Comments By Nruck H.

Nruck is confused:

It's a bit confusing to hear "You get what you pay for" and then "A license is a license" basically from people

.

You do get what you pay for. A school offering training for $1000 is likely not going to prepare you the same way a school costing $4000 will. If you scroll to the middle of this thread I sent you several links on schools that you can review that should help you in this process. Here they are again:

Company-Sponsored Training

Truck Driving Schools

How To Choose A School

You definitely need to talk to the schools you are considering. More than one person suggested that...we are offering advice based on our collective experience.

Thank you, and I appreciate all the comments.

Yes, I would definitely start researching the company you are interested in and call and talk to their recruiter. They will be able to tell you what driving schools they will accept from and which ones they will not. If you start looking at schools first, at least look for ones that are certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI). In my area, Central North Carolina, a lot of your top companies hire from the local community colleges that offer a PTDI certified course, my company included (Epes Transport - Greensboro, NC). Good luck!

Thanks, I'll look into that.

People say they can't believe there are schools that charge $1,000, but there's supposedly 3 schools around me that charge (according to a website) betwen $800 - $1,500.

It's a bit confusing to hear "You get what you pay for" and then "A license is a license" basically from people.

But I suppose it's like people are saying, call up trucking companies, and check certifications.

I worry about asking the schools themselves because they don't have the incentive to be honest. They have incentive to make money.

The hourly pay would obviously hinge on what that hourly pay would be. At perhaps $10 an hour, the math would simply not work. But $10 is pathetic for the level of responsibility this job entails. $20 might be more in-line, but this is just my opinion.

As you see, this is quite a contentious issue, with solid arguments on both sides. I myself would prefer hourly just like in every other job.

That's crazy.

I had no idea that the pay was so low for somebody driving trucks.

The key to this job is not only learning how to safely drive but mastering how to make money doing it. The first 3-6 months is all about learning safe operation; staying legal, pre-tripping effectively, backing efficiently, dealing with weather, and overall gaining confidence (etc., etc.). It takes another 3-6 months beyond that until you truly "get it" to the point where you begin to earn a good paycheck. It's a long process...not an event.

If you enter into this with realistic expectations that is half the battle. Unrealistic expectations is the likely cause of so many new drivers quitting before month six.

Yeah, I notice the turn-over is high.

I want to get a good understanding of what to realistically expect.

I appreciate all the feedback from you guys.

Nruck H. asks?

$35k annualy, x0.66(taxes) / 12 months /4 weeks /70 hours = $6.85 an hour after tax? Is that right?

Seems like a low starting wage to me.

Where did you come up with 35k? That is likely a "first year" compensation figure. Due to training duration and the steep learning curve, during the first year of experience, an entry level driver's income potential is lower than what you can expect year 2-5. Try to think of the first year as a paid apprenticeship.

Oh, so you're saying it's lower than that?

Does every trucker who goes on the road for weeks at a time get a truck with a bed, and do truck stops have showers?

Nobody ever gets to rent a room for a few hours or anything?

Forgive me if these questions are silly, because it's probably common knowledge for you guys and I can't seem to find that information.

66% taxes?? Where do you live?

The math is that if taxes is about 1/3 of your income, then you have 2/3 left.

So you're left with 66%, or 2/3 of your total income, or 66/100, as in 100% of your income.

Does that make sense?

Also, I've never heard of any place doing hair tests. Must be a pretty bad drug problem at those companies if they can't do standard UA, right?

When do you have to do your D.O.T. physical?

$35k annualy, x0.66(taxes) / 12 months /4 weeks /70 hours = $6.85 an hour after tax? Is that right?

Seems like a low starting wage to me.