First time truck driver pay

My first year as a truck driver what i learned truckingtruth blog. The pay does gradually increase year by year, based on performance, safety and experience. First year truck drivers have the opportunity to see the country, but will also be. Why truck driver pay has decreased by as much as 50% since. The job pays a middleclass wage, yet few people want it. Average miles per work day this will vary by driving opportunity, type of freight and region, but the example below is the average over 12 months miles per driver per day for van truckload overtheroad drivers. Is my pay what i expected as a rookie truck driver. Keeping perspective your patience will pay off in about the time it takes your debtridden college friends to finish one semester, youll have passed the biggest. Unlike other careers with a set salary, truck drivers are usually paid a rate per mile they travel, not for how long they. Donna penland said she gained 60 pounds her first year from sitting all day and a. First of all, driver salaries vary a lot as in upwards of 35%.

The first step to becoming a trucker is getting a commercial drivers license, or cdl, required by the federal motor carrier safety administration and state transportation departments. Swift allows student drivers to repay their tuition and schooling costs over a period of 26 months while employed with the company. What salary does a full time truck driver earn in your area. The median annual wage for most tractortrailer truck drivers across the u.

One thing i wasnt prepared for as a new truck driver is the sleeping patterns. These drivers either have a very long tenure, but most likely theyre owneroperators. To add insult to injury, chances are that the time you spend on the road with your driver trainer. This video discusses how to compute pay and really know that to expect out here your first year driving a big rig, an 18 wheeler.

Economists say the motor carrier act of 1980 is partially to blame for the devaluation of one of americas most dependable. Truck drivers salaries have decreased by as much as 50% since the 1970s. Many customers, because of their poor practices, end up indirectly making me stay awake. Dont get me wrong, you can make good money your first year. The most important thing to understand when it comes to truck driver pay is that trucking is not a get rich quick scheme. Rookie truck driver otr pay and what to expect duration.

Drivers wages are more than twice as high as the federal minimum wage and. The map shows the most common jobs by state, over time. Here is what truck drivers make on average starting out. New cdl truck driver computing average pay your first year. Walmart needs hundreds of truck drivers and will pay them. I know at first its very exciting and scary at the same time.