Need Help

Try to find local PA has a lot of local stuff hauling water/Oil and stuff. I see tons of big trucks going down the road 4 axles small trucks hauling something. With a 2 year old u should really be home more. Find a local job they are out here.

 

LTL is a good gig to pursue for hometime and income - odfl/ABF/etc.

Fiance and 2 year old - are you suuuuure about this . . . . ?

 

You fail to account for many things.

You think that making (grossing?) 700 per week would give more than 450 per week to your household.
Don't forget what you need to live on out there on the road. It isn't cheap, especially just getting started.

You will most likely be OTR when starting out. As such you can not really expect more than 3 days home per month.
Expect that for at least one year.
Tell your family to expect it as well.

This job depends on available loads, wherever you end up at with the last load.
As such, weekly income can be very erratic.
You can not count on a steady income on a weekly basis. Some weeks you might only net $100, and that would not allow you to spare anything for your family that week unless you had savings.

And how long would it be before your 'soon to be' wife got fed up with having a husband that was gone for weeks on end. How about your little one?
You will be a visiting person, now and then - not a husband or a father.

 

No, I don't.
But netting $700 per week is more than just difficult.

Well, I guess I would if I didn't have the health insurance and 2 child support obligations.
But I've been at it for 4 years.
A newbie? Nope.

Have you done the math to see what you would be making with any potential company you would be working for?

You can figure an average of 2500 miles per week, but some weeks will be higher and some will be lower. Sometimes much lower.
Factor in AT LEAST $100 per week for your own food, much more if you don't cook most of your meals in your truck (which requires a cooler and at least a lunch-box oven).
Do you need internet while on the road? I pay $130 per month for mine, with a 20GB data plan.
Do you have the clothing needed for zero degrees and below, or do you need to buy it?

Many things are 'up front' costs, like a cooler or CB or oven or inverter. But those costs will make it much more difficult when starting out, and they sometimes need to be replaced.
You will probably want a good trucker GPS, as well as some tools and other things the company might not provide.

Your biggest problem starting out in trucking will be your family relationship.
It won't be easy for your wife to be a single mom for most of her time.
And it won't be easy for your little one either, missing Dad most of the time.
And all the while, they are simply hoping for enough money to put food on the table for another meal.

 

sand cans or water you are home every night

 

700 a week net is more than doable if you apply yourself. Don't listen to the negative Nancy's. Just because they settled for bottom feeders when they started their driving careers doesn't mean you have to.

When I got back into trucking after a 10 year break I was clearing between 1000 and 1800 a week. Out 3 or 4 days home on the weekends 90% of the time. Now I'm a 40 an hour a week guy weekends off and clearing 1300 a week.

The bottom line is don't be a sheep. Be the shepherd! Best of luck to you driver!

 

The OP is wanting $700 per week NET, not gross.
Please READ!