What is average for a new driver

You might want to reconsider

After a couple years as you learn the ropes netting $4000 a month wont be a problem, but your gonna work 70 hrs a week for it. Are you prepared to live on the road and only seeing your loved ones 4 days a month?

 

I live in Liberty Hill, north Austin area.

You can gross 4,500 team driving at FFE. That's where I drive. Terminal is in south Dallas.

Team driving takes a bit of gtit. Likely you would be paired up with another rookie driver to start. The money is definitely there if you can do it.

The run I got coming up next week pays about 2200. This week is low. Last week I earned 1850. Yes I drove on Thanksgiving day. Expecting to be on the road Christmas as well.

Usually I get 5-7 days off a month and I get 850.00 paid for those off days provided I remain on call (i never get called in). But it can happen.

 

You can have the VA lock your rating. If you are 100% for example thats about 3000.00 for as long your service connected issues exist pending periodical reviews by the VA. Called Audits.

My spouse was a marine and she was around 60% service connected. Gets a little something from the VA but when Social Security kicks in on her in a few years things will improve for her.

Trucking was nice however 9-11 combined with other issues at home ate into our savings. However the goal was not to be unemployed due to the destruction of our Payroll people that day. So the savings served to keep us rolling until the new payroll caught up with a nice check.

Did I say savings? Thats the cornerstone to trucking. If you have that. Say thousands of dollars you can get to at a bank at a moment's notice anytime anywhere then your trucking will be much smoother.

Why?

Too many times hungries sit in Orientation and out of the entire room you would barely be able to collect 40 dollars from all of them. Then they borrow money against their pay and live high on the hog. Then wonder why their checks are 0.00 and struggle all the time in this industry.

I think you will be fine. But you sure picked a hell of a industry to get involved in. If I was asked why? I would say I am a trucker. I don't know any different. But I do have learned what works in this crazy business.

 

If you're willing to team; @TravR1 can show you how to make about $80K you're first 12 - 18 mos. at FFE, and then a steady $80K - $85K per year after that. Yes, low wage trucking companies are out there, but drivers work for those voluntarily, not because they have to.

 

3500 is very doable. My 1st year I actually made more than I did active duty if you count my retirement and my VA disability.

If you get rated at VA at 70% that is $19000 a year tax free. ($1600 a month) Then you still have your retirement on top of that. That leaves you with only needing to make $3400 more a month. Retirement at 20yrs is 50% of base pay. (E7 @ 20 is $2283) Those two combine is $3883 a month.

 

If your willing to run team you can do better but........you will be dealing with the other drivers pee bottle and all the drama. You gotta get used to breathing 'fart' air.

 

I think 3500 monthly is doable your first year. It largely depends on where you work at. I was a little bit under that number my first year. Check the job board on here for companies that hire students. It's more out there than you think

 

FFE also pays per diem. Their new trucks have fridges, inverters. Driver managers are not bad.