What do you consider good pay?

Guess I'm gettin screwed. Just looking at the odometer, and I'm at 167k miles since late last April.

I get 500$ a week

 

I’m a Fuel Hauler.

 

And have some extra to do the things I enjoy on my free time. Free time and benefits are part of the good pay as well.

 

I look at pay in context - what your financial needs and goals are, how much you enjoy the work, what other things you want to do with your time. I drive four days a week, two short days and two long days, a total of 33 hours. I'm paid $1495/week. That's before tax withholding and my 401K and HSA contributions, but after the employee share of health and dental insurance. I could make more by switching to a bid with more hours, or maybe looking for a different company. But the schedule fits nicely into my life. And anyway if I were in this for the money, I'd be doing something that pays better than driving a truck. I do this because it's fun and relaxing. Getting paid is nice, but at this stage of my life, it's not what motivates me.

I would calculate it on an hourly basis. How many hours per week are you driving or otherwise on duty? If you're working 40 hours/week, $2500 is $62.50 an hour. If you're working 70 hours, it's not even $36 an hour.

If I were OTR, I'd also factor in any off-duty time spent on the road. If I have to be away from home due to work, I expect to be compensated for it.

 

Live within your means.
Stay debt free as much as possible, or keep your debt to income ratio as low as possible.
I know some who get a little bump in their pay and run out and buy a $70K pickup truck.

 

A general CDL job with enough experience may not be as highly paid as a specialized trade but should pay well enough to support a family, pay off a mortgage and have a modest retirement plan. As someone said earlier, you need to live within your means.

 

Congrats . I dont make that much ( i do one store and only 4 nights ) , so my pay is little less .
Got the bennies and they are okay for me . specialty driving has it's benefits , but it's downfalls too.
Talking pay to one person who does a different thing ( ie oversize lowboys ) and hauling fuel 5 or 6 stores a day is quite different.
Each has a certain knowledge and skill and once you have it , you try to keep that skill and pss it on.

 

Company 60cpm mile 3000 + miles a week as a driver with a year or so experience. Starting out these days as new no less than low 50'scpm

 

True. I usually only do 2 stores a day. Sometimes 3, but you’re right there are drivers/companies that run 5-6 local stores.

 

You Boss is a cheapskate. Lol. I have the same issue.