Mystery Trucking Company

The other day I'm rolling down the highway listening to FOX News when I heard an advertisement for a trucking company that hauls for the US Gov't. and pays its teams $10,000 a week. Anybody hear of this or am I just delusional LOL?

Did you happen to catch their contact info? I'd say if that's what you heard the 10k is probably to the truck but I'm betting that's a bit on the high end as far as what each driver makes.

To be quite honest, I'm currently undergoing necessary checks, clearances, and endorsements to do something similar. Whether I give it a whirl or not is going to ultimately depend on my potential codriver and whether they initiate all their paperwork requirements or not. I've been offered about $12k a month, but I'm unsure about accepting at this point but I've begun the process. I very much enjoy my current employer and they treat me well so it's a tough decision for me.

Anything else, I'm not at liberty to discuss, due to confidentiality requirements.

These companies do not hire inexperienced drivers.

The devil is in the details.

It's not that hard for a team truck to produce that kind of gross revenues, but that in no way defines net pay. I have no way of identifying who that was advertising that job, but I can tell from the limited information you provided that you will have to own the truck or lease a truck from them.

The thing that you are being delusional about is that two truck drivers, whether they are company drivers or owner operators are going to actually make 5,000 dollars a week each - yes that's delusional. There are a lot of people who really really want to believe such tales, which is precisely why trucking companies keep advertising like that.

Freight revenues do not equal a driver's pay. There's a vast difference between those two amounts. Don't be fooled by the hype.

Spot on, Old School.

AKA the "Ghost Fleet "

Tri State Motor Freight. Just heard their ad on RoadDog 146. Ad states $10,000 GROSS per week, for experienced Owner Operator TEAMS. The ad sounds like a lot, but that's the idea of the advertising. It is a pretty good ad, but when you break it down as Split pay--$5000 each driver, gross, per week. Net will be about $4,100 after taxes on the high side. Figure in expenses, such as insurance, fuel, truck payments and/or trailer rentals, permits and licensing, etc., one may end up with a NET of around $1800 to $2200 per week? Not even getting into the scheduled maintenance costs, nor the unexpected costs that can pop up on any given day. Think about a busted radiator, a new alternator, a road service call after a brake canister went bad, turbo went bad, etc.

Tri State Motor Freight. Just heard their ad on RoadDog 146. Ad states $10,000 GROSS per week, for experienced Owner Operator TEAMS. The ad sounds like a lot, but that's the idea of the advertising. It is a pretty good ad, but when you break it down as Split pay--$5000 each driver, gross, per week. Net will be about $4,100 after taxes on the high side. Figure in expenses, such as insurance, fuel, truck payments and/or trailer rentals, permits and licensing, etc., one may end up with a NET of around $1800 to $2200 per week? Not even getting into the scheduled maintenance costs, nor the unexpected costs that can pop up on any given day. Think about a busted radiator, a new alternator, a road service call after a brake canister went bad, turbo went bad, etc.

10k gross for a team O/O isn't impressive really. A few of the drivers on my wifes fleet who are O/O can do that as a solo driver with some luck.

In my situation, if we accept, we'd be running an O/O truck on a w-2, hence the lower gross per driver, since operating expenses would not be our responsibility. Percentage pay. Still doing my own research/potential dirt digging mission on the owner at this point, but in good faith have begun the clearance paperwork. I'm really happy with my current company, so I just don't know.

Susan wrote:

In my situation, if we accept, we'd be running an O/O truck on a w-2, hence the lower gross per driver, since operating expenses would not be our responsibility. Percentage pay. Still doing my own research/potential dirt digging mission on the owner at this point, but in good faith have begun the clearance paperwork. I'm really happy with my current company, so I just don't know.

Sounds like quite a quandary. I have been in a situation like this once in my life; not trucking and in my late 30s. It was all about the money at that time and for me became a hard lesson in the value of job satisfaction and happiness vs. the pursuit of wealth. You seem to have a great thing going at WestSide, you're a terrific ambassador representing their brand and project a positive influence on their driver trainees. I am sure you are well respected there, like you are here. Without a doubt a situation possible almost any place you were to land.

Since you are not seeking any advice, I am reluctant to offer much more than solid affirmation. Having the benefit of life experience I was lacking, I am sure you'll apply a thorough Due Diligence effort. However when the dust settles on your research, if in doubt, gut instinct is a viable fall back. Not telling you anything you don't already know.

Sounds interesting though. I sincerely hope it works out for you and your co-driver. Best of luck!

The only way a job will pay way more than most jobs is if the people doing the job have way more to offer than anyone else or they're being asked to do way more than anyone else.

For 25 years I've been in this industry and I've never once found any evidence that these "magical jobs" exist that just inexplicably pay the driver way, way, way more than any other job. There are the "mythical government jobs" and the "mythical secret freight" jobs and and about 50 other mythical jobs you hear people wondering about. I have no evidence any of them exist and pay substantially more than the rest.

I've known people who haul radioactive waste, NASCAR teams, and rock bands and none of them make much more than anyone else, if they make anything more at all.

If someone is going to pay far above standard market rates you would have to offer something that almost no one else can do.