Year One Reality

Get with a good company in the beginning; do some research. For example, Melton Truck Lines average annual pay is $50K and you can do the same with several companies. Some guys with Maverick flatbed make that much or more. System Transport drivers make that and more. Some drivers start out with tanker/hazmat and make $60K + their first year. You can make good money your first year and also have good benefits and 401K. Since you were fortunate to go to a private school, your options are greatly expanded.

 

I would say that reality is $300-$500 a week driving for mega-carrier and $600-$800+ driving for a smaller carrier.

 

Have to disagree. There is absolutely no reason that someone has to suffer working for a crappy company at slave wages because of some outdated concept of "paying your dues". There are a number of good companies that will hire new drivers and pay a decent wage. Sure, no new driver is going to start out making top scale, but getting paid peanuts isn't a requirement either.

Why are you only looking at large companies? With some effort you can get yourself many more options.

My point exactly.

 

Once again have to agree with Elendil, there is absolutely no reason whatsoever anyone should sacrifice themselves or have to suffer through a company! DON'T GO THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!! There are too many good companies out there. Problem is most you newbies either take the advice of the recruiters or go by the ads you see. The ads you see are the mega-carriers spending millions of dollars to get YOU to work for THEM! This should set off alarms in your head!

There are thousands of good, smaller companies out there to drive for and are willing to hire new guys/girls. The other problem is that a lot of people don't want to put forth the effort to find them and get hired on. The mega-carriers know this and is why they make getting hired on easier than breathing! They are dying to have you guys!!! Why not? They can move freight for near nothing by paying you new guys trainee wages for months! They don't want experienced drivers! Those that do stay and get a little experience, they have developed a program to make money off of them too. Its called "leasing". What they do is give you a brand new shiny truck to disguise the less than trainee pay they are about to give you to drive it!

Besides all this, the number one reason you should go with a smaller company is because of the dispatchers. At the mega-carriers the dispatchers are responsible for overseeing hundreds of drivers. This makes you a number and your assignments are just randomly picked out of a pile and given to you. At a smaller carrier the dispatchers are usually overseeing a handful of drivers. This allows you to build a more personal working relationship with them. This is crucial to making money! This is why you can do substantially better at a smaller company. You scratch their back and they scratch yours! You are both there to help each other out and make money.

So that's only a couple reasons why the smaller companies are better. There are thousands more!

Good luck guys and take the time to make a good decision...

 

If you have to cheat to make a wage acceptable to your way of life, quit now because you're making the rest of us look bad.

 

Wheres a good company for a new truck driver in NC i as of right now am going to roehl if thats a bad choice i'd like to know i looked around fedex and ups wont hire me and neither will sysco or comtrak logistics i've looked at alot of companies that don't advertise and put in apps, but they won't consider i mean im not expecting to make a heck of a lot being new but i really wouldn't mind making a 750 average a week for my first year.

 

If you're looking to make the big money you are barking up the wrong tree. The smaller, mom and pop companies are where you are going to find the best chances for success.

Reason being is that your finances will be in the hands of your dispatcher. At the smaller companies its much easier to build a good personal working relationship with your dispatcher. You scratch their back and they scratch yours. Most likely they will be getting paid on commission and its in their best interest for the both of you to work closely together and do what needs to be done. Unlike at a mega-carrier where you will be treated like a number and your loads will be randomly assigned to you according to where you are located at that particular time and what they need done. You will not have the option of discussing your options with your dispatcher and/or the opportunity to work together to figure out what is best for both of you.

Most new drivers have no clue about this aspect of the driving world and it isn't a consideration when they are choosing a company. Usually they just go with who is offering the most per mile and who has the shiniest trucks. Not to mention they make it so easy to get hired on (usually forcing your decision upon you) that a kindergartener could get a job with them! It really takes a lot of extra effort on your part to take the time to do some research and find those less known companies or the companies who aren't spending millions of dollars in advertising to get YOU to work for THEM! That alone should set off alarms in your head!

Do your homework man.... find yourself a good company to drive for from the very beginning! You don't have to sacrifice yourself just because you are a new driver! Especially in your area! There should be no shortage of companies to choose from in your neck of the woods!

Good luck man...

 

If you think you cant make money as a new driver then your just wrong. I been home every weekend for the past 3 years out of 3 years driving and bring home an average of 950 a week. Its out there you just have to go and get it. Dont settle for less and there is no such thing as paying your dues. To be honest companies now would rather have a new grad over a 20 year vet with a few hiccups on his record.

 

I disagree. I believe the best places to work and make a good living is working for a extremely large company with a small transportation division. One that hauls it's own product and does not rely on someone else to provide loads. There are many but a good example are the oil companies. Before I retired some years ago we only had 250 some trucks for the 7th largest oil company in the U.S. The transportation division never made a profit but of course the product could not be sold without us. As a driver the company trusted you and paid you accordingly. If you did you job you went home every night without any worries about your job. No pressure to work extra time and never not paid for any work you did. Your pay started as soon as you went through the gate and ended went you went home. The benefits we outrages and if you invested smartly you could do your 25 to 30 years and retire with over a million in your bank. It's very hard to get hired and they only want the best but it's a goal to work forward to.