Port TWIC CDL Jobs

I'm just getting into researching CDLs with a major interest in short route port work. Airports, seaports, rail, etc. I'm on a path to get a CDL , TWIC , possibly a crane, hazmat , and refrigeration certification. I want to earn good money and leverage my reliability and a good driving record. I'm not that interested in long-haul OTR but I might have to suck it up to get some experience.

Are there any port crane operators or port drivers that can recommend a path for me? I'm jumping on a CDL-A because of it's overall usefulness, but I'm very curious about container handling cranes or heavy vehicles used in ports.

I know this is kind of an open ended question, but I'm just getting started and looking for a quick path to 65K or more.

Welcome to the Trucking Truth site! Where are you located, and what timeframe are you considering a quick path to $65,000?

2 to 3 years in Atlanta. I’m considering moving to the coast. Norfolk, Charleston or Savannah.

I got my TWIC before getting hired, best decision I ever made. I was hired fresh out of CDL school @60 cents/mile with a 2300 miles a week guarentee, working out of the Philadelphia area. My company also has day cabs working the same account and pays $22/hour. The day cab drivers get 50-55hours a week.

We also have an account out of Wilmington, NC although the rates are lower. The money is definately in the North East.

I know this is kind of an open ended question, but I'm just getting started and looking for a quick path to 65K or more.

Paul, that's a fair question, but it belies some misunderstandings of how one makes good money at this. Newcomers tend to think they've got to have just the right job (like short haul port jobs). Or they think they need to get on with just the right company. Maybe they consider the endorsements or certifications to be that elusive golden egg.

To be frank, none of those things will give you an edge. There was an entirely too lengthy article just a few years ago about the port drivers in California being cheated and unable to make money. You'll find tales of woe in every trucking sector, so that should tell us it's not just some sort of specialization that gives us a boost.

Trucking is famous for rewarding those who are good at it. That's where you want to focus. I've got a TWIC card and all the endorsements. None of those things have boosted my income like the simple straightforward way that I manage my time and produce results out here.

Productivity will always be your key to making great money in trucking. No matter what form of trucking you pursue, it's always going to be a commodities business. Straight up, you've got to be on top of your game to make those slim margins work in your favor. Be good and you'll do good.

I want to earn good money and leverage my reliability and a good driving record.

Forget about leverage. You don't have any. You will have to create that. It can only come from you producing a stellar record, and mostly people will want to see you do that in an OTR situation. That's challenging, but that's why it gives you leverage. Not many people are able to perform at that level. Top performers have that leverage. It's rare, but valuable.

A port job is one of the quickest ways to $65,000+, but the skills mentioned above are necessary to keep the job.

A port job is one of the quickest ways to $65,000+

Dan, what evidence do you have to support this statement? I recently saw a rookie OTR company driver's records who made 63,000 dollars his first year.

Honestly I don't see how we can single out one particular driving job and declare it to be the fastest way to being the most lucrative. The variables are unending. I understand that you are quite happy with your results as a port driver, but your experience is extremely limited. You don't even have a full year of experience yet.

We, of course, are thrilled that you are doing well, but telling someone such an emphatic line about how to get to the maximum pay rates quickly is very premature on your part. There's just way too many factors that will come into play for Paul to meet his goals.

We would always teach him to focus on building a solid foundation for his career. Shortcuts generally have the unfortunate results of cutting trucking careers short. I've witnessed that tragedy too many times.

This link may be informative for those interested in seeing potential incomes in trucking. These are actual payroll numbers shown with supporting photos.

Payroll Numbers For 2019

This link may be informative for those interested in seeing potential incomes in trucking. These are actual payroll numbers shown with supporting photos.

Payroll Numbers For 2019

I didn't post on the 2019 payroll thread because it wasn't a full year and I spent April-August working the dock and training. August-December I made just under 20K. January and some of February were decent, but it's been all down hill from there. I don't drive because I don't have the seniority to drive and I get a little over 30 hours a week on the dock. Right now I'm grossing about 750 a week to work on the dock and it's beyond frustrating.

I'm sharing this so you guys understand what old school is saying. There are a lot of different factors that go into how much money you make on a local gig, but a slowdown hurts a lot.

Fast and easy money in this industry (especially as a rookie) is neither easy nor fast. If it were, everyone would be driving a truck. Those with a CDL in the United States make up only 1% of the population.

Slow and steady is the best route to success.