Starting pay

I actually liked this your post and I even believe the numbers you put here.
0.37 cpm is reachable and 140,000 miles a year is believable if you train. But you said you were running solo. You've got to have #### good DM to do this kind of miles solo. (I ran approx 110,000 in 2009)
7.14 MPG is easy to believe as well.
2700 miles average is also reachable.
So far it looks exactly same conditions I'd have at Heyl. 2700 miles at 0.35+0.2 cpm. But I'll be able to afford more hometime. Suits me better than Stevens.

I just take issue when someone says he makes well over 0.40cpm all the time with Alliance. I'm not saying it's not possible. Occasionally. But 0.44cpm average over a year... that's what I call a BS.

My issue with OTR is only the hometime. I don't have children and relatives spread across the country you have clear advantage in that. Not every OTR truck driver is so lucky.

Other than that, I LOVE to go different strange places. One of my last loads took me to Worland, Wy. -20F, wind, snow and ice everywhere... I loved it. Beautiful. Look it up if you weren't there yet.

I don't have anything against Stevens per se. The original discussion started when I challenged your 38 years experience and I was saying that with 38 you would do better on company side.
You explained it and I understand your reasons.
But then others chimed in with all kind of inflated numbers...

The thread is called "Starting pay". I wanted to show to all them new drivers, students and wannabes that although it IS possible to make the kind of money you're making but that it is an EXCEPTION NOT A RULE. They cannot count with profits like yours. They can aim and hope for them. They just shouldn't EXPECT them.
My advice to them is to count with the numbers I WAS making. And they aren't the worst either. There were drivers doing MUCH WORSE than I.
Every driver who knows what he's talking about here on this forum should quit recruiting and wawing his Dick and try to prepare those wannabes for reality.

 

Kokot,
You're right about starting pay. I tell people to look for 32-36,000 their first year. But I know you can make significantly more on the Alliance side if you're aggressive, and after you've gained some experience.
Mid to upper 40's is very doable. I have. That's how I was able to buy my truck at the lease end. Stashed the cash and now own the truck.

 

30,000 as a rookie in any job with no experience is a good starting point.

10,500 miles a month doable in 24 days leaves 6 days off a month. At .38 per mile is 3990 a month or 47,800 a year. My numbers as a solo aliance driver. That is only 440 miles per day.

 

No, YOU started it.

 

I think the whole "family all over the country" and "see new places" are two reasons people get into OTR in the first place. It is for me. Of course, having grown up the son of a US diplomat, having lived in many countries (and gone to high school in five countries in four years, none of which were the U.S.) and having had a partial career as a professional pilot, the "traveling" thing is in my DNA. And I have always loved long-distance driving.

Worland is wonderful, as is pretty much anywhere in Wyoming - except for the fact that their air pollution is worse now than LA's thanks to fracking. I lived in Wolf Point, Montana for 3 years long ago, which is another lonely and beautiful place.

 

Which is what I want to do.

 

Personal choice is one of the really neat things about this business. There aren't many where a new employee has so many choices. Want weekends home? Want to drive by your house every 4 months? Want to live in a "camper" on the road? Want to own it? Lease it? Load and unload it? Not touch the freight? Are you money-driven? See the family more? Be part of a mega-carrier or one with 25 drivers?

It's all there. Finding the choice that "fits me fine" is what it's all about, isn't it?

 

The key is to reach that 0.38 cpm. Which might be pretty hard for some. Also it depends on a particular truck one drives. Some are just more expensive than others (and I'm not talking only about the lease amount) which affects your bottom line greatly.
It's a hard choice to decide what truck to get.
Get a new(er) one and pay out of your butt for lease and DPF or get an old one which is cheap but you might also end up sitting a lot in repair shops and blow your maintenance escrow? That's the question for $1000000.

Also it heavily depends on your DM if he/she is able and willing to get you home every 3-4 weeks. My DM usually got me home when I told him but he wasn't happy about it and it wasn't without all kind of trials and tribulations. Over time it wears one down and one wishes he doesn't have to fight/argue/beg everytime just to get home.

Btw, I think there's a good chance Heyl will give me those ~400 miles/day and the cpms are the same 0.38 if I get those bonuses. But even if not, right now somewhat regular hometime is of a greater priority for me at this point.

 

Thanks for the posts all, just retired military Aviator and starting over in the trucking industry as a Professional Driver and am kinka excited and nervous and where I come from the Chief dont get nervous I want to go O/O but have limited options do to a lovely lady I passionately call... MY EX.... There seems to be quite a lot of different thoughts and opinions out... good, bad and indiffernt... no two seem the same so I would have to say this is one of those situations you go into as well informed as possible, be flexible, accept that a PLAN is nothing more than something to DEVIATE FROM and be prepared and ready to take all and any load offered to me think "Can-Do and NEVER I Can't' . I am so glad there are poeple like you all out here helping with your Proffesional Knowledge and love the road stories.... Drive Safe...

 

Home time comes from being professional and standing your ground. As a new driver one does not want to rock the boat and does not understand all the games so he becomes a door mat that the DM walks all over.

As for the truck I have done the older one to start and swapped out to the 660 I now have after 14 months. Now if you must drive a pete then you will pay about $200 more for lease and insurance a week.

Kokot good luck with heyl. A former stevens driver started the thread about heyl.