My First Real Paycheck

This is about the 10th check that I've received since I started with the company, but most have been training pay. I ran 2487 miles my first week and 2625 the second since I've been solo.

Unfortunately, due to my mistake, one of my loads didn't make it on the check for the first week. That check wasn't much different than my training checks.

It made it on this week's check though. I haven't been this excited in a while. Finally seeing my hard work pay off.

Congrats, Benjamin! Those are some good miles!

Very good, proud of you!

For now on, those should be your average paychecks. Keep in mind though that your paychecks fluctuate. Its hardly ever consistent. For anyone interested in how much money a driver can make in their first year, and their weekly paychecks, check out this thread - Daniel B.'s Exact First Year Pay Week By Week

Keep those wheels turning Ben. Still vigilant out there!

Vroom-VROOM! That is awesome. Keep rolling, Dude!

-mountain girl

Very nice, I remember that feeling but keep trucking hard and don't be afraid to chase $$$ once you've gained enough experience. These Rookie Companies low ball you so bad!

Very nice, I remember that feeling but keep trucking hard and don't be afraid to chase $$$ once you've gained enough experience. These Rookie Companies low ball you so bad!

Really Driver? How so? I run teams for one of those "rookie companies" as you put it and I am on track to clear over $55k this year with Werner. Maybe I am special? Doubtful. I was with CR England and bought a house with a private dock on the Arkansas river and paid for two new vehicles and all in cash. No loans. I drove for JB Hunt for a year and a half. I was top driver many months in a row there and grossed over $50k there the full year I was there.

I can guarantee you that I can go to any "starter company" as you put it and within a 1 years time be in the top 10% of drivers that get their job done and earn as much or more than most drivers that have been there years. It's called work ethic. Pride in my job. Realizing that I control my fate with a company. Through my work performance I know I make money so I have to be on top of my game in all areas including but not limited to delivering early or making delivers when the load planners can not even get an appointment. It's my job to Improvise, Adapt and Overcome. And those 3 little words are why I can succeed at any "starter company" in America.

It's not the companies that are the issues. Sure there are maybe a few out there that might screw the drivers but that is mostly the small outfits, owner operators that turned into a small company, and had no business buying their first truck to begin with. Most times and I mean 98% of the time if a driver is not getting the miles or making the money his experience dictates he should be making then it's the drivers fault. Simply as that. The other 2% is just plain bad luck.

Companies make money on the loads drivers deliver. It makes absolutely zero sense to put a driver in a $150,000 truck and make him sit even though the company still have payments that need to be paid. That is cutting off the companies nose in spite of their face.

Sorry if this was a bit harsh but it irritates me to no end when drivers, even jokingly, blame the big bad large companies when the fault lays most times at the drivers feet.

If you can make more money doing X amount of work at a vet company over doing the same amount of work at a rookie company, then why not?

If you can make more money doing X amount of work at a vet company over doing the same amount of work at a rookie company, then why not?

Cause once you jump ship you start at the bottom all over again and have gained nothing but the ability to show you can't hold a job very long.

More money is always nice. My brother and I could could to work for Hills Brothers for more money and a faster truck except one little thing. Their insurance is not as good as Werner's insurance. Not by a long shot. So yea I could go make an extra. 4 cpm but the extra money I would make would have to go to cover what the insurance does not cover. So to me I see no benefit at all.

People can drive for who they want to. I really don't care but has anyone stop and thought about why these large companies have drivers that have been with them for 10,20,30 years?

I think DRIVER was referring to the low starting pay at rookie companies. I'm guessing you and your brother make a bit more than .27 cpm to earn the kind of money you do and deservedly so.

I agree with you that its more about the individual's work ethic and performance and not so much which company you work for. I know we all have to start at the bottom and low pay is just part of the game for new drivers. You and your brother are not in that category. Lets just make sure we compare apples to apples when talking about pay.