The average new driver is making around 45k to 50k. Once with them and your established with the load planners you'll see higher payouts. It also depends on how often you go home. The longer runs pay better.
it's all in running the truck efficiently. I promise if you run it well, you will be successful. The first few months suck, but it gets a lot better.
Yeah. I'm just gun shy about leaving my current job. I make good money now and am local, but need a change of pace. I make $1,300 gross/wk for 70hrs worth of work at 6 days a week.
How old are you? In decent shape? Tarping loads especially in winter winds while snowing or raining gets old faster. Sweating in the summer heat tarping isn't fun either. Its a good workout for sure, I lost weight while working at TMC. I don't work there anymore and love my local flatbed gig. Hardly any tarping and home every night while bringing home $800-$1000 a week is nice. With TMC could make about the same as your current job or less but with more physical work and away from home for a week or more at a time. I say work smarter not harder, especially if your older 35+. I mostly have done flatbed work but can agree van work is less exciting.
I'm 24, decent shape. I look forward to the workout that comes with it. I bring home between $800-$900/wk after new York is said and done with my money.
I'm 46 and feeling it some. You don't think this would be a good place to start. All I've ever known is manual labor. I've operated flat bed straight trucks recently hauling gas pumps and tanks, it was a boom truck. I don't want to go to TMC and get sent home because I'm older. I wanna run flatbed. My Uncle ran flat till he was 78. He was owner operator. My main concern is going to Iowa and get sent home for not being up to they're standards.
So long as you can do the tarp lift, pass a piss test, and dont lie to them, and they extend an invite to come out, you meet their standards. They do a lot of the background work on you prior to showing up. Basically a preliminary check to make sure your on the up and up. So long as you tell the truth and can do the tarp lift, youll be fine.