Exact First Year Income. Week By Week!

Okay, I didnt want to set my expectations too high. Thanks bud. I really appreciate all the info you provide for the site.

Just remember that top pay at any company with differ from company to company. PRIME, if I remember right, tops out at. 45 can if you drive a light weight truck plus run the NE.

JB Hunt tops out at. 41 can unless you are on a special dedicated account and then top out at. 42 to. 44 can with 10 years experience.

Mainly, but not always, the cpm is dictated by your experience plain and simple. That seems to run in groups. 6 months to 2 years =? Cpm. 3 to 5 years =? Cpm 7 to 10 years =? Cpm.

The question marks get filled in depending on what company you are talking about. Then you also have to look at the more aggressive marketing companies are starting to do which throws those numbers I just said out the windows. Companies are starting to give more raises now ever few months.

Paging Daniel B. I know it's pretty obtrusive and a lot to ask, but if it's at all possible can you do a similar breakdown for Prime now that you're making a bit more money and all? Does Prime allow you the option of no northeast? (Just wondering since Guy alluded to a pay structure of "lightweight truck and NE"). Giving some serious thought to leaving my flying career and hitting the road again for good. I was with SNI for 4 months, so have an idea of what the pay will be right off the bat but just wondering what it will be like with a little time and experience under my belt. Thanks in advance!

Shaun

I am planning on making a thread about my second year pay just like this. But realize that this thread took me weeks to make. I had to do so much digging and making sure that my paychecks made sense to a person who has no idea what some of the terms mean. There's just no way I can provide you all my Prime information right now because it would take at least a week to put it onto a thread. I've got a few more months to do before I have my year with Prime. I could tell you that I'm bound to make around 40 grand take home. If I keep going strong like I am I could potentially get 45. That's a huge jump!

The paychecks are obviously bigger, but they're still inconsistent. I wil tell you that my last weeks paycheck was 433$, but this weeks will turn out to be around 1450. It still goes up and down - it always will. My highest paycheck at Prime was 1760$ and my lowest has been 350$.

Where you run can do a lot with where you live and based out of. I'm based out of SLC, UT so I mostly run the West. I've been East of Omaha, NE only twice in 6 months. Springfield, our main terminal , tends to run all over the place but mostly does the East. Our Pittston terminal almost exclusively covers the East. You cannot refuse to run the East as a company driver. And don't be that afraid of it. I've survived NYC and all the other dirt cities over there and it just takes a bit more focus.

Lightweight trucks get an additional .05cpm on all miles. That's 50$ every 1000 miles. Plus they are very fuel efficient. I'll have you know that I've already made about 1500$ just in fuel bonuses alone! That's monstrous for how little I've been here. You do get a small pay increase for anything in the deep East but that's not anything I know about because I don't go there, but I know you get something.

Keep in mind that my DM runs me like a machine. It will take time to establish a great relationship with your DM.

For more information about the LW trucks check out my thread at the link below.

Prime's Lightweight Trucks by Daniel B.

Thanks, Daniel. I'll be following along with great interest.

I fully expected that once I'd been laid off from flying and had the chance to give driving a try that it'd be something that I'd "get out of my system" and then go back to my nicely laid out flying career and never look back. That hasn't been the case. I've missed driving a truck ever since I came off the road in February (much more so than I ever missed flying when I was laid off, frankly) and these days find myself just wanting to get back behind the wheel more than ever. I'm pretty much just trying to put things in order financially and otherwise to make that happen.

Anyway, thanks for the response and for the detailed breakdown when/if you are able to do so.

Shaun

Thanks, Daniel. I'll be following along with great interest.

I fully expected that once I'd been laid off from flying and had the chance to give driving a try that it'd be something that I'd "get out of my system" and then go back to my nicely laid out flying career and never look back. That hasn't been the case. I've missed driving a truck ever since I came off the road in February (much more so than I ever missed flying when I was laid off, frankly) and these days find myself just wanting to get back behind the wheel more than ever. I'm pretty much just trying to put things in order financially and otherwise to make that happen.

