Anyone working in trucking?
- Thread starter sun82
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Are you talking local or long distance?
Local pays OK if you can find a decent company. Over the road will pay better if you specialize like tank or flatbed. If you are just dropping "boxes" the pay is based on your miles and you've got 10 driving hours to cover a lot of ground.
Do you currently hold a CDL right now? What about endorsements such as Haz-Mat, tank, doubles/triples?
I drive p/t for Penske Truck Leasing and I stay within a 200 mile radius of the main shop and I enjoy it alot. I get no benefits because I don't put in the required 40 hr/week. I pull pups, reefers, flats, but not tanks because I don't have my Haz-Mat. It's a whole lot different than driving a car if you've never been in one before.
Local pays OK if you can find a decent company. Over the road will pay better if you specialize like tank or flatbed. If you are just dropping "boxes" the pay is based on your miles and you've got 10 driving hours to cover a lot of ground.
Do you currently hold a CDL right now? What about endorsements such as Haz-Mat, tank, doubles/triples?
I drive p/t for Penske Truck Leasing and I stay within a 200 mile radius of the main shop and I enjoy it alot. I get no benefits because I don't put in the required 40 hr/week. I pull pups, reefers, flats, but not tanks because I don't have my Haz-Mat. It's a whole lot different than driving a car if you've never been in one before.
I know
A few guys working for fedex ground the former r.p.s. .they run line haul and are home every day but work all night .bring home over 1oogs a year .even the package car drivers do about $70 a year and are home every night .. Long haul is a life for loners
A few guys working for fedex ground the former r.p.s. .they run line haul and are home every day but work all night .bring home over 1oogs a year .even the package car drivers do about $70 a year and are home every night .. Long haul is a life for loners
How long have u been doing it? You get home often I assume?
I drive a race transport all over the country. In this sector the pay is great, but my schedule is only a week and a half every month for 6 months, so not full time.
I will agree for sure that it is a loners job. If you are not a loner...it will force you to be one or even desire it.
OTR is a very eye opening experience and I highly recommend it.
I will agree for sure that it is a loners job. If you are not a loner...it will force you to be one or even desire it.
OTR is a very eye opening experience and I highly recommend it.
Where i am we pay our local city drivers thru a agency 43.00/hr for there tractor.The driver's cut is about 32.00/hr but he covers fuel and repairs,they average 12 to 15 hrs a day,5 days a week.
Our shunt guys make 23.00/hr plus benfits(medical,pension)etc..They work about 8 to 12 hrs a day.
Our long haul(expedite Sevice)Toronto to Vancover for example pays 6500--7500 one way ,75.00 for drops.None stop it takes about 3 days and they work in teams of 2 or 3..
Local straight drivers get about 20.00/hr with company trucks and benfits.
Hope this helps a little.......:smile:
Our shunt guys make 23.00/hr plus benfits(medical,pension)etc..They work about 8 to 12 hrs a day.
Our long haul(expedite Sevice)Toronto to Vancover for example pays 6500--7500 one way ,75.00 for drops.None stop it takes about 3 days and they work in teams of 2 or 3..
Local straight drivers get about 20.00/hr with company trucks and benfits.
Hope this helps a little.......:smile:
turboc87gn
Darkside in Detroit
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 2,766
I started out running expedited freight with cargo vans it pays 70cent to a dollar per mile if you have your own van...Upside you dont need a cdl and you can make the transition from normal person to trucker a lot easier cause you are drivin the miles, sleeping in the truck, Learning the highways, you get in and out of places a lot faster than you ever will with a semi,and ur not wrestling (80,000 lbs) down the highway...You also can park anywhere The mall,the movies ,regular restaurants,out of town friends/ relatives houses..You need a van no more than 2-3 years old 2500 or 3500 extended..The downside freight is not consistant and you rely heavily on the auto industry...Ive made $2300 in a week in a van but ive also made $180 in a week average is 6-1200 if you have ur own van....I just started my own company hauling cars with a duallie pickup and a 3-4 car trailer its a lot of work but its more consistant the $$ is better and you write your own ticket...
Dont be fooled by these cheap freight 25cent a mile companies..There are a lot of options out there you just gotta do your research ive heard plenty of horror stories.... People running thier lives and thier credit into the ground messing with truck companies that promise the world and dont deliver..Do your research so you dont end up drivin for peanuts...If you are in a position to do so invest in yourself (who better to invest in?) I spent about $12,000 cash and credit, financed a truck for 31,000 with $2000 down found a trailer used for a steal at $2500 then put another $3000 into it to get it nice( mostly my and friends labor) the rest was $$ put to the side to operate for a couple weeks out of pocket fuel being the biggest expense ,setting up a corporation ,lettering the truck ,we built an office in the shop that i already partially rent, computer office furniture supplies etc,....But now i can make $2 a mile + and i pick where and when i want to go, My friend is dispatching for me, The only people i gotta keep happy is the customers...If you wanna get your feet wet without taking the plunge get a cargo van $24,000 brand new and mine currently has 435,000 miles on it and i havent driven it since december its an 07 i purchased new and runs like a top...
