So many questions...

You wont start out making 800-1000 due to the first few weeks after school --no matter what company you go with--you will start out with a training pay. Once you get on your own you can prolly make 500-900 per week but I doubt you will start out with makin 1000. This forum has lots of info on many company's--the best thing to do is just search it out and read the info--there are lots of people that will help you that work for those company's that your interested in. Yes, most of the company's will reimburse you for your tuition but you need to check with the company you choose to be sure. Good luck to you!

 

Well, when it comes to the trucking industry, the age-old adage is definitely true: If it sounds to good to be true, it probably (undoubtedly) is. These people are telling you a grand a week, make THEM put it in writing in a contract form. You finish/pass their school, they get you a grand a week. They tell you you are going to get reimbursed, have it in writing. Probably won't do it, especially if you have already enrolled, but I doubt any of them would do it even if you haven't signed on the dotted line.
Personally, I will never work again for any company whose recruiters claims won't be in writing, concrete, a contract going BOTH ways. That probably eliminates most companies - I'm speaking strictly in terms of OTR.
I think you can make good money, but you have to pay the piper to get there.
I'm basically making 4k per month pre-tax/deductions, which doesn't include bonuses - got 6 of them last year that added up to over 3k. I could be making much more if I wanted to continue to sacrifice my life to the god of "The Road", instead, I am quite content and happy with what I'm making, especially considering the benefits (how many truckers get 28 paid days off per year?) and considering I don't work weekends, ever and am only working 44 hours per week. It took me quite a while to "tone-down" to working 8 and 9 hour days from the 12 plus I was working before.
Not boasting, just saying there is light at the end of the tunnel - there are good jobs out there, but you aren't going to get them (I don't think anyway) fresh out of trucking school.

 

TrooperRat,

Wow! 28 paid days off per year! Thats fantastic. We only get 12 paid holidays and 6 paid sick days per year (not counting vacation). I wish I only worked 44 hours per week. When I clocked out today, I already had 38 1/2 hours for the week. Since we are only allowed to work 60 hours per week, the next two days are going to be easy. Isn't it great to work Monday thru Friday? Unfortunatley, we (9) tanker drivers have to come to work this Saturday for training. It is only going to last about 6 hours but they have to pay us for 8 hours at time and a half. To make around $300.00 for watching movies for a few hours is OK by me.

I don't think you are boasting at all. I mearly think that you are trying to show others that there are more oppertunties for drivers if they take the time to find them.

Drive safe

 

Don't expect to make that kind of money right off the bat, but you will make it. Be prepared to work hard for it, and most of all, be prepared to budget for it. Some weeks you will bring home $1000, other weeks you will bring home $200. Don't blow it all and then be left short the following week. There are plenty of good companies who will repay your tuition, just do your research first. You really want to keep your first job for a year, so choose your first company wisely, and when you get frustrated, remember that the grass isn't always greener.

 

No Grand a week for you grasshopper!

Your trucking school is tasked with getting you through your training and helping you become a CDL licensed driver. That means you now have an opportunity to make money as a truck driver.

To start with you will have no experience and therefore you will need to be trained. Normally this means an otr outfit with an assigned senior driver or mentor to help teach and guide you for the first month or so of your new career.

Commonly trainees (which is what you will be) get paid a flat daily rate no matter wether they did nothing all day or drove 600+ miles for the day. Your trainer will get the benefit of all the miles you drove at his/her rate of pay. When I started in 1992 the daily training pay was 42.00 per day.
Now a days it may be anywhere from 50.00 per day to 100.00 per day. This will last until you are done with training which is usually 4 to 6 weeks provided you can pass your upgrade test when your trainer brings you back to the home terminal.

Once you pass the upgrade test your are considered a "first seat" driver meaning you will be assigned to your own truck. At this time you will be put on mileage pay which could be around .25 cpm to .30 cpm. It will be up to the company to keep you moving by assigning loads to you and keeping you pre-planned based upon your PTA (projected time of availability). You should figure on 2000 to 2500 miles per week as an otr driver on average.

I know this may sound discouraging but it does get better over time. As you learn more and get more experience you will get raises in pay and benefits. We all started as low man on the totem pole and had to work our way up to the positions we have today.

Usually it is after a few years of experience, a safe driving record, and a clean mvr that a person will be eligible for the better paying jobs out here. The more experience you get the higher your pay. If you build a solid reputation as being a safe, compliant, and on time driver your boss will be happy with your performance and reward you with better runs and more home time.

Having said that be aware that most otr companies do not pay for holidays, sick days, personal days, breakdown pay, stop pay, drops or hooks. They will offer medical, dental, vision, layover (after 24 hours), paid vacation, intermediate stop pay (means you pick up for free and deliver the final stop for free anything in between they pay an extra 15 bucks or so) and 401k.

Otr is a stepping stone. Use it to get your foot in the door and then look around for something better.

 

do your year and do it with no wrecks no tickets no nothing !! be on time be safe and ask for help if tou need it ! any profestional driver will be glad to take the time to help you, hopefully you will pick a good co. to start with. i'd stay away from swift,werner, i started with usxpress and my training was ok but not great, i'd suggest martin or create both are great companys
your 1000 bucks a week can be in your near future just make it through that 1st year
good luck look foward to seeing you ouy here !