What is the REAL average first year income for a new driver

Well that was fun reading.

 

I run reefer... No BS... I've made 3 runs thus far... first was about 3600 miles (6 days), next was almost 3900 (8 days), and the last was like 3300 (6 days)... Only the first was at 35 cpm, both the last 2 were at 37 cpm... I guess that works out to about $3900 gross but none the less its nearly 4k.

The second trip was as follows... Idaho falls, ID to Rigby, ID (load) to Lima, OH (drop and hook) to Detroit, MI (load) to Springville, UT (unload) to Spanishfork, UT (drop and hook) to Idaho falls, ID...

I don't dink around on the road, I run 10 to 11 hours of driving whenever possible and do a 34 hr reset at home... All our runs are 6 to 8 days unless weather slows us down.

So if anyone wants to call that Oversized BS then to each their own, but I run hard, cause I can, and I can make it work with my company.

 

That sound like you have found a diamond in the rough first job.. Hope it continues to be prosperous for you...

 

I hate to break it to you your not making decent money.

And that bonus program is disgusting , you would have to drive your sack into the ground at about 4000 miles a week just to get what you should be getting on 2500 to 3000 miles.
You being taking advantage of.

 

I understand that it may not be the greatest $$ that is out there but for me and my family in this part of the country that is pretty good $$... Especially seeing as I get to be home every 6 to 8 day and this is my first otr job... All my driving experience together I have less than 150k miles under my belt as most of it has been local day haul kind of work. I have had my CDL for 5 years but have been driving truck since I was a teenager doing farm work. Before I took this job I made about 45k annually working a full time job (not a driving job) that had times of the year that I was working 80+ hours a week for 6 to 8 weeks straight... I know what its like to work my "sack into the ground" and I'm not afraid of it... As long as I get paid enough to take care of my family. So far I'm making roughly twice what I made at my previous job. Eventually I can look for a better otr gig but I need to get some miles under my belt first and I think this is a good first step.

 

The job is the same , it doesn't matter what the cost of living is where you live.

 

I know that neighborhood... I know an older gentleman that lives there, worked with him actually.

And yes for the cost of living in this area I'm doing well... Was even doing ok at my previous job but this will be better.

 

More power to ya driver! You be getting mega miles cuz you being paid cheap rate. Glad you also figured out how to average 650miles a day driving. Good luck to ya, somebody gotta haul it

 

By the way this wasn't a slam against you as a person.
It was about you saying decent money.
True you may be doing better than you were but, what your being paid and the miles you have to put in isn't decent.