How realistic is it to make 75-80k a year eventually?

And here I make that, have good insurance and as an employee have good worker protection laws. Oh, and don't have to replace the car every 2-3 years.

 

nor do you have to deal with 20 gunshots (passengers slamming doors on way in and out) going off in your ear everyday, lol

 

I spent over 45 years in a semi,my choice. Did ok,comfortably retired. But,I steered both of my sons away from this career,esp. in todays times,waaay different than when I trucked. And,they're both doing better,and happier than they would have,had they made the trucking career choice,imho. So many young guys get into trucking,and they just realize it isn't their cup of tea,esp. for the reward and lifestyle change. Hope this helps.

 

Dude, not trying to be negative, but change your username. Why call misfortune upon yourself - even if it occured in the past. Let it go. Try BlessedTrucker or GratefulTrucker

 

Right. And the hottest chicks love truck drivers!

 

75k is at the bottom of what you can do in the chicagoland area. Get with a real company, don't drive a Russian owned white or red Volvo, and you will be fine.

 

I like: Lost Trucker.

 

You know what they say. There’s just something about a man who carries his bed with him everywhere.

 

I am currently driving team for a Canadian Company. They give me one week off per month (not paid). I rarely push myself on the road and grossed$67000 last year as a company driver. There are a couple of teams grossing just over$100,000 .

I drove for Prime for three years. Three years seems to be a minimum for moving up to a better job. That was my experience when trying to improve my pay. I worked much harder at Prime but only grossed$55,000 my best year with them .

 

When a person comes from a normal job they think their working a lot of hours. My friend 55 hrs is light weight in this industry. It takes drivers years of climbing up the ladder to work 45-55hrs a week with weekends off home everyday plus the big paydays. Those guys you here about working m-f in the daylight with 100k in their pocket paid their dues in trucking. I feel I’m one of them. I worked 51 hrs and made 1700 this week and have been off since noon on Friday. But I’ve worked in this industry for 12 years. I started out at the wage of 40-45k a year. But I came from a job that paid 33k a year. There is no money in OTR. LTL you will still have to work your way up at a lesser wage and likely p&d working 12-14hr days 5 days a week working from noon til night. Home daily weekends off. Foodservice service will pay you 50-70k as a new driver the first year and that’s with a lot of OT 55-60 hrs. But you’ll be home daily and weekends. Foodservice you’ll move up faster and get the better times vs LTL where drivers stay put til they die. If you really want to be a driver I suggest saving the difference in wage your pay cut is gonna be. I’d save 1-2 years depending on where you go maybe 3 years worth. You need to sit down and figure a company and their wage and put pen to paper and see if you can deal with it. My advice with your kid and family stay home don’t go OTR. I say LTL, Foodservice, or Tanker. But you need to do some major thinking and research cause honestly a lot drivers here would rather have your job, schedule, and income.