Can I make 40-45K 1st yr OTR?

Foodmojo..... "lived thru the depression"???? Dayaaammm, how OLD do you think we are anyways?????? Young whippersnapper ya.

I'll be hitting 38 years in trucking this fall. No, trucking is not the best job in the world ( but then I'm too old now for charging Stud Fees). It has cycles and right now it's in a low. But it will come back because, when you take all the Bs out of the discussion, nothing really moves without us. RRs cannot even come close to our versatility and on time service because they're limited by their infrastructure. Air freight cannot carry enough freight per unit to ameliorate the costs..... and they need trucks to get freight to the customers. Let's get real; for the foreseeable future trucking is the only real game in town.

There are changes coming. OTR as it is now; running a truck all over North America for weeks on end is unsustainable. "Just in time" delivery systems using trucks as a mobile warehouse is an idiot's dream. Frankly, I can see trucking morphing back to the "old" system..... if for no other reason than the industry is running out of people who are willing to live their life out in the confines of a truck cab.

"Warning" newbies is a wasted effort. They will pay no more attention than we did to our "old guys". So I say "Come on down driver". Some will make it, some won't..... just like us. Hey, at least they ain't gettin hyped by some doofus driver who teams with a friggin' ape whilst driving his truck thru brick walls without even getting dust onnit.

See ya out there newb's.

 

Just a thought....we all know that the "Big Bad Company" is out to screw us. We all know that the economy goes in cycles...Good times followed by bad times. These are not deep mysteries. So, let's stop complaining and start using our heads. Am I the only one who saw this coming? I don't think so. Am I the only one who prepared for this? Not likely. The guys who are complaining are those who did not prepare for this and got caught flat footed. Use this as a wakeup call. Start thinking and preparing. Then you will be rejoicing because you were prepared and your plan worked....not crying and blaming everyone else.

 

You mean these guys?

 

That about says it all right there.
I feel for ya', bud.
Really, I do.

These sites are a hoot: guys with 0-1 experience or no verifiable miles under their belt arguing with drivers who have been there and done that.
Let em' learn the hard way...

 

Maybe because some of the them actually drive trucks instead of the ones like maybe uh you who sit around claiming trucking to be such doom and gloom yet you are still or claim to be a driver

 

Didn't really read much of this thread because I've seen how negative these type always get.

I just finished my taxes and I grossed 42,411 in my first year. That includes 2 months of training pay # $~350/week. I actually thought I did better than that but I'm satisfied for the first year. I got home every weekend for a 34 for the first 3/4 of the year and then I got a new job that has me out 11/12 days and home 2/3. I should do much better next year if I can keep my nose clean.

 

What company did you go with?

 

It's possible, but not normal. I have made 45k in the last 9 months but I found a fuel hauler hiring newbs. Go figure. I fell in to a huge pile of #### (trucking) and found a gold piece. I normally do though.

 

Man, thats what i'm saying, it's definatley do'able and besides the guys with all the experience who do nothing but compalin have probably #####ed so much to their dispatchers or FM no ones cares to keep talking them to keep them rolling, and anyway if you notice the guys who gripe the most about the Industry have the most experience but yet NEVER LEAVE!? WHY?

Change your Attitude Change Your Life

 

I started out at Werner. I was dedicated to the Family Dollar account straight off my trainers truck. Then I got hired by a smaller, local, OTR carier.

I actually would have grossed slightly more money in '09 had I stayed on the FD account. Even though I only had 4 days off between jobs, It took me a month-ish to prove I was capable at the new company and that effected my pay.