OTR drivers make the equivalent of $21.50 per hour

So what's the issue? 1st of all, I think you are a bit low, if one made .60/mile and did 50 miles in an hour, is more like $30./hour, and more like $2100/week, if you do happen to make those miles, and 2nd, I hate to be blunt, but you sit on your rear for that $30/hour, and not climb scaffoldings in the rain or have a worker in front of you not doing their job or shoveling hot asphalt for a lot less. Not sure who sugarcoated the job to you, but this is trucking, always has been. Just about everything you mentioned is just part of the job. See, that's the thing, today people want it all their way, as little hassle as possible, life doesn't work that way. And 3rd, if you go into trucking , especially OTR and expect an hourly wage, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Typically, OTR pays % or mileage, so right off the bat, this won't work for you.

 

Because people accept it.

And what in your opinion should a first year driver be paid to tear up other peoples ####?

 

You left out the safety bonus.



-- L

 

If there is more value to what people do then their pay reflects it. OTR with a box is about the easiest thing to do. If someone desires better compensation they can improve their skill set and provide labor that has more value to their employer.

It’s easy to get a CDL and it’s relatively easy to drive a truck. If people had to invest more time and a significant amount of money to get a CDL the labor pool wouldn’t be nearly as deep and wages would go up. How cheap do you think you could get an electrician or plumber to your house if they only needed a couple weeks of training?

 

Taking what I earned my first year ($42,000), and adjusting for inflation - $62,500. A quick perusal of new hire job ads show income "up to" $60,000.

 

He's not that far off - depending on how a person wants to do the math. I'd say median per hour earnings for OTR/regional work is about $25 an hour. Which is also what you can get driving a fork truck around me. Back when I started it was more like $14 for the forklift an $17-18 for the truck. As we're all well aware of, OTR wages have been stagnating compared to other blue collar jobs.

 

They dumbed this sheet down big time.. gps... automatic. Frige in truck.. etc etc ..I see old ladies doing this sheet now..

 

At least most old ladies will be watchin the road instead of Seinfeld reruns

 

You ain’t special even though mommy may have told you so.
There’s plenty of people in this world doing a tougher job for even less money.