Back On The Horse

I have a major issue and it's quite concerning

Kyle, I need you to help us out here.

You've been all over the place (figuratively and literally) while trying to become a truck driver. You got let go from Prime, you went to Schneider, then quit that job. You then went to a local job telling us you were not cut out for "over the road," and you were tired of "crappy paychecks."

Now you're back in here telling us you're going to get "back on the horse," but before you're even in the saddle your worried about how little you're going to get paid! It's no wonder you're having such a hard time making a successful career of this. You've completely misunderstood how this whole thing works.

I started at Western Express making .27cpm, and ended my rookie year at nearly $50,000 for my gross pay. I never concern myself with how little I'm going to make. I focus my efforts on how much I'm going to make. This job is all about performance. You just dont quit at trucking and blame the company or the pay scale for your "crappy paychecks."

Think about this: There are a lot of successful drivers at Schneider and Prime. When one of their drivers is doing really poorly we have to figure out why they aren't successful. We know it's not due to the pay scale or the company. They wouldn't have all these successful drivers out there on the road if that was the issue.

You've already set yourself up with something to blame for the difficulties you're planning on having! You've got to change the way you approach this career.

Everyday I wake up and make a plan on how I'm going to outperform everyone else out here that I'm competing with. Then I get out there and execute that plan. I may be at it early. I may be at it late. I may park my truck at a locked gate so no other driver can get in there before me. I may even have the loaders load my truck in a way that gives me an advantage on a multi-stop load. I never stop thinking about how to put myself in a position that gives me the edge needed for success.

Do you see how completely differently you and I approach this career? Can you change the way you think? I say you can. I say you have to. If you don't, you're going to be right back in here telling us why this job didn't work out and what you're planning on doing next.

Here's the top three priorities you need to focus on to make a go of this...

My Performance

My Performance

My Performance

Thank you for the advice but that wasn't what I was talking about I thought u made 1800 (in fact I did almost 1900 miles this week alone.) My mistake was leaving snchieder in the first place. What happened with my local job was well, I was let go because I goof up more than once.(non accident related) Western is my second chance company because due to having a accident record with snchieder.(not on driving records) no one would take me except snchieder.

West changed the scale pay to 30pm -32 and one other I forgot which. My consern wasn't the pay but the lack of pay for empty miles which I found out was combined with the total miles. And several other odd things.

On the other note they gave me a 2018 international lt, they don't sent me across gwb or Long Island. I've been running hard, making on time deliverys so far.

I decided to stick with the company regardless of the bad reviews on indeed and glass door. No one else would take me and I'll be a idiot for refusing the job

Gah typo city no one else would of takin me on except for western express

Websites like those two are worthless IMHO. Here's why: any idiot with an axe to grind can get on the web and spread misinformation.

Kyle...you might consider "studying" the contents of Old School's reply. Study it until you have it memorized, read it every day before you turn the key. He is dead-nuts correct about where your focus needs to be.

Learn your job and the money will be there.

Don't judge on cpm. The lower it is, the more it pushes you to get good miles. The more miles you get, you get paid more and get on your dispatcher's good side.

Ok Allow me to elaberate on what I mean. (Im trying to explain how it works for any others seeking to go into W.E) Or those who work for W.e currently And may can help explain things better.

I was actually wrong and I do get payed for empty miles, where I was tossed in for a loop was how many Miles I was paid for, vs the miles I actuly driven. I did a little under 1800 Last week. (though my 8 day log added up says something different, or I may be crazy and I miscaculated) Lets say I get a load assignment,(Note:This might be different from actual miles driven) Loaded miles would be 450 and empty 30. That would be combined so I get payed 30 cpm flat either way.

For van drivers its 5 delivered loads, or 1800 delivered miles, to get 800 minimum pay 1600 for flatbed

During training your payed a flat $400 per week while over the road with a trainer.

I wasnt trying to complain I was actuly confused when I looked at my paycheck and didnt see a seperate payrate for empty miles.

Now, I hope you can see what a great deal that is! You can get paid 800 dollars for only turning 1,800 miles. Do the math - that's really good money for the miles, and 1,800 miles is kid's play.

Of course once you figure out how to excel at it you can do much better.

Now, I hope you can see what a great deal that is! You can get paid 800 dollars for only turning 1,800 miles. Do the math - that's really good money for the miles, and 1,800 miles is kid's play.

Of course once you figure out how to excel at it you can do much better.

I give it my all regardless of how Things been anyways I learned that my mileage is from city to city not adress to adress. Is that normal for most companies?

Yes, that's the standard. Don't get hung up on thinking it's some way to cheat you. That's the same way I get paid.

Think of each load as a contract between you and the company. They let you know how many miles are paid on the load. They don't pay you based on how many miles you drive, but how many they are charging the customer for.

This is known as HHG miles. Household goods miles have long been the industry standard. That is what you'll find in the mileage charts in the back of your Rand McNally atlas.