How much $ newbies make

Most people should already know this but thanks for pointing it out again. Please try not to use all caps next time. It makes it difficult to read.

The way I look at it....

Yes you make little money as a rookie. I figure about 30k a year should be about average starting out. Tell me.... how many careers start you at that much with no experience and no degree? I cant think of any. Ive been an auto technician for 20 years. I make about 35k a year now and I started at 5 bucks an hour busting tires. Its no different. Im sure there are some people that are delusioned to believing they will make 50k+ starting as a noob. Most people are smart enough to know otherwise, I would hope.

Most company websites will list average noob pay at about 35 to 40k first year. I bet some make that if they get really good miles. I would think the norm is roughly 30 to 35 though. Thats not really that bad if you think about it. I mean yeah you may be working near 70 hours a week.... but please name a job that you can start as a noob with no degree and get that pay. Remember... most jobs dont offer that kind of overtime either. Its not like you can walk in McDonalds and flip burgers and say hey I wanna work 60 hours a week.. that isnt going to happen.

I think most people are not looking at the industry to make alot of money. I think most people are just looking for a decent career in this dead end no job country. Maby I speak for myself but Im not looking to get rich. Im simply looking to help support my family.

 

Actually, new drivers (or old) don't make any money. That's illegal, it's called counterfeiting. Only Obama is permitted to do that. But sometimes, watching these kids running around with these dressed Petercars ya gots to wonder.

 

this is not always the case!!! you got to pick and choose who you work for!! for example my lil brother fresh outa school makes .40cpm,runs 2200-2800 miles per week.my best friend fresh outa school went with TMC on there % pay scale,the least he's made per week b4 taxes is $900. And this guy is home every weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!only missed one weekend the 4 months hes worked for them.so you gota do your home work and pick and choose who you work for!! why am i gona work for someone,never see home,and only make 30k a year? maby you,but not me!!

 

Oh that's just perfect!

 

There's a lot of other factors that you have to consider besides just pay divided by hours. For example, gross income vs. tax deductions vs. costs of living.

My cousin worked for one of the most harshly talked about trucking co. discussed on these forums for 3.5 years. His first year was average, but then he leased his truck from the same company and that's when he began making big money... over 6 figures. He quit after exhausting himself for the 3 years running like a striped monkey (never understood that phrase). I understand that he ran a couple books in order to get the miles he wanted, and I don't condone that, but he did make great money and worked like a slave to do it. This was over 8 years ago... times and companies have changed and I doubt you could still do that.

Point being however, where else can you dictate your work hours, without a degree or experience and if working hard make $35k to start? Not to mention that if you live cheaply on the road, only spend about 8K of that with nearly $27K saved at the end of your first year? (room and board being provided?)

Obviously this line of work isn't for everyone - that's why the pay is solid... not huge, but certainly solid for no degree or experience. Then, year two and three can be a $45K year or more... sorry, you'll hear no complaints from me. That's why I'm signing up.

 

If McDonald's worked you 80 hours per week, you'd make $35,000/yr.
Of course, fast food won't work you those kinds of hours so people turn to
trucking.

 

A factory around here paid us 8.75, 68 hours a week. That's 28560 a year, including overtime, minus taxes. Worked like dogs, blisters on hands was normal, no a/c, and deal with drugged up idiots and only want to sleep when home. Or one can drive a truck for 70 hours, sitting most of the time in the a/c, eat anytime mostly, and still deal with idiots. All for at least more than the factory starting off? I choose driving.

 

let's see how many miles those fellas make when they finally get pissed at their dispatcher for one reason or another... one person controls your entire paycheck and you had better not get him/her mad...