Pay From Companies?

So I'm looking if anyone can maybe give a round about of pay from some of the well known carriers for a new driver. By the mile & weekly would work. Trying to see if any company would be better than the other for starting a career.

Most of the Majors range from .35 to.45 cpm. Lots of other factors to consider besides pay. Different bonus structures etc. Don't let that be your only yardstick.

3000 miles per week at .35 is $1050 per week. 2000 miles per week at .45 is $900 per week. So which is better?

Division will make a difference too. Reefer pays more than dry van , tanker pays more than reefer..flatbed gets tarp pay.

Here is a link to my pay. CFI starts at a higher solo rate than when I started. They also now pay weekly and have a per diem option. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the link. My last company I made great money although I thought I worked a lot and worked hard. I got a lay off and switched to a company where I will do over 50k a year. Office environment off Sundays occasional Saturdays and all holidays off 20 days of time off a year & in my own bed every night. Seeing your pay and you had to do to earn it Scott has me 2nd guessing if this is the right career move. Nothing against you as you probably love driving and are making good money doing however it opens my eyes that would be a bit of a harder lifestyle for about the same pay if not less.

If I'm sick and don't want to work tell my boss and go home and sleep it off. Same thing if I don't want to go in. Have a nice comfortable bed and all my snacks right at home in privacy. I am just thinking if this happens OTR trucking what is experience like if you need a sick day or so or are feeling 100%.....

Got to dump or leak in the middle or the night, no comfortable couch or TV to watch your shows in privacy of home. It is starting to weigh on me if I am making a good decision.

Craig, a lot of people start this career with big hopes and dreams. Then they discover the commitment required to be successful at it. Most of them go home at that point. It's no walk in the park. You sound to me like you're definitely not going to like it.

I agree with Old School, this career may not be a good choice for you, judging by your statements. It certainly isn't for everybody. Just for the record...

Office environment

I'm in an environment with a great view.

off Sundays occasional Saturdays and all holidays off 20 days of time off a year

I can take off whenever I want. Sundays, holidays, in different parts of the country. It's up to me.

in my own bed every night.

I'm in my own bed also. It just happens to be in my truck.

If I'm sick and don't want to work tell my boss and go home and sleep it off. Same thing if I don't want to go in.

No difference here. If I'm sick I tell my dispatcher I'm parking the truck. No problem.

Have a nice comfortable bed and all my snacks right at home in privacy.

I don't even have to get out of my nice comfortable bed to reach my snacks. They're right next to me in the cabinet or fridge.

Got to dump or leak in the middle or the night, no comfortable couch or TV to watch your shows in privacy of home.

A bathroom is never too far away. No I don't have a couch, but I can lay in my nice comfortable bed and watch my TV in the privacy of my truck.

On top of all that, I make over 70k.

So you see it's not all bad. However, trucking is definitely a lifestyle not suited for everyone. Most people would prefer something like your current situation, and that's ok. It's good that you're thinking this through.

This is the easiest job I have ever had. Most of my job is driving and being paid to see this beautiful country. If I want time off for me I just tell them where and when I want to be there. If I'm sick, I let them know and I crawl into my comfortable bed and go to sleep. All they care is that I get the loads picked up and delivered on time. I am supporting my wife and myself. In trucking you get raises and bonuses based on performance, every company is different. At CFI our raises are based on mileage. So, if you are happy with your 50k office job stick with it. I will be grossing more and more each year. I don't think I could ever work in an office or shop again. Good luck to you.

The earning potential is quite high in trucking for a job that doesn't require a college degree. It takes time to get to top pay by maximizing your time available. Yes, the hours are long and there will be days you want to quit out of frustration but some of the scenery we see on the road makes you forget most of the negatives. It's also a job where you're more or less left alone to do your job without somebody constantly watching over you. We have members here who have said they only talk to their dispatcher on phone once every couple months because they've shown they can accomplish their work without somebody holding their hand. Most of the members here are over the road drivers, which is the best way to enter this industry. Most have stayed because they love the adventure and they have found how to make the most money. There are a few of us local drivers around and make similar money to what the top drivers are making. Local driving will also include long hours but at least you would be home daily. There are exceptions, but alot of times with local driving you're only off duty for 10 hours before needing to be back which includes commute, shower, eating and spending time with family.

As turtle said it's great you're thinking this through. Too many people enter the industry with the wrong ideas and wash out very quickly. This line of work isn't for everyone just like the office environment isn't for everyone. It doesn't make you any better, or less of a person if you decide this isn't what you want to pursue. Good luck, please keep us updated on how things go.

I agree with Big Scott.. this is the easiest job I ever had. The learning and first year is hard, but once you know what you are doing, all that pressure is gone.

I pretty much decide when I drive based on the load. I can choose my route although I am given one, and my work week is the length of my load. I don't have that dreaded feeling of monday morning because my week is only the length of my load. If I want a day off or dont feel well I tell my FM to give me.a load the next day or a load with a lot of time on it. I have the top of the line mattress in my truck which is superiir to most people's home mattresses, and you can get Direct TV satellites on the truck, or use Roku which is much cheaper.

I could.never go back to a job with a set schedule, it would.kill me. If I want to drive 5 hours and stop to eat and shower or take a 2 hour nap, i do it. Then i finish my day. Sometimes I only drive 5 hours the whole.day.

As far as pay, Big Scott drives dry van , so as I said, he makes less than other divisions but it makes a difference where you live. $45,000 in Alabama is awesome in NJ it is horrible. But....if you give up your aparmtent (if you can, not everyone can) your cashflow skyrockets cause of lack of over head.

I wrote an article about paying off my debt and establishing my 401k and savings. Maybe this will help.

Budgeting Tips for CDL School.& Training

As for the pay, keep in mind that Big Scott and my first year pay is from years ago. The starting pay at Prime was 39.5 cpm for reefer when I started. It is now 44cpm for a full size and 49cpm for a LW. That is a big difference when you add in our other bonuses and such.

My First Year Prime Pay

A big issue people have is the inconsistent pay is like working on commission. Do not expect OTR to be a set number each week. When you average it over a month, it will probably be the same month to month. But grossing $1000 one week and $1500 the next is quite possible. I have gotten to the point where my daily spending goes on my rewards credit cards and i pay as much as possible every week. I earn hundreds of dollars in rewards points, and pay no interest cause i pay the balance by the end of every month, but I dont fear the inconsistency in the pay.

The lifestyle is a culture shock. I wrote an article about that too.

Truck is a Total Culture Shock

Good luck and keep asking questions