The real deal on first year earnings for solo driver

Not to pee on your parade, but there aren't too many companies out there that will put you in a truck by yourself right out of school.

 

Maybe not too many but there are a few and they are worth looking for

 

I have researched this a bit and seem to see a trend of between 500 and 700 a week. These are businesses and they can limit you to how much you make as they see fit. So using $600wk as an average, that would be around 30k year. Of course it will vary depending on many variances such as type of carrier, company, health, weather and endless other factors.

I would say to be optimistic too make 35k. A little higher and you are doing good, a little lower and look to see why.

 

The thing about being new is finding your groove so to speak. How much you make is dependent on a lot of things. how hard you run and I know your gonna run 7 days a week 365 but your not ! second is how you do with your DM, and finally if you have any trouble broken truck bumping another truck missing an appt. these are all factors that will weigh in. The first year is the roughest after that it gets easier, but remember things can happen that are out of your control! so plan accordingly

 

Yeah... nothin' like a zero experience rookie going down the road - or more likely all over the road - with an 80,000-lb weapon of mass destruction.

- Rookie looking lost at receiver's dock... now what do I do?

- Rookie who can't back into a loading dock.

- Rookie with 15 OOS equipment violations wondering why the DOT guy is being "mean" to him.

There's a reason for training, and the BFI's who put zero time rookies on the road solo aren't doing anyone a favor - especially the rookie.

 

If you can't gross 35-40K,

your first year.

Blame yourself, because it's out there.

 

There's that 80,000 lb. BS again . What percentage of the time does your rig weigh 80,000 lbs.? When was the last time a truck was involved in mass destruction ? You missed your calling . You should be working for Public Citizen .
He said he was paying for training . Anyone with real potential will find that adequate . Many rookies that spent time with a trainer won't be any better

 

A lot of drivers don't make that the first year and their only fault is having to accept a BFI to work for .