Are Starting Salaries Of About $40,000 - $50,000 For OTR Or Home Everyday?

Are starting salaries of about $40,000 - $50,000 for OTR or home everyday?

As I look for a trucking company that offers training, I keep seeing a lot of ads for these companies offering starting salaries of about $40,000 - $50,000, yet they do not state that they expect you to be on the road for several weeks at a time before you can go home or if these salaries allow you to go home daily.

In general, does anyone know what are the typical basics/what to expect (in regards to salary) when you are trained by a trucking company and get your CDL., with regards to being on the road weeks at a time or allowed to go home every day.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Nick S.

What company did you pick 2 Years and 7 months ago when you were asking about "Top Companies"?

$40 to $50K should be peanuts for anybody wanting to actually work, so get off the fence and jump in with 100% commitment!

There are a lot of factors that can determine how often you get home. If you are in the right location you might land a position that gets you home everyday as a driver on a dedicated account if the company needs drivers in your local area. You might want to talk to recruiters and ask about what they have to offer in your area. Get it in writing if you are offered such a position.

One of my students with Prime was able to get a home daily position immediately after training. Another was able to get a regional , home every weekend position. A couple months after training, my first company offered me a position that had me home every other day on average.

Regardless of what you choose, do like PackRat suggested and jump in with 100% commitment.

Are starting salaries of about $40,000 - $50,000 for OTR or home everyday?

As I look for a trucking company that offers training, I keep seeing a lot of ads for these companies offering starting salaries of about $40,000 - $50,000, yet they do not state that they expect you to be on the road for several weeks at a time before you can go home or if these salaries allow you to go home daily.

In general, does anyone know what are the typical basics/what to expect (in regards to salary) when you are trained by a trucking company and get your CDL., with regards to being on the road weeks at a time or allowed to go home every day.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Nick S.

That's for OTR. Keep in mind, trucking is performance based, so there is no guaranteed pay. Those numbers are pretty accurate for a 1st year driver being on the road for 3 weeks and home for 3 days. Once you get into the 1 year of experience range, opportunities for higher pay and more generous home time become available. There are some companies that offer weekly minimum pay to experienced drivers (though this does carry requirements as to performance goals that must be met).

Hello Pack Rat,

There is a long story that goes with as to how I got sidetracked from being a truck driver about 2 years and 7 months ago. I am sure that nobody wants to hear it, but a major part of the delay was caused by the pandemic.

Since the trucking industry has changed somewhat post pandemic, nowadays I see that new truck drivers are more in demand, and there are more perks and incentives for new truck drivers than 2 years and 7 months ago.

I now want to have one final career before I retire. I think that is a great time to become a truck driver. Yet I want to get some basic clarification of what I can now “in 2022" expect for wages, since I plan to sign up with a company that offers training and I will more than likely have to work for that company one to two years, before I pay off the training and will obtaining at least a desirable two years of truck driving experience, to be hireable at another trucking company if I wish to move on to greener pastures at that time, thus is why I want to be very careful about what companies I try to apply with. Since there seems to be lots of great post pandemic trucking opportunities out there, I am just a few weeks from getting off that fence. :-)

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

Hello RealDiehl.

Thank you for the information that you have shared. It is very useful and very helpful, it will come in handy. I appreciate you taking the time to help me. Thanks A Million!

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

Hello Ryan B,

Thank you for sharing this information. It is very useful and is a big help as I try to gather a few facts, before trying to sign-up with a trucking company. Thanks again!

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

There is a long story that goes with as to how I got sidetracked from being a truck driver about 2 years and 7 months ago. I am sure that nobody wants to hear it, but a major part of the delay was caused by the pandemic.

Since the trucking industry has changed somewhat post pandemic, nowadays I see that new truck drivers are more in demand, and there are more perks and incentives for new truck drivers than 2 years and 7 months ago.

I now want to have one final career before I retire. I think that is a great time to become a truck driver. Yet I want to get some basic clarification of what I can now “in 2022" expect for wages, since I plan to sign up with a company that offers training and I will more than likely have to work for that company one to two years, before I pay off the training and will obtaining at least a desirable two years of truck driving experience, to be hireable at another trucking company if I wish to move on to greener pastures at that time, thus is why I want to be very careful about what companies I try to apply with. Since there seems to be lots of great post pandemic trucking opportunities out there, I am just a few weeks from getting off that fence. :-)

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

Good to see you 'back in the saddle,' Nick !!!!

I'll be following, as well. Did you apply here? Apply For Paid CDL Training

Kearsey also just started a thread regarding Prime training, and the hours they now require. Coming into winter, personally I sure wouldn't balk at the extra time with a trainer.

So, do you have a 'short list' yet?? There's some really great ones, within the TT link, for sure.

Share, as you can; best to you, forward!

~ Anne ~

There is a long story that goes with as to how I got sidetracked from being a truck driver about 2 years and 7 months ago. I am sure that nobody wants to hear it, but a major part of the delay was caused by the pandemic.

Since the trucking industry has changed somewhat post pandemic, nowadays I see that new truck drivers are more in demand, and there are more perks and incentives for new truck drivers than 2 years and 7 months ago.

I now want to have one final career before I retire. I think that is a great time to become a truck driver. Yet I want to get some basic clarification of what I can now “in 2022" expect for wages, since I plan to sign up with a company that offers training and I will more than likely have to work for that company one to two years, before I pay off the training and will obtaining at least a desirable two years of truck driving experience, to be hireable at another trucking company if I wish to move on to greener pastures at that time, thus is why I want to be very careful about what companies I try to apply with. Since there seems to be lots of great post pandemic trucking opportunities out there, I am just a few weeks from getting off that fence. :-)

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

Good to see you 'back in the saddle,' Nick !!!!

I'll be following, as well. Did you apply here? Apply For Paid CDL Training

Kearsey also just started a thread regarding Prime training, and the hours they now require. Coming into winter, personally I sure wouldn't balk at the extra time with a trainer.

So, do you have a 'short list' yet?? There's some really great ones, within the TT link, for sure.

Share, as you can; best to you, forward!

~ Anne ~

Hello Anne,

Thank you for your reply. I am still searching for a paid cdl training program from the TT listing. Overall, I'm trying to find out how do I select a program/company, where I can easily get to it and return home (once I'm hired as a truck driver, when I'm not on duty). Maybe you can offer some answers to my newly posted posts (via the two links below).

Thank you again for your reply Anne, and I greatly appreciate your help and encouragement.

https://www.truckingtruth.com/truckers-forum/Topic-32499/Page-1/what-is-the-best-way-to-select-a-paid-cdl-training-program-company

https://www.truckingtruth.com/truckers-forum/Topic-32500/Page-1/how-good-or-bad-is-this-work-offer

Kind Regards,

Nick S.

Nick, you don't understand how this works. You don't go to a terminal then go home. You drop a load and take the truck home. I lived in NJ but my dispatcher was in MO. I parked at a local truck stop while home.

Many sponsored programs have you go for orientation for a week then stay there for 2 to 3 weeks, then return home to get the CDL at your DMV. After that you are placed in OTR training and go home once a month or so. The trainer would drop you off and pick u up from home.

At Prime and a few others, you do orientation at a terminal for a few days then go off driving the country with the permit before returning to the terminal to test. But location does not matter. All that matters is their hiring area. That tells you they have freight to get you home and come back OTR. Many "non training" drivers rarely come to terminals. A couple times a year maybe for repairs.