New Guy Taking A Leap

For over twenty years I have been a civil servant. This career has taking a heavy toll on my heart and mind as I deal with human tragedy and crisis day in and day out. For this reason I want to take a leap into something completely different. This has brought me to this forum. Presently I make $64k a year and need to sustain this number to make my budget work. Between the want ads, recruiters and advertisements this number seems achievable (and then some) in the truck driving industry. What I need to know is, is this realistic or just recruitment hype? What can I truly expect to earn starting out?

I'm bulk(tanker driver) and got in when Schneider was offering bonuses and guaranteed $1000 a week(if you don't make $1000 but at least hit 40 hours that week they top you up to $1000 gross). I've only not hit $1000 gross once and it was due to labor day weekend and a long 34 hour reset which was really like 60 hours.

I get about $1050-1300 a week in base pay gross so far. Schneider pays hourly whereas a lot of companies pay cents per mile so others would need to chime in to get a broader picture.

For over twenty years I have been a civil servant. This career has taking a heavy toll on my heart and mind as I deal with human tragedy and crisis day in and day out. For this reason I want to take a leap into something completely different. This has brought me to this forum. Presently I make $64k a year and need to sustain this number to make my budget work. Between the want ads, recruiters and advertisements this number seems achievable (and then some) in the truck driving industry. What I need to know is, is this realistic or just recruitment hype? What can I truly expect to earn starting out?

Hi Marc. You made a great choice by coming here.

If you are just getting interested in driving, not yet started, you will probably take a financial hit in the first year or two. My first year I grossed less than $40,000. I’m now in my second year and will probably gross about $70,000 this year. Next year I will get a pay raise and should gross about $80,000. There may be exceptions, but my experience is pretty typical for new drivers. It takes some sacrifice to get started but many people think it is worth the investment, me included.

Welcome!! Thank you for your service.

Starting out you have a steep learning curve. Nothing you can’t overcome as long as your expectations match up.

This entire industry is performance based. The higher the performance, the higher your pay will be. Starting out you can expect 45-50k your first full year. As you gain knowledge and experience that will go up, but takes time. Some folks have done better, and others have done worse.

When recruiters talk money, listen carefully to what is said. Many will throw out a number that is “up too”. That may or may not be accurate for a brand new driver. Ask if that number is including any types of bonus’s they offer. Compaines seem to include bonus money for certain things. I personally never cared for that approach, because the driver doesn’t always control the circumstances that surround achievment.

Good luck in your search.

Hello Marc, welcome to our forum!

I think you have to count on not making that amount during your first year. Trucking doesn't pay salaries. It is going to be radically different than anything you've done before. Our pay is performance based. Rookie drivers face new challenges daily. Experienced drivers have a much more established ability to get ahead and make the best decisions.

You're going to face a steep learning curve during your rookie year. That's okay, that's how we learn. I'm trying to be honest so you know what to expect. You're going to make plenty of mistakes that experienced drivers would avoid. Those learning experiences will cut into the money you could be making.

This is a demanding career. You'll put in a lot of hours and you'll face a lot of challenges. One of them is the solitude. You're going to be alone most of the time. It's a challenge that surprises many. I want you to be prepared. If you're not you'll wash out quickly. Many newcomers quit during that first year. They are overwhelmed by the challenges. They simply aren't prepared for the commitment needed to succeed.

Don't think I'm trying to discourage you. I believe you can earn the dollar amount you need. It will take a big commitment on your part. It will mean some sacrifice. I don't see you doing it your first year, but it is possible. Most likey it will be your second year that yields something close to your needs, and certainly your third year should end with those kind of results.

Here's a great podcast I'd love for you to listen to. It will help you understand the mindset needed when starting this career.

The Boot Camp Approach To Trucking

If you need a consistent income I would suggest checking out some of the dedicated accounts that have a set daily rate or some of the companies that offer a guaranteed minimum amount like Travis mentioned.

I seem to be above the newbie average for my first year but I’ve ran hard and the company has for the most part kept me moving. As others have stated it’s performance based so as we gain experience our potential income increases as well.

For over twenty years I have been a civil servant. This career has taking a heavy toll on my heart and mind as I deal with human tragedy and crisis day in and day out. For this reason I want to take a leap into something completely different. This has brought me to this forum. Presently I make $64k a year and need to sustain this number to make my budget work. Between the want ads, recruiters and advertisements this number seems achievable (and then some) in the truck driving industry. What I need to know is, is this realistic or just recruitment hype? What can I truly expect to earn starting out?

In addition to what the others said, I'll offer this;

Your income will be limited mostly, by your experience and self-imposed limitations.

By this, I mean that it's easy for some to predict the amount of money you could earn. But, what you're willing to do may have a bigger impact. I.e. if you wanna be home weekly, you'll likely earn less than if you were willing to stay gone 2-3 weeks. If you only wanna run southeast, you'll likely earn less than someone who is willing to do refer coast to coast.

Sorry I'm being fairly general, but there are a lot of variables. If your objective is to just get away from dealing with human tragedy and continuing to earn $64k/year, truck driving may only be one of the options. Also, there are some trucking companies that seem like nothing but crisis management. Maybe not on the same scale as you're used to, but it can get on your nerves.

We, as a country, seem to be heading into some very difficult economic times and that's going to put harsh challenges on many industries. Trucking may be one of them.

If I'm boring you now, my hope is that you'll take a good hard look at what it is you really want, and focus on achieving that. If it's truck driving, there are excellent opportunities and many fantastic companies to work for, WITH career benefits.

Whatever you're currently doing, you MUST be very good at it. You've survived 20 years at it and I hope you're adequately recognized for your performance in the face of adversity. Not everyone can do what you do and IT IS appreciated.

