Local class b wage question

Hey guys. About a year ago I got my class B cdl and started delivering locally for a paper company in a 33k straight truck. They started me off at $14.85 an hour with benefits, which was lower than I was wanting but the company was wanting 2 years experience which I didn’t have so I didn’t feel I had much room to negotiate.

My yearly review is coming up and I want to ask for a raise on top of my cost of living raise, which should be around %5, depending on performance. I just don’t know where average wages are for this type of work, so I don’t know how much of a raise I should try for. I don’t want to ask somethjng ridiculous but not leave money on the table either.

I live in Indiana, so it’s a pretty low cost of living compared to, say, the coasts or Chicago, and I would have to assume wages reflect that. Anyone out there know what would be considered an average wage for this type of work.

 

Where in Indiana

 

Quick Google search states you should be making around $18 - $20.50 an hour (or $45k/year). It would be a substantial jump from what you are making now though.

Edit:. What are your benefits? Are you getting a good health plan and is your employer paying a good chunk of it?

 

In Jonesboro Arkansas you should have a mixer work starting around 15.85 if I am not mistaken. In 1998 I was doing that work for minimum wage of 7.25 Arkansas just passed a Minimum wage ballot going from 8.50 to 9.25 then 10, and ending with 11 in 2021 or so per hour.

COLA is running about 2.4 to 3.2% in cost of living this year, I expect around a 2.7% increase for January '19 and it will be confirmed soon with a letter to VA Benefits and also a Letter to me from SSA announcing the 30 some odd dollar raise each month.

With the pure exception of the Obama years, 8 of which were 0% or 0.01 or so% COLA raises we averaged around 2% to 3% per annum COLA increases.

We do Expect a 24% mandatory CUT in ALL benefits paid by SSA around 2026. If not sooner. We already are going to exceed that by about 10 to 15% so it will be a net gain for me that year if I am still alive. That will depend on two big time surgeries planned this year relatively fast.

Your Payroll 5% annual increases is ok. Just be mindful Fuel Oil Pricing increased 26% YOY last month in the CPI.

The US Government is doing anything they can to jiggle the Customer Price Index to show a MINIMUM of NO INFLATION where possible. Because every increase is unsustainable in our current National Financial income versus debt accumulation, interest on same and excessive spending which for me has finally reached the land of the never unicorn pretend money.

Ive been reaching deep to learn the old trades to add to tree cutting and chopping etc so that when the money itself fails, I will still be a productive earning member of whatever society comes out to be with a chainsaw in one hand and a colonial Peavy (*Big hook) on the other.

 

Class B jobs in general pay less than Class A. "BUT" there are good paying Class B jobs. For example, Foodservice and LTL tends to pay REALLY good for Class B jobs (although most will still require you to have a Class A and ALL endorsements for LTL). So does Waste Management and Cement Mixers (They make around $30 an hour around my area). USPS Class B MVO pays close to $30 an hour. Dean Foods Class B makes around $22 an hour with free healthcare.

Then you have the Non CDL jobs like UPS and USPS package delivery drivers and Bimbo Bakeries bread truck RSR driver. They make over $100k a year.

But I would just go get that Class A. It'll open up more job opportunities rather than being stuck with only Class B jobs.

 

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with class B.

I worked a Class B paving outfit, actually a light restricted class A with airbrake beaver trailer on pintle. (But I was a full A CDL so that was not a issue)

That was probably some of my best work in this lifetime. I will look back on that job and farm as some of the happiest times. God we worked so hard. Break the bones. (And did... eventually) but we. were. happy. The money took care of itself with warm winters on FULL uncontested unemployment.

 

The produce company I work for in SW Michigan starts at less than $15/hr, it's all straight truck, 33k GVW, Class B work, but more than a few of us have our Class A. Wage increases after hire on are a hush hush, double secret probation type of thing.

 

somewhere around $19/hr seems average. i can’t think of any driving jobs (a or b) only working 40 hours/week.

i tried that a couple years ago. bid short in linehaul thinking i could work 35-40 and go home. nope. i couldn’t make *less money in ltl linehaul and i was trying pretty hard haha. they just kept stuffing money in my pockets. so i bid what i want now and have a somewhat consistent schedule.

 

CLASS B is hit or miss on pay. Nothing wrong for asking for more. However if it's a Mixed company With CLASS A work not bringing much to the table except showing up for work. See if they can pay for a CLASS A and continue to drive Class B with A mixed in. Adds more value to them.


I do both, More TT experience then straight,I like class b for what i do and make class a wage
( roll off dumpster / walking floor )

 

In mn its 18 on the low 27 on the high. Easy work good companys are in the 22 to 25 range.