Can Trucking Provide For Your Family? HECK YEAH!
Topic 28025 | Page 2
I was a bit worried when I saw what I get paid per mile when I start with the company but this does show that it will add up to a good wage in the end.
don't pay too much attention to that. Although most drivers earn 35-40k we have had a few people post that they made $50k or more their rookie year as an OTR driver. If you prove to be reliable you'll find your CPM jumping rather quickly. One of the things I love most about having a CDL is as long as you are a safe driver and have a relatively clean record you likely will not have trouble landing a job whether it's OTR or even local. Even if you find OTR miserable I highly encourage you to push on and put in a year then look for something that fits you better.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
Yeah I plan to be the driver that is willing to go the extra mile for dispatch when they need it because everything i'm reading says that is how you get better CPM. I want to be an OTR driver already because I have hardly ever left Florida in my life and at 31 years old I think it would be nice to get out. I have a couple of months before I worry about all this though because my school doesn't start until the end of June and then hopefully 3 weeks later I will be sitting in Jackson, Mississippi at Total. Once i'm on the trainers truck I can figure everything out.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
I believe strongly trucking is enough to take care of a family. My ex was doing pretty good as a trucker,takes good care of me, his sisters and we are quite happy together with regards to finances. So yes it is. Who knows I might be a trucker too. Lol
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Thanks, this is very comforting to read. I got a pre hire offer from a company today less than an hour after I applied so that I can start at Roadmasters at the end of June. I make $17.50 an hour right now as a seasonal stow associate at Amazon and I was a bit worried when I saw what I get paid per mile when I start with the company but this does show that it will add up to a good wage in the end.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Pre Hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.