Good luck and I hope this is helpful!

Thank you for your kind words. I wish we got them from our employer and maybe I wouldn’t be looking at a second career. Sadly that is not the case. From my research over the last year I think my plan would be to do OTR. I think the earning potential is higher there. Maybe move to regional or local as I get closer to retirement and want to be home more. Does that affect anyones thoughts on my original question?

For over twenty years I have been a civil servant. This career has taking a heavy toll on my heart and mind as I deal with human tragedy and crisis day in and day out. For this reason I want to take a leap into something completely different. This has brought me to this forum. Presently I make $64k a year and need to sustain this number to make my budget work. Between the want ads, recruiters and advertisements this number seems achievable (and then some) in the truck driving industry. What I need to know is, is this realistic or just recruitment hype? What can I truly expect to earn starting out?

In addition to what the others said, I'll offer this;

Your income will be limited mostly, by your experience and self-imposed limitations.

By this, I mean that it's easy for some to predict the amount of money you could earn. But, what you're willing to do may have a bigger impact. I.e. if you wanna be home weekly, you'll likely earn less than if you were willing to stay gone 2-3 weeks. If you only wanna run southeast, you'll likely earn less than someone who is willing to do refer coast to coast.

Sorry I'm being fairly general, but there are a lot of variables. If your objective is to just get away from dealing with human tragedy and continuing to earn $64k/year, truck driving may only be one of the options. Also, there are some trucking companies that seem like nothing but crisis management. Maybe not on the same scale as you're used to, but it can get on your nerves.

We, as a country, seem to be heading into some very difficult economic times and that's going to put harsh challenges on many industries. Trucking may be one of them.

If I'm boring you now, my hope is that you'll take a good hard look at what it is you really want, and focus on achieving that. If it's truck driving, there are excellent opportunities and many fantastic companies to work for, WITH career benefits.

Whatever you're currently doing, you MUST be very good at it. You've survived 20 years at it and I hope you're adequately recognized for your performance in the face of adversity. Not everyone can do what you do and IT IS appreciated.

Good luck and I hope this is helpful!

Thank you for your kind words. I wish we got them from our employer and maybe I wouldn’t be looking at a second career. Sadly that is not the case. From my research over the last year I think my plan would be to do OTR. I think the earning potential is higher there. Maybe move to regional or local as I get closer to retirement and want to be home more. Does that affect anyones thoughts on my original question?

For over twenty years I have been a civil servant. This career has taking a heavy toll on my heart and mind as I deal with human tragedy and crisis day in and day out. For this reason I want to take a leap into something completely different. This has brought me to this forum. Presently I make $64k a year and need to sustain this number to make my budget work. Between the want ads, recruiters and advertisements this number seems achievable (and then some) in the truck driving industry. What I need to know is, is this realistic or just recruitment hype? What can I truly expect to earn starting out?

In addition to what the others said, I'll offer this;

Your income will be limited mostly, by your experience and self-imposed limitations.

By this, I mean that it's easy for some to predict the amount of money you could earn. But, what you're willing to do may have a bigger impact. I.e. if you wanna be home weekly, you'll likely earn less than if you were willing to stay gone 2-3 weeks. If you only wanna run southeast, you'll likely earn less than someone who is willing to do refer coast to coast.

Sorry I'm being fairly general, but there are a lot of variables. If your objective is to just get away from dealing with human tragedy and continuing to earn $64k/year, truck driving may only be one of the options. Also, there are some trucking companies that seem like nothing but crisis management. Maybe not on the same scale as you're used to, but it can get on your nerves.

We, as a country, seem to be heading into some very difficult economic times and that's going to put harsh challenges on many industries. Trucking may be one of them.

If I'm boring you now, my hope is that you'll take a good hard look at what it is you really want, and focus on achieving that. If it's truck driving, there are excellent opportunities and many fantastic companies to work for, WITH career benefits.

Whatever you're currently doing, you MUST be very good at it. You've survived 20 years at it and I hope you're adequately recognized for your performance in the face of adversity. Not everyone can do what you do and IT IS appreciated.

Good luck and I hope this is helpful!

It's generally encouraged for drivers just starting out to begin with OTR and stay with that for at least a year before moving on to either local or something more niche than general freight OTR.

All of the numbers and scenarios mentioned are with the idea that you start out OTR with a company that trains drivers to earn their CDL. Those who go this route typically have a higher success rate than taking a different path into the industry.

It definitely is possible to earn more than the average rookie driver, but it's going to require you not being home much, eating out of your truck a lot, missing out on getting a daily shower here or there, learning to sleep when you have the opportunity, and communicating well with your dispatcher. I did better than the average rookie my first year, and I did all of those things that I mentioned, and I also made many mistakes starting out solo after training. The harsh reality is that I could have easily been a failed case of a rookie not making it, but my company decided to keep me on, despite some dumb mistakes. I mention this being a harsh reality because it's a razor thin line between making it and washing out. Choosing this career path is the best decision that I ever made, as far as occupation, but it doesn't suit every person equally.

I have some experience ‘roughing it’ and can manage without some creature comforts. As long as I get enough rest on the road I will be able to adapt. What kind of mistakes are you taking about? Is it really that easy to wash out or fail? I have a college degree, 20 years of professional experience and prior military service driving a little so I had been confident.

I did better than the average rookie my first year, and I did all of those things that I mentioned, and I also made many mistakes starting out solo after training. The harsh reality is that I could have easily been a failed case of a rookie not making it, but my company decided to keep me on, despite some dumb mistakes. I mention this being a harsh reality because it's a razor thin line between making it and washing out.