Is My Math Correct or Am I Missing Something???

shooter mcgavin

 

Pay is sad. Go figure your time in the truck. All those hours that are given away and you're still working. I'll take hourly pay anytime. It's just the company caught on to us drivers making 6 figures.

 

Same with the beverage companies; the beverage companies saw route drivers making 6 figures or close to it, so they hired more route drivers and divided the routes into smaller segments.

 

I could only dream of making 6 figures, maybe someday but not these days.

I started out on those poor rates, it was rough at times especially since I have a wife and 2 kids to take care of back home and there were times I almost just gave up and packed my bags but I stuck with it, it took several months but I eventually got into a dedicated gig and started making some decent money before my first year was even up. Unlike you I did not do my research before plunging in so decide carefully before you go off and do something. There are some decent paying companies out there, you just have to put the effort in to finding them. I work for one of the megas still but if I was not dedicated then I would not be here still.

 

Is your family well fed? Can you pay bills with out government assistance? Who cares what anyone else makes, Are you happy and is your family happy?
Now you know that there is other companies in the nation crap happens move on or put in 30 years at your company.

 

I know how to make you feel better about it.

Why are you only counting the 11 hours that you are driving? If you had a job that paid by the hour all hours would count from the time you get in the truck till you park it at the end of the day and go home. I never figure out what I make by the hour because I do not want to get depressed and shoot myself. LOL If I did count my hours it would start on sunday when I pull my truck out of the driveway and end Friday night when I pull back in my driveway because all the hours in the truck are work related even when I am sleeping because im not at home where I can do whatever I want.

Now do the math for all the hours you are in the truck and see what you come up with.


don't shoot yourself if you do the math

 

What company are you currently driving for?

 

No doubt training pay sucks.... most companys only pay as round $400 OR $450 . Areweek... but when I was in college I was paid any money until after I graduation with a company and started workjng my way up... 4 years of not getting paid vs 8 weeks with getting paid a little.....

I only got paid $450 a week when I was training... and then got on to a nice dedicated account... there are those who after trainging struggle and dont make money..

I make a good pay check now.. but I also work and run it hard each week... I ran into another driver on the same dedicated account.. and he was complaing about not making any money and needing to go to a better company... truth is.. he is a slacker.. he moves like a sloth, taxes way too long to find a hole and back in it and drop the trailer..we were at one of our drop yards... I got there about 15 minutes after him and was in and out... as I was leavi g the next stop with my loaded trailer he was just pulling in.. yes we do get stop and drop pay.. the longer you take the less mkles you afe gonna run.. cause you only have 14 hours a day to earn.. I make full use of my 14.. I am not gonna go have a sit down meal while my 14 hour clock is ticking away... I do all that stuff on my 10 hours off time..
I do bring home over a $1000 a week.. and I am getting better and smarter abojt things.. so my pahcheck will go up.. and I am having fun doing it..

I am not saying the mega carriers are the best companies out there.. but, they are good for newbies to get trained and learn the ropes and the tricks of the trade that one will need to succeed at the better companies... I am sure that is kne of the reasons they dont hire newbies.... we have a lot to learn.. and stuff that you dont learn in CDL school and maybe only a enough when your out with a trainer...

At the end of each week I review my week and find where I need to improve.. then I work on it the next week or weeks... simple example.. I realized that I needed a better plan and system for fueling.. it sucked getting stuck in line and wasting time off my 14... this was very evident at the Loves in Springfield MO where it took forever to get to the pump.. so.. dont stop there anymore unless I absolutely have to.. I found a smaller station that is our network where I can get in and out..

Now.. this is the stuff that a driver has to learn and be able to understand if they are going to succeed with any company... time management.. the big mega carriers is a learning ground for newbies... some get it, some don't and many more wash out..

As a new driver.. I am pleased with Werner.. I am getting the loads and learning I need...

 

As a business owner, which is what you are as a trucker, you cannot count the hours you put into building your business. Period. My father was a photographer. Weddings and the like. Ran the Studio during the week and did weddings on the week ends. He would be at work by 7 AM and not home until 8 PM. 7 days a week. We kids had everything money could by but didn't see our parents much. Mom was right with dad all the time.

You start out in a business by doing something you love. Money comes along as you get to know your business better. You progress. You go from working for someone else to working for yourself. You go from having someone find your loads to being your own sales person. Owner Operators make more money then the guys who work for CR England. And they also work longer and harder. During their 10 hour rest break they are working on the truck or finding loads. They are not online ########.

My first year in trucking I made $65,000. I made that in a month as a banker.

If making money is your end all goal, you are in the wrong line of work.

Now, if you want to make the most money and do the least amount of work, you should be a fireman, a cop, or a teacher.

 

Hang in there brother, it should get better for you after you get some experience under your belt. You should always be looking for something better and it will come along. I hope you didn't sign a contract with your Co. for your training, because if you did your trapped. Try to be damage free and keep applying at different Co. because a lot of guys are retiring and they can't fill these positions fast enough. Average truckers age is 55, so if you can hang in there these positions will gradually need to be filled as these guys retire. Co. will more than likely be forced into dropping their minimum years of experience for hire due to nobody getting into this business. You may have gotten into trucking at the perfect time! Hope this gives you a brighter outlook!