First year earnings

be nice this is a friendly forum

 

That is as friendly as I could make my point. I'm all for a constructive conversation, but not so much for disconnected general complaints about the industry as a whole.

 

I'll answer that question for my particular situation, as I'm curious about other relatively new driver's answers.

If I continue on this career path, barring an event beyond my control, I plan on retiring from the company I started with unless the culture at the company drastically changes, or an obnoxiously better opportunity falls into my lap. I do not forsee myself actively seeking employment with any other company.

 

I wouldn't call anything over 30k a realistic goal for your first year. More like 15-20k.

 

Choose a good company and you can make over 30k your first year. Worked for me and many others

 

My first year I netted a little over 30. This year I'll net over 40. Things get better with experience. Everything from pay, to loads, to being overall more comfortable living out of a truck.

Like other have said, maintain a good relationship with your dispatcher. Get to know people within the company, and with some time in you can maybe get on a dedicated account where the overall treatment/pay/miles is a lot better.

From talking to people in the offices, they know the drivers that get load delivered before they have to be there. For example, if the load is a drop set for friday, but you get it there on Thursday, they notice. If you take a 12 hour break every day/night rather than 10, they notice. Some drivers stop after they hit 500 miles for the day rather than 600+. If you're asking to go home right after leaving the house, they notice. Planners/dispatchers notice these things. If two drivers are waiting for a load, and one load is 1200 miles, and the other is a live load/unload and only 400 miles, which driver do you think is gonna get the load? The driver that will knock out the 1200 miles in a day and a half, or the driver that is busy watching Law and Order in the drivers lounge, ######## about miles?

You'll find yourself in a good position if you work hard, and make your main priority getting experience. With hard work, and experience, everything else will follow.

 

Started on 12/7 of 2011, first full year 1/1/12-12/31/12 I grossed over $55k. My last pay stub was $54,770 with a couple of weeks left in the year and I haven't been home since Christmas to check so I can only assume I made $230 in two weeks, I hope. I'll add that I pull mostly dry van and some reefer. Communication is definitely key. The biggest thing I found was letting your dispatcher know when you were going to be available, your ETA/PTA that way they can put another load on you quicker allowing you to plan better. Don't be afraid to do little things either. I know I spent a day just shuttling trailers from one receiver to one shipper but I was compensated for it, both in money and my next load. Once they know you'll do the little things, they won't be afraid to put bigger and better things on you since they can trust that you'll get the job done.

 

It depends on who you drive for, what they pay, where you run, how well you manage time, etc. I think 25K to 30k is doable most places, if you stay busy all year. Remember you have high eating costs vs being home though.

If you are thinking of food service, I highly recommend LTL P&D work. It a pretty nice paying job with good hours. Don't listen to the old, lazy farts that exagerate the ills of city driving. Pulling 28' pups in town is a breeze, you get to exercise all day but not much heavy lifting like in food work. Plus, the regulars you see on your route are something to look forwatd to.

 

I don't know of any 'good' companies that pay top dollar for student drivers. Not when you have 2-5 year veterans that would drive all day for 35k. You might make 35 gross, but I don't see a student netting that much. Not as a company driver anyway. An IC? Possibly.

And yeah, the industry does reward hard work. You get to keep your job.

 

I want to know some details from y'all rookies that are making 30+ a year. What companies are you driving for and what is your mileage pay? How many miles do you drive a week?