Fastest way to higher income in trucking?

The FASTEST way to higher income in trucking when you first start out is to run more efficiently and run more miles. You can do that in your current position, while you look for another opportunity. If you are currently running 2500 miles a week and increase that to 3000 miles per week you just gave yourself a 20% pay raise.

If you are used to using all your 14 hour clock every day, then try running hard and using only 12 to 12.5 hours on your 14 hour clock. If you have been stopping six times during the day for a rest break, try reducing that to three rest stops a day. If you've been using truck stops to take your restroom breaks, try rest areas or an exit ramp instead to save time. If you've been ending your days with well more than an hour on your available drive time try pushing it to well less than an hour. If you've always been staying at truck stops, then driving that last hour or two to make your delivery the next morning, try driving all the way to take your 10 at the customer so you can start your clock when you make your delivery and have a FULL day of driving tomorrow.

If you can successfully give yourself a significant raise in the job you are in right now, then you will be far more valuable when you apply for your next job.

 

Fastest way to higher income in trucking?


I'd say the fastest way to more money in trucking, is to soup up your truck, and rob 7-11's?

After all, you WILL NEED a fast getaway truck.





jus, sayin'..

 

1st off , you've got the idea down pretty well. All of those indicators need to come together. Specializing , the right company , etc. But 1st you need to figure out just what niche you want to occupy in the industry. Chinatown gave you the best advice so far. Get ALL of the endorsements possible along with a passport and TWIC card , that will open many doors for you. Then while in school checkout the different areas that interest YOU. After all once you decide on a company you really need to want the job. If you're happy with the work you're doing , you'll be much more inclined to do it well.

No one has mentioned the food service industry , I worked in it for over 30 years. Made a great living too. In it you start out a lower rate of pay , for usually 6 months to a year. Then you're at the top of the scale. It's an industry that's very hands on labor intensive , but when you weigh the fact that you only run 3 to maybe 5 days a week , more 3 than 5 too. Plus you're home most nights , or at least only gone for 1 night and back home the next day. You're only actually working at the maximum 20 days a month. Pretty decent trade off IMHO. The pay ( I was at 72,000 plus been fits when I retired in 2011 ) when you added benefits in I was just a hair under 6 figures. Only ran 3 trips a week. Granted I held a great bid spot but it was worth spending the time to get there.

 

The absolutely fastest way possible is probably trafficking narcotics

I do alright, by not having kids yet.

 

At least, NONE that you know of ?

 

Can't be found on Facebook cause I never signed up, and child support payments haven't started either.
I think I'm good

 

I WILL TELL THEM, where to find you!

Your name is Jimmy Wilcox, right?

 

I like this post. Every driver wants top pay, top job, to be the top dog. Every fighter wants to be the champ. Mr Lepton is pointing out the basics to sucess. Doesnt matter what company, doesnt matter what wagon you pull...if you dont have the basics down, you're never going to be at the top. Time management.

Ever hit a speed bag? You develop a rhythm. You start off slow, and then you speed up. Eventually, you get to the point to where, you can throw in some power shots and never miss a beat. Sounds like a heavy machine gun. You can hit the bag with your eyes closed, once you get the rhythm.

Same thing goes into trucking. You get behind the wheel. First rhythm you learn is the shifting. You get to the point to where you can shift with your eyes closed. Then backing. Then the day to day rhythm that Mr Lepton speaks of.

I knew a guy that was a decent driver. His dispatcher was laid back, easy going. His dispatcher quits, and the driver wants to go to the top dispatcher's board. The top dispatcher is mean, aggressive, pure Hole. He has his board stacked with hard charging drivers. He went from being the top driver on the laid back dispatchers board to the bottom driver on the top money maker's board. He gets a load on a Friday thats supposed to deliver Saturday (closed Sunday),unload/reload with a delivery for Monday. All runs 600 miles.
Well, he got there to load, but was delayed by the shipper for nearly 10 hours on Friday. By the time he got loaded, it was late Friday afternoon. He was too tired to move, and so he stayed there. Missed the Saturday unload/reload and delivered the load on Monday. Of course, his new dispatcher was angry, and they got into a shouting match. I had to tell him thats the way it goes when you want to step up.

If every driver around you thinks a 400 mile day is a long day, and you run 500 a day, thats good. But if you jump ship to where the average driver runs 600 a day, what are you going to do? Up your game or go back where you came from so you can be number one on the little kids playground? Now, noone expects a rookie to be able to run like the top drivers right off the bat. But if you are below average, you want to step up your game.

Why?

Remember back in 2007, when the economy took a dump? Quite a few trucking companies cut their fleets. How do they determine who to cut? Mine compiled a list of drivers with safety issues, sent the list to the dispatchers (who are salaried and paid commission) and told them to get rid of their bottom third. They cut the fat.

You want the high income? The best paying route? The high dollar freight? You're going to have to step on some drivers. So, you're in orientation with 20 others: 15 rookies, 4 vets and a 1 retread. You want to be at the top...who is the main obstacle for you? The vets? Nope, if they are in orientation with you, and you're a rookie, they are no competition. The retread? Absolutely not. He's the guy that quit and tried to take a step up at a playground with the bigger kids and couldnt hang, so he came back to familiar turf. The idiot that keeps interrupting the instructor talking about stuff that has nothing to do with what the instructor is talking about? The conspiracy guy with the black cloud that follows him? Nope. It's the guy like you. He too wants to be at the top and is planning to bring his A-Game when he gets his chance behind the wheel. Dont hate him. Wish him success. It's like Bird and Magic and the best basketball that was ever played. Good guy, easy going, will make a good friend, but because you two are going after the same thing, you're going to notice each other. How do you beat this guy? Reread Mr Lepton's post. Whoever realizes this first and perfects his game wins.

So, you've been trucking for a couple years and you want the big money job. You get accepted on to a new company. If it's a step up, kind of figure that the top driver at your last company would be average here. There will be specific freight,or routes that only specific drivers know about or pull. Just because you're at a company that pulls high end freight doesnt mean that you are going to be pulling it immediately after orientation. You're going to have to prove yourself. Thing is, if you have always brought your A-Game every time you played from Day One, it wont be as hard for you to cross your T's and dot your I's when your entire career is on the line.

Let me illustrate:

A driver has been pulling oversized for a few years. easy, no biggie. Loads were mainly between 10-12 ft wide on a stepdeck or flatbed. On the loads that require him to have a pilot car, he'd print the permits off and hand them to the pilot car. Never had a problem.
One day, he books a big load. Huge. Heavy too. He pulls into the weigh station with his team of pilot cars.

 

Outstanding follow up post, TripleSix. I especially like your analogy with the competition at orientation. It's true that so many drivers are job hopping without a thought regarding the value they bring to the equation. The next job may pay more per mile, but I bet they expect more as well. Folks tend to stay within their comfort zone instead of "stretching the field".

 

I'm just now in my second year. I got into a beer distributor right our of school and now that's paying 45k, I recently added doubles/triples, HAZMAT and have a TWIC in process. I've got a couple interviews set up that I qualify for with my year that are all paying in the 60's. You just gotta get your first year out of the way, not wreck a truck and prove you can drive. I still see some that want 2-3 years but it seems most don't (at least in my area).