Anyway, thanks for the response and for the detailed breakdown when/if you are able to do so.

Shaun

Once it gets in your blood its there forever, plaguing your mind and calling you back. You've been stricken.

Thanks, Daniel. I'll be following along with great interest.

I fully expected that once I'd been laid off from flying and had the chance to give driving a try that it'd be something that I'd "get out of my system" and then go back to my nicely laid out flying career and never look back. That hasn't been the case. I've missed driving a truck ever since I came off the road in February (much more so than I ever missed flying when I was laid off, frankly) and these days find myself just wanting to get back behind the wheel more than ever. I'm pretty much just trying to put things in order financially and otherwise to make that happen.

Anyway, thanks for the response and for the detailed breakdown when/if you are able to do so.

Shaun

Once it gets in your blood its there forever, plaguing your mind and calling you back. You've been stricken.

Indeed. :-)

I agree. Once trucking gets in your blood you can't really and truly do anything else without thinking about driving a truck again. Why else would I still be out here after 16 years?

It's a tough lifestyle. It's lonely. Stressful. Full of highs and lows. It can be mind numbing on those long loads across country..... And then things seem like it's all been worth it.........

When you make new friends....... What a bully he was. He wanted my food so we had a staring contest for an hour.

Or you come across countless views like this and better ones down the roads....

I have seen place I said "wow" out loud cause they were so breath taking.

I agree. Once trucking gets in your blood you can't really and truly do anything else without thinking about driving a truck again. Why else would I still be out here after 16 years?

It's a tough lifestyle. It's lonely. Stressful. Full of highs and lows. It can be mind numbing on those long loads across country..... And then things seem like it's all been worth it.........

When you make new friends....... What a bully he was. He wanted my food so we had a staring contest for an hour.

Or you come across countless views like this and better ones down the roads....

I have seen place I said "wow" out loud cause they were so breath taking.

Exactly right, Guy. I'd just gotten used to the lifestyle when I got my recall notice to return to my flying job and went back just because "that's what I was 'supposed' to do", but I'm damn sure missing it. It was the most challenging, fun, lonely, ever-changing, gratifying, exhilarating, high/low, frustrating, can't get enough of, experience of my life and I'm ready to go back. It's going to take a couple of months to get ready for, but I'll be sure to keep everyone here at TT up to date once I make my return. In the meantime, thanks for the pics...

@Freightdog - it's funny to think that you're enjoying the thought of trucking more than flying. One of the top items on my bucket list is to pilot a jet powered aircraft. I've flown little Cessnas and such. But I want to pilot a jet just one time. Maybe someday I'll win the lottery and just go crazy with flight training until I can work my way up to sitting 2nd seat and taking the controls one time in some kind of jet. I don't even care what kind of plane it is.

This is amazing! I really love the information. I have been leaving towards prime, especially the bonus for lightweight trucks. I think I am down to prime or knight. Knight being based out of Phoenix is a bonus, does prime have a terminal there? Do you do much runs in southern AZ?

This is amazing! I really love the information. I have been leaving towards prime, especially the bonus for lightweight trucks. I think I am down to prime or knight. Knight being based out of Phoenix is a bonus, does prime have a terminal there? Do you do much runs in southern AZ?

Wow Jay, you are so lucky. I'll be in Pheonix today later afternoon or evening. Most likely parking at the Pilot. If you would like you can come see the legend (me) and ill show you everything and answer all the questions you have, including the one you just asked.

Send me a private message and I'll send you my number.

This is amazing! I really love the information. I have been leaving towards prime, especially the bonus for lightweight trucks. I think I am down to prime or knight. Knight being based out of Phoenix is a bonus, does prime have a terminal there? Do you do much runs in southern AZ?

Wow Jay, you are so lucky. I'll be in Pheonix today later afternoon or evening. Most likely parking at the Pilot. If you would like you can come see the legend (me) and ill show you everything and answer all the questions you have, including the one you just asked.

Send me a private message and I'll send you my number.

Dang I wish I was up there, I would totally take you up on that! I'm down in Tucson, a couple hours away and working on the mountain today over at Kitt Peak observatory.