dad drove a dump truck some times they have a week or two of no work just because of rain.

Then you also have the fall, winter slow down to deal with




American Trucker

 

I tried getting a local job with no exp and found no luck. dump trucks and coal trucks want exp. you will have to go otr for at least 1 yr b4. 99% of local places will hire you. unless you do something like a chip route or a milk route that requires a class b. good luck

 

Look for a company that does road resurfacing. Asphalt, chip seal, micro, etc. They need dump trucks to feed the machines. It's not steady, you'll probably end up laid off for the winter, but they usually let you draw unemployment and rehire you in the spring.

Pay rates are all over the place. A lot of roads have set wages that must be paid to work on them. When I did it, my base pay was $11.50 an hour but I would end up making over $50 an hour on those set rate jobs on overtime. One of our guys got on a high paying interstate job and stayed on it all summer. He ended up with over $70k in the bank just from that.

On the other hand, you can easily get stuck on a job at your base pay rate all summer. Better luck next year. Though even at base rate, there's ridiculous amounts of overtime pay.

Oh yeah, don't bother with the school if you go that route. One of these companies could just need someone to hold a stop sign for them. Pays the same rates and they might get you your cdl using one of their trucks to test out in for free when they need drivers (they always do eventually.) That's how I got in.