Seeking Solo Otr

I am currently working for a company through a company training program. I like driving trucks and feel pretty comfortable and confident even though I have only been driving for about 2 months. I am a fast learner and have always been a safe driver. I have never had an accident or a ticket.

I decided today that I am unhappy with the company I chose to drive for because they don’t pay solo drivers well. I was planning on staying here for several years until I realized how bad their solo pay is. I get that a new driver doesn’t make as much.for me I don’t think it’s fair to drive for 29 cents a mile at any experience level. And my company only pays 30 cents for experienced.

Technically I am still in training but I don’t feel like i am actually training. I feel like I’m doing the same job as any other trucker and getting paid badly for it.

I did research before getting into this career and was expecting solo drivers to make 50cpm+. I wouldn’t have bothered getting my cdl if I wanted to give years of my life away for McDonald’s pay.

I don’t want to sound negative and On a positive side I enjoy driving trucks.

I need to find a company that pays better than this company. The school payment is only 50$ a month if I chose to go to another company.

I am looking for an otr position and don’t require home time. I can work in any state.

My cdl has an automatic restriction so I can only drive automatics.

I am looking for 50cpm + because that is what I expected to make before getting into trucking and I feel it is reasonable.

I am a safe driver and very fast learner. I passed my cdl tests on the first try with ease. I feel confident in my driving. I back up slow and always get out to look when backing. I drive at safe following distances. I inspect truck every stop. I always double check when coupling. Also gotten pretty used to the eld.

Are there any company’s that would hire me and pay me decent as a solo driver? Willing to relocate from California.

What company are you currently with? Switching jobs will make it harder to succeed in this industry. You will be looked at as a risk because you haven't completed training and are switching companies. They didnt invest in your schooling so any minor accident and you may be fired. You have nothing to offer them to be honest. It will be even more difficult if your tuition is not paid in full. Prime has possibly the highest starting pay after training but they're very picky on who they hire. No matter where you go you'll be stuck going through training. My advice is stick it out, your first year isnt going to be the greatest financially but if you can make it through that, especially without any accidents or tickets you'll have a ton of companies interested paying more CPM.

Steven, I wish I had a dollar for everytime I've heard your story - I'd be overflowing with money! New truck drivers often think they are getting cheated. So what do they do? They start looking for another company. The person who came up with that old saying; "History repeats itself," must have been a truck driver. I say if history repeats itself, it means we aren't learning anything from history.

Sadly, truck drivers don't learn anything by repeating their terrible practice of always thinking the grass is greener somewhere else. Look, you're brand new at this. Why do you think you have all this value? You should be focused on building your value. Quitting your current job does nothing toward that.

As a new driver the only thing you have to recommend yourself is your first year's experience. Beyond that you are merely a new CDL holder who has little to no ability to be productive enough to command the highest levels of pay. You knew what you were starting at. Somehow you thought it was acceptable. What changed?

You can make close to 1,000 dollars a week at your pay rate. That's almost 50,000 dollars! Try doing that at McDonald's. Your problem is the same that all newbies face. Your new. You don't have the street smarts yet to turn the big miles. In trucking we control our own levels of productivity and therefore our level of gross pay. You've got to build your own reputation with your company and your dispatcher.

Are you aware that dispatchers have favorite drivers who get special treatment? It's true. We call them Top Tier Drivers. As a new driver that's what you want to focus on. You'll build your value, and you'll build your understanding of how to be hyper productive. Remember, this career is performance based. Any driver earning 50 cents or more per mile is held accountable. He/she has to be worth that much.

You'll control your pay by your performance. Having a CDL doesn't entitle you to anything. Being worth more than the average driver is a responsibility that you must shoulder.

Show Me The Money

2 months experience is an issue Automatic restriction is an issue Unrealistic expectation of .50cpm is a big issue for the record my first yr otr northeast regional home every weekend i made over 70k at .32cpm with .06cpm bonus in my personal opinion its about learning workin hard and efficiently and proving your worth i did all that for 3 yrs while making over 70k all 3 years and now ive earned myself a home daily roughly 10 hours of total work mon thru friday sleep in my own bed and make around 100k. Persistantly being the best safest most proactive driver will reap great benefits

Even if you only average 2,500 miles per week, that’s $36k to start with NO experience. And that’s not good enough?

Everyone told me expecting $36k or more, first year, was expecting too much. So I went and did $40k. I was once told nobody would give me a loan to start the business I wanted to start. I got the first unsecured startup loan in franchise history. They said first year sales wouldn’t top $90k, I did $103,000. They said nobody would buy my service business; after ten successful years, I sold it.

If you want this, do it. Your two “best” jobs are your last one and your next one. Get after it! Be successful and THEN you can start...WAIT A MINUTE...didn’t you know the pay when you signed up? 🤔

Go make it happen. If it’s in your heart, it’ll show up in your paycheck.😎

You have to hustle to get good runs and learn to manage that clock that is steadily ticking away, don't let that clock manage your productivity. These guys are very wise and well versed in this business. Stay get your year or better in and things should start happening for you and maybe sooner if you make yourself stand out in a good way... Remember you and only you are the master of your success.

How did you do research and then choose a company that doesn't pay what you think you should get?

.50 cpm with no experience is a long shot.

Let’s do the math. 29 cpm at 3000 miles a week. $870.00. A week. McDonald’s wage. 7.25 an hour. 30 hours a week. $217.00 a week. So in one week your making what a McDonald’s employee makes in a month in Pennsylvania. So you want to make 50 cpm. As a tadpole. So that’s 50 cpm 3000 miles a week at $1500 a week. So in one week you want to make what the McDonald’s worker makes in 7 weeks The McDonald’s worker has to drive to and from work spending money on gas. They have to do hard labor busting their butt working their way up to manager one day. It might take them 20 years to get there. In just a few months you want to be the district manger in charge of 15 stores. Wow if it was that easy to make it big in trucking we wouldn’t have a driver shortage. I don’t presume to know your age but no matter the age this is called millennialitis. Most common in today’s younger generation but it was passed on through the parents Yuppie chromosome. I have a good idea for anyone making 29 cpm and aren’t happy. Go work 240 hours a week at McDonald’s and you can make 1500 dollars a week. Oh wait there’s only 168 hours in a week. Dang

Im not saying .29cpm isnt a bit low if theres no bonus or accesorials or anything but im guessing you knew what you were gonna be paid and still accepted the job my advice stick it out for 1 yr maximize your skills and time management and in one year when your qualified for a higher paying job youll have already worked out your own bugs and be ready to get out and make a killing

1) Prime is one of the top paying training companies and it takes 975,000 miles to get 50cpm. I'm at 4 years and at 48.25cpm. with my bonuses i average 55cpm. Still.... you are suggesting you are as good as someone with 7 years experience.

2) Division is going to make a huge difference. So flatbed, reefer and dry van will pay differently. i know dry van drivers with 2+ years experience making 43cpm. So unrealistic expectations is correct.

3) i totally understand the high cost of living in Cali is an issue. move to another state or put your stuff in storage and live in the truck for a bit.

4) according to you, you did research and wound up in a low paying company. Why? there must be something in your history that prevented you from a higher paying company if it was only money that was important. if so, those issues havent gone away.