Realistic Beginner Driver Pay For Regional Drivers

Quoted for Truth - we could probably link a dozen or so posts from this site alone about that.

Does the non-driving job you are contemplating offer an upside of 50% second and third year.

I’ve seen people do the exact same thing you are doing, only to kick themselves a year later for prolonging their agony and limiting earning potential.

Trucking year 1 - $40,000

Trucking year 2 - $50,000

Trucking year 3 - $60,000

VS.

Non-driving job year 1 - $40,000

Non-driving job year 2 - $42,000

Non-driving job year 3 - $45,000

After 3 years trucking? $150k

After 3 years of boring office work or manual labor? $127k

(And I know its one of those 2 because you wouldn't be contemplating trucking if your non-driving, $40k job was fun and awesome)

Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck DrivingJohn M wrote:

G-town, I totally meant no disrespect. I’m brand new to this forum/website. I’m just trying to comb through the mountain of BS that companies desperate for workers are piling on these days.

I appreciate all of everyone’s feedback, including yours. I’m sorry if I got the tone of question wrong - if so, it was unintentional.

Interesting...

"yes", you are brand new to this forum. That much, I do agree with...

Which then, it makes no sense "why" you came off as highly skeptical, smug and stand-offish, not someone looking for information or advice. You don't know anything about this business, so how can you discredit my answer to you? Brett summed this point up perfectly...I suggest you carefully reread his reply. It's spot-on.

The mountain of BS Trucking Companies are piling on? Where? I really don't see it that way. Take a good look at this link: Trucking Company Reviews and then do a spot check to several company websites and show me the "BS".

Any of the companies represented in the above list are the top, most successful trucking companies in the industry. They did not not achieve a high level of excellence by spreading "Mountains of BS" to their prospects and candidates (or their shareholders). "Good drivers"; dedicated, safe, efficient with a highly developed work ethic, can succeed for any of the companies specified in that list. Look around on this forum; Prime, Schneider, Swift, JB Hunt, Roehl, CR England, Knight, HO Wolding, CRST (and others)...are all represented on this forum by skilled, successful highly compensated drivers making way more than 40k per year in a job they hate.

...we are here to help you cut-through the BS, especially what you might read on the internet and in "so-called" reviews...I suggest you start your path on the right foot by investing some quality time reading the information contained in these two links:

Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving

Truck Driver's Career Guide

To reiterate what Brett, Rob and Old School have said... I post here on my free time, offer only honest, truthful and well thought-out answers. I am not here to recruit or take a referral fee, in fact I have in the past, chastened some forum members for "hard selling" their company to many a tire-kicking Newbie. The answers (and information) you'll get from me; although at times blunt and not always what you'll want to hear, the answers will be objective, truthful and selfless.

Apology accepted, thank you. Good luck.

John, if you're reading reviews online at sites like glassdoor or indeed, that's where you'll find most of the BS. Former employees, no longer with a company for a variety of reasons. No way to fact-check the reviews, and actually no way to know if any of those open-to-anyone reviews are accurate.

Advice given here is always fair, accurate, and timely from drivers that have become successful through learning and experience.

Thanks for the paystub pic. It looks like you might make closer to 50k your first year. How many hours are you usually home on weekends? What’s the over $3000 employee expense reimbursement all about?

Thank you!

I started in mid January, and was with a trainer until 3/22.

My check stub as of 9/6

I am hourly, northeast regional , home on weekends.

If you could put together two back to back jobs at a mere $12.50 per hour each, say one job during first shift and one job during second shift, you would make roughly $52k per year and be home every night, and have weekends off, too. Naturally any improvement you could make on your pay rate at either job would increase your annual pay or allow you to cut some hours at the other job. Sure, this plan is initially 80 hours of work a week, but as you are considering truck driving anyway...

;)

Thanks for the paystub pic. It looks like you might make closer to 50k your first year. How many hours are you usually home on weekends? What’s the over $3000 employee expense reimbursement all about?

Thank you!

I started in mid January, and was with a trainer until 3/22.

My check stub as of 9/6

I am hourly, northeast regional , home on weekends.

If you could put together two back to back jobs at a mere $12.50 per hour each, say one job during first shift and one job during second shift, you would make roughly $52k per year and be home every night, and have weekends off, too. Naturally any improvement you could make on your pay rate at either job would increase your annual pay or allow you to cut some hours at the other job. Sure, this plan is initially 80 hours of work a week, but as you are considering truck driving anyway...

;)

Doesn’t sound like much of a life to me

I can tell you my own situation. I am located in NC Iowa and work for a company that I am home every weekend and a lot of nights during the week I can park the truck in my own yard. I had no CDL experience when I started 6 months ago, I was a farmer and had 30+ years semi experience but without CDL. So I was hired but was probationary due to insurance and no prior CDL driving experience. I have received 1 raise so far and my take home after taxes and insurance with dental and vision for me and my 2 children is between $600 and $800 per week. It will keep going up down the road but that is where I am at right now.

In my brief 4 weeks otr my checks averaged 600ish.

My first ten months regional flatbed:

If you could put together two back to back jobs at a mere $12.50 per hour each, say one job during first shift and one job during second shift, you would make roughly $52k per year and be home every night, and have weekends off, too. Naturally any improvement you could make on your pay rate at either job would increase your annual pay or allow you to cut some hours at the other job. Sure, this plan is initially 80 hours of work a week, but as you are considering truck driving anyway

Or you can do like I did. 52k first year, 85k second year. Then offered a local job driving hazmat tanker, 30 per hour to start, 10 hour days, time and a half over forty, and home every night and weekend

.

Thanks a million for all of your responses, and especially the pay specifics and paystub shots. I really appreciate you taking the time and giving me the straight scoop. I have decided to take the local job for now and see how it goes. This way I can save up on my own for CDL school without getting locked into the big commitment to a paid CDL school and long contract for a job that may or may not be the right fit for my family situation.

I have a lot of respect for truckers - you are a hard-working lot doing a demanding job. Again, thank you for your help and sharing with me a bit of your time and wisdom.

Best regards, John