How Do People Survive

I have been talking to trucking companies for almost a year now about paid cdl training. But i honestly do not know how companies expect a grown man to be able to survive doing this i say 90% of companies want you to go to there school for 3 to 4 weeks with no pay i understand that but then once you get your cdl they want to train you living in a truck 24 hours a day making 20 to 30 cents a mile even at 3000 miles that is only 900 and they tax you on top of that so i will be away from home for 4 weeks no pay in school then living in a truck for another month or so making 900 if i have a trainer that will hustle they tax that i might make 750 if i am lucky for being away from home that is 24 hours in a day x 7 days is 168 hours 750 divided by 168 is $4.46 an hour and i have to eat when i am out there sure i am not driving all those hours but i am still babysitting there truck i just do not know how a grown man with responsibilities can get into this profession without having a big bank roll to last the first year or so

This is why we tell people that it takes commitment to make it in trucking. Get your affairs in order, save some money ahead of time for those lean times while in school, training, and then the first few months as a new driver. Many companies will advance you money that you pay back later. You can survive on the road with $50 worth of food for a week. It’s not the greatest fare, but it can easily be done.

If this was an easy profession, everyone would be doing it. However, it’s not easy or simple. That’s why less than 5% make it just to their one year anniversary behind the wheel.

I have been talking to trucking companies for almost a year now about paid cdl training. But i honestly do not know how companies expect a grown man to be able to survive doing this i say 90% of companies want you to go to there school for 3 to 4 weeks with no pay i understand that but then once you get your cdl they want to train you living in a truck 24 hours a day making 20 to 30 cents a mile even at 3000 miles that is only 900 and they tax you on top of that so i will be away from home for 4 weeks no pay in school then living in a truck for another month or so making 900 if i have a trainer that will hustle they tax that i might make 750 if i am lucky for being away from home that is 24 hours in a day x 7 days is 168 hours 750 divided by 168 is $4.46 an hour and i have to eat when i am out there sure i am not driving all those hours but i am still babysitting there truck i just do not know how a grown man with responsibilities can get into this profession without having a big bank roll to last the first year or so

$900 is a HUGE amount in some places like MS and minimal in NJ. The idea of this being a producitivity based industry is lost on many people. The first year is hard not for the money... but the frustration, training and screw ups. Then this became the easiest job i ever had. There is no stress level unless i let everything bother me. I have more cash, better benefits, and more in my 401k than i did as a federal employee. Also many go to school thinking they are going local right away... to some of the toughest areas of the country, toughest backing, physically unloading themselves, and longer hours.

It sounds like being away from home is going to really hurt you... and you obviously make more now... so dont bother. You will be here next year complaining that you decided to go lease and lost your wife and house.

That sounds harsh... i am sorry. But different people have different expectations. One poster stated he expected to.make $3,000 per week. Not happening. If you are breaking this down by hour, you will hate it and be miserable.

Here is an article I wrote about budgeting during school and training.

and another about my first 2 years pay

Budgeting Tips for CDL School & Training

My First Year Pay Totals

Lol, this made me chuckle. Been there, done it.

I had to sell some things, a lot of things, and max out credit cards.

BUT, I have managed to stay afloat the first year. Caught up on some debt. I've maintained my credit. Financed a new vehicle. And invested in home improvement projects. And taken care of misc things.

Btw, the whole first year out here (and now), I maybe bought 3 meals. The rest of what I eat, is what I take with me from home. That and water.

You have to come up with a plan that works for you.

Michael, do what I did. I waited until I was old enough to collect social security. No problem getting through those weeks of training. I always had enough money. But it took a lot of work for me to live long enough to get my social security, Now I have to work hard to keep living because those checks stop when I die, and I don't want that to happen.

Well I read this a couple of times before I decided to respond. I guess there are a couple of ways to do it. Take what you make now, subtract what you think you will make during training and set that aside to offset the difference. Second, is get a better attitude about the training process. Many of people have managed to do it and I am sure they didn’t have a big bank roll to fall back on.

Back in 2000 I took a huge pay cut to join the army. A E3 with a family didn’t make crap, but I managed. If you truly want to be a driver then figure it out. But you seem to have a negative attitude even before you get started.

Michael, about nine months ago you told us this...

I am in my 3rd weekend of driving school am excited about getting a job have talked to many companies on my driving record I only have 1 ticket from 2009 but my criminal history duis is very very very bad are there any companies that only look at driving record and not criminal history

So, what about those DUI's?

What happened with the driving school you were attending?

What's going on with you? Have you got what it takes to do this, or are you happy to just sit on the fence and complain about the laborious obligation of having to babysit someone's truck 24/7?

I have a feeling there's way more than a monetary restraint that's holding you back. If you don't want to be a trucker that's all good, but if you just want to complain about the career without ever having been involved, I say, "Shame on you."

Dude seriously? First, if you really wanted to do it you would find a way. Almost everyone I met during CDL school and orientation/training was flat broke or darn close to it but they seem to find a way without complaining. Secondly, if your attitude is that you aren't making any real money ($4.46 an hour) and you are just babysitting their truck, I dare say this is probably not the career for you.

I do not want to complain about industry when i drive down the highway I see trucks and I long to be on the road I really do.The companies I talked to some were ok with my duis others said no way. I do not blame them they do not know me know if I am a drunk or not as for school I was going on weekends but I not the school but I did not get the hang of double clutching. A lot of cdl paid training say the use automatics now. I sometimes want so much to drive but the money I just can not get past not making any money. I work out of my house now I have a small advertising company, and I make a goal to make at least 250 a day or work till 5, sometimes I hit it most days I do not most days 150 or 200. But I can work in my underwear and if I want to go do something I only answer to the banks and my wife if I make my 250 by 10 in morning I still work till 12 then go fishing. But I long to drive but I do not think I can pay my bills on what is offered and I hate it my hat is off to all of you but I have bills to pay and it in my opinion really stinks that the money is just not there for me I wish it was but do not think I was badmouthing your industry you are doing what i would love to be doing.

I get the financial strain specially with a family was a bit of a struggle for me but it can be done if theres a will theres a way Im sure especially in their first year everyone did that hourly breakout and argued with themselves if its worth it i even did and the math went like this i was in the carpenters union making 32$an hour i killed my body and brought home roughly 80k a year now trucking has its tough parts personally for me the jobs a breeze but the away time is no fun at all im an avid outdoorsman my truck has an id rather be fishing sticker. But i make 80k+ and im much happier than i ever was breaking my back and when im driving i average about the same roughly 32$ an hour