Not a driver yet, but prospective student with questions..

It kills me too. Newbies don't want the greater effort it takes in finding a good small company to go with, is really the only thing I can think of when they keep going to the big carriers. Back years ago when I was still in trucking school... We(the class) went to a local truck stop where a Werner recruiter was doing his thing.... I ask one question, What was the idle policy for Werner? Recruiter answered, there is NO idle policy... however no worries as ALL Werner trucks had APU's on them. Then it happened, a Werner truck pulled on the fuel island... with NO APU on the truck. I asked about it and the recruiter was busted... changed the subject... and started with a catch phrase, "If your wheels aren't turnin' you ain't earnin"... or something like that, then we were all asked to fill out applications... I walked back up to him as soon as I got mine and said, "No thanks, I'm holding out for something better". Recruiter said, "Like what". "An honest company, that will be on the level even if it's not what I wanna hear would be a good start"... and I left.

 

The Answer
Maybe
As Trainee $300 / Week for 5-8 weeks if not longer depending on your ability to pass & also depending on the company you work for Morals
some of them don't have any.
Can you live on .20 cent /Mile .20x2500miles=$500/wk Team driving
.20x3000 miles=$600 Solo
You can't Multiply X 4 weeks
Because it never works like that
Truck in the the shop due to FreightLiner Check engine light is that your problem?........NO
But here you are @ the dealer yard or in a a scummy Motel with crack heads for neighbors......... with no pay

And that is just one pain in the neck problem

There are some Dudes out here that will tell you that THEIR COMPANY PAYS WHEN YOUR TRUCK IS IN THE SHOP.... RRRRRRRReally?
Yeahhhhhh? How Much?
Basically Refugee Wages.....

Try To Beach about that to your Coordinator.....?

You will End up on his terminator List.......Why U Sir Have an Attitude Problem....
I'm telling you this so you can be prepared to Walk it off....For $300/week
A Lot Lizard Charges More Than $300/week

So Can you Live on Newbie Wages?......

I Don't Know....

Can You ?

 

You pay lot lizards by the week ?

 

I'm not even sure getting that college degree will improve his chances in the labor-market. It seems more and more young people are getting socialized to believe academic credentials are the same thing as job guarantee slips. The fact is that our economy is set-up differently now than it was 15 years ago.

 

Just telling you like it is.... I would highly recommend you find something else to do. There are so many other options out there besides over the road driving. If you didn't have a family, then yes I would say go for it but since you have a wife and kid, man I very highly suggest you do something else.

You are going to make the money that they say you will. In order to come remotely close to making the good money you have to stay out there. Driving over the road and family just don't mix. Don't make the same mistake I did! You will not only miss your wife but you are going to miss every single little moment of your kid growing up. That includes sports games, plays, school events etc... birthdays, holidays, funerals, doctor appointments etc... These are all things that you will never, ever get back!

If you didn't have a kid you could possibly talk your spouse into doing it with you. That's where I would tell its really worth it.

Don't break up your family. The $25,000 a year just isn't worth it!

Yes you could lucky and land a local gig that pays minimal but those jobs are hard to come by and there are many, many experienced drivers with years under their belt looking for those jobs too. Now put yourself in the employers shoes.... who would you hire? Like I said, its not impossible but you will have to have lots of luck on your side!

I really hate sounding negative or trying to tell someone not to pursue their dream or venture but in your case, once again, having a family, man I would really reconsider.

There are so many other jobs out there like trucking in which you can go to school for in a few weeks or months and have a decent paying career, yet still be home to see your kid grow up and have your spouse by your side.

Don't let recruiters or others try to tell you differently, the fact is that on average across the board most over the road companies expect you to stay out for 6-8 weeks with 2-3 days off in between. Yes some are less, some are more but like I said, in order to make any kind of decent money out there you have to put in the time behind the wheel.

Every time you go home it messes up your pay for three weeks. Week one you slow down trying to line you up with a load in the direction of your house. Week two is when you have a few days off. Week three is slow going, getting back out and into the freight lanes.

Besides this, the dispatchers favor the drivers who want to stay out and drive. If you are a driver who needs to go home every two weeks you will be a pain in the butt to your dispathcer (because its a huge pain to get home) and you will be kept closer to home and utilized to do the dirty work. You will ultimately be used to pick up and deliver every bodies load who wants to stay out and drive and your days out will consist of sitting all day long waiting to get loaded/unloaded really minimizing your miles. Your dispatcher works off commission and will eventually weed you out to have an entire team of drivers willing to stay out and make them money. They won't necessarily fire you or let you go, they will just sit you and starve you until you quit. Therefore making $200 - $300 a week will certainly not be worth your time away from home!

Typically a driver that stays out and runs hard only makes about $800 a week to begin with.

Its going to cost you a lot of time and money to get into this so I would really recommend you put some serious thought into this. Its also going to take you a good three months before you are making the pay of a solo driver once you have completed school and finished training with a trainer. Once you finish school (which can be anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months) you will go with a trainer of your chosen company and ride with them for two months making a salary training pay of about $300 a week.

Once again man, I'm not trying to sound negative, just give it some serious thought. Good luck on whatever you choose to do....