How to select a company based on starting pay?

The higher cpm looks good on the recruiting ads, but unless it's coupled with accessorial pays, doesn't really mean too much.
You can make .40 cpm and only make $35K and can also make .35 cpm and make $65K due to accessorial pays.

 

CPM doesn't mean much without miles backing it. Now some people here believe if you make more cpm, the less miles you run because why paid you more when another driver is doing it 10 cent per mile less? So the guy making less cpm is getting 3000 miles a week compare to 1000-1500 a week.

Stevens is reefer right? They run 48 states (I think) and run long hauls.
Mcelroy is flatbed but remember, you might be running your clock down while youre unload, load, tarping, straping etc etc while Stevens is on the road making $$$

Being new student ima sum up hos if u haven't learn that already. Basically you got 14 hours to work legally. While Stevens probably took 1-2 hours to load up he got almost all his hours to drive and make money, while flatbed....it could take 2-6 hours depending what u got, if you gotta tarp it, etc etc

So remember cpm isn't everything.

 

The shortest turnarounds for loading/unloading are with tankers. On average 1 hr. load/1 hr. unload.
Tanker companies usually have the best accessorial pays. My last company was hazmat/tanker and paid .36 cpm but at the end of the year I had made $65K.

CTL Transportation hires in your area.

 

Ridgeland is an ideal spot for tanker jobs since most tanker outfits haul out of Savannah, GA.
Tanker work is easy money and will spoil a truck driver.

CTL Transportation
Trimac Transportation
Superior Carriers
Schneider Bulk
McKenzie Tank Lines
SVTN
Tidewater Transit

All the above hire new cdl grads. Just this week I chatted with a McKenzie Tank Lines trainer is how I found out they hire new CDL grads. It's not on the website.

 

Go tanker. You'll have an excellent career in tankers and make good paychecks.
Many tanker drivers with a little experience are making $65K to over $100K.

 

Golfpro as everyone has already stated there is more to it than just cpm and miles. You are in school now but when you start at your first company the training continues. Some companies are known for better training of grads.
.
.You also need to consider what type of driving are you interested in. OTR [ over the road ie what used to be called long haul] or regional. and then there is van, refer, flatbed or tanker. For example, can you start driving in the van division and later switch to another division? Also where are the companies major freight lanes?

 

Totally agree with Chinatown. Tanking is SO the way to go. No-nonsense load and unload, at least not in my career with same. Hour in to load, only because you are pumping on, and Hour to unload, pumping off. Easy and less stress, more money! This is how WE roll, too!

 

Running tanker require's certain mentality. It was not for me. Flatbed pay for company driver on mileage plus tarping should be $0.60 per mile min. More waiting but high load diversity and opportunity, always more loads to truck ratio.