Is this good pay for a newbie driver..?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Highway Hypnosis, Jun 30, 2014.

Acceptable pay for a newbie

Poll closed Jul 10, 2014.
  1. Yes

    11.8%
  2. *

    No

    88.2%
  1. okiedokie

    okiedokie Road Train Member

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    Avoid failure and future regret. Bail now!
     
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  3. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    The thing about advances is that it gets you both coming and going.
    To get a $100 advance you need to request $105 so you can cover any ATM fees.
    Then Swift charges $5 per advance as a processing fee.
    To get $100 you spend $110.

    Normally we can only take $100 per week. But if you work it right, as in choose very carefully which days you get advances, you can get 2 in one pay period.
    (Or, if you don't pay attention at all and just get a second advance at the wrong time.)
    I don't care how much you are making, $220 out of one check is a big amount.


    And calculating yearly take home pay based on this example of a net earning is just plain stpd.
     
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  4. ironpony

    ironpony Road Train Member

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    Have you guys ever heard of a savings account? Save the extra cash from your fat settlements, and use it to help cover the slack ones. Get a little ahead of the game, and Swift will start missing your weekly kickbacks.
     
  5. dptrucker

    dptrucker Road Train Member

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    my checks are direct deposit. use a debit card to buy stuff. never took an advance. pay all my bills thru my bank website
     
  6. Moving Forward

    Moving Forward Heavy Load Member

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    When tax time rolls around each year, don't forget to claim all of those fees as a business expense.
     
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  7. just_the

    just_the Light Load Member

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    Mar 18, 2014
    Saltillo, MS
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    Yeah whatever, there's paying your dues, and then there's getting hosed.
     
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  8. d o g

    d o g Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    This thread is a good example of why we don't allow union discussions in the open forums - they always end in bickering and insults. If you want to have a union discussion, take it to Politics.


    Edit: Cleaned up and re-opened. Let's try it again without the union or strike discussion, please.
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2014
  9. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    I'm a company driver so I don't get settlements, just weekly paychecks.
    Getting ahead a little is a very good idea, though.

    Still, I've had times when I was broke that week and needed a little extra to get by. Being able to get advances is very helpful in such cases.
    One just needs to be very careful when drawing on the next weeks pay.

    And I don't begrudge Swift charging 5 bucks in fees, nor the ATM fee. They are both reminders that careless money management will cost me more in the long run.
     
  10. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    Tax time?
    Business expense?
    Claim?

    What are these concepts of which you speak?
     
  11. Brandson

    Brandson Medium Load Member

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    OP, those numbers aren't acceptable. You need to drive for someone that offers a real wage. I've left 2 companies because I was unhappy making MORE than that. I have 8 months experience and I'm making 42 CPM now. I'm a 27 year old college drop out with a sub par work history. What I'm saying is, if I can get a decent driving gig, anyone can. If you have a few months in at Swift, apply to Crete. That's what I did, and I've already doubled your gross pay with a day left of my work week.
     
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