Dont be fooled by these cheap freight 25cent a mile companies..There are a lot of options out there you just gotta do your research ive heard plenty of horror stories.... People running thier lives and thier credit into the ground messing with truck companies that promise the world and dont deliver..Do your research so you dont end up drivin for peanuts...If you are in a position to do so invest in yourself (who better to invest in?) I spent about $12,000 cash and credit, financed a truck for 31,000 with $2000 down found a trailer used for a steal at $2500 then put another $3000 into it to get it nice( mostly my and friends labor) the rest was $$ put to the side to operate for a couple weeks out of pocket fuel being the biggest expense ,setting up a corporation ,lettering the truck ,we built an office in the shop that i already partially rent, computer office furniture supplies etc,....But now i can make $2 a mile + and i pick where and when i want to go, My friend is dispatching for me, The only people i gotta keep happy is the customers...If you wanna get your feet wet without taking the plunge get a cargo van $24,000 brand new and mine currently has 435,000 miles on it and i havent driven it since december its an 07 i purchased new and runs like a top...
Thanks for all the info. As far as being a loner, not one. I have friends all over the states, but that isn't really a concern. I would like to see the states and not mind the health benefits that come with some companies. See I currently own a security company where I'm part owner, but it wasn't my dream. We be closing up shop in the next couple yrs. I probably have over a million miles under my belt as before this I worked as a package driver for UPS.
Hey what experience was needed before you started?
I have a friend who can get me into a trucking company, but for some reason I'm not to sure about taking that way. Where did you get your experience for the car carrier?
i have been driving since 1999,I started with werner and paid my dues for 3 years,now i drive for toyota hauling parts to dealers since 2002 and making $80k per year is not a problem,but your not gonna jump right into a job like this till you have at least 2 years experience,possibly 3.
turboc87gn
Darkside in Detroit
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 2,766
My father was an otr driver hauling medium duty trucks..He taught me a lot but you learn by doing and asking a lot of questions..My friend that works at detroit wrecker taught me how to use a winch and how to strap a car...I knew the basics from using my single car trailer..Driving cars up onto the wedge is scary the first few times but it gets easier every time...If you own your own company now you are better off owning your own again..If ur anything like me you wont want to be told what to do by someone with half your intelligence...
That's what I figured. It's like any other job. You have to build up to 80k-100k a year. That's okay..not looking to be rolling in the doe anytime soon. Just want to enjoy a job I love doing.
How did you like Werner? I was thinking about Con-way or Schneider National..
- Joined
- May 28, 2001
- Messages
- 2,553
Be very careful about getting into trucking.
In order for most companies to hire you they want you to have a CDL with minimum 2 years experience, haz mat and doubles certifications.
If you go to work as an independent contractor you will get paid by the mile. Most outfits will set you up with a gas card and they will deduct all expenses out of your check before you get it. Expect to make 30 cents per mile as a driver. Owner operators get paid 1.05 a mile but they own the truck and that is long haul. Steady work is not easy to find, it goes up and it goes down.
Local work is the same way. The pay might be a little better but it will largely depend on the company you work for.
LTL companies are still in the toilet. Fedex just restructured their freight and ground units and they dont care if an O/O works or not. They set them up like that on purpose. When its good its good. When its bad there is no bottom to the abyss. YRCW sucks. UPS is doing OK but none of them are hiring much right now.
I dont want to sound doom and gloom but it is not what it used to be. And yes I have 13 years in the business.
In order for most companies to hire you they want you to have a CDL with minimum 2 years experience, haz mat and doubles certifications.
If you go to work as an independent contractor you will get paid by the mile. Most outfits will set you up with a gas card and they will deduct all expenses out of your check before you get it. Expect to make 30 cents per mile as a driver. Owner operators get paid 1.05 a mile but they own the truck and that is long haul. Steady work is not easy to find, it goes up and it goes down.
Local work is the same way. The pay might be a little better but it will largely depend on the company you work for.
LTL companies are still in the toilet. Fedex just restructured their freight and ground units and they dont care if an O/O works or not. They set them up like that on purpose. When its good its good. When its bad there is no bottom to the abyss. YRCW sucks. UPS is doing OK but none of them are hiring much right now.
I dont want to sound doom and gloom but it is not what it used to be. And yes I have 13 years in the business.
Is that why I see the FedEX sign plastered over Watkins trucks? When I was at a security post for a company, the YRCW, OLD Dom., SAIA drivers, weren't happy campers. So I have a little idea that this won't be easy. At the same time I'm not trying to be a millionaire off trucking..Ha ha... I just know its something I can do with little effort, but will work hard.
