Mathematically, Can I come out ahead trucking...with what company?

[k_squared]

So, let's say that I have a $12 an hour job (that I would do for fun occasionally).

Based on pay alone, how long will it take me to make up the difference between working that job and driving a truck, as the not-really-proud holder of a shiny new CDL? If it costs me a few thousand dollars to get it, it's looking like a wash for quite a while - particularly if I'm used to overtime.

What I really want to do is drive for a year (or however long it takes :/) to save up tuition for engineering school.

As such, let's say I'm willing to go over the road. I care about income. I don't care if it's a nice truck, I don't care if my driving my partner likes my pecs or something weird, I'm willing to give up my other streams of income (ie, graphic art, but its not much) in order to do this as quickly as possible.

What companies should I be interested in starting with? I know it's a very broad question, but the array of options is bewildering and has nonlinear effects (simple example: even if I have a financial wash, I now have long-haul trucking experience?) and I can't seem to decide that one program is definitively better than the other.

What is the fail rate of all those training schools trucking companies themselves offer?

 

[krelithous]

I am sensing you think trucking is a golden goose it isn't.

You save money out here the same as you do living at home with others. By being frugal.

yea but who would want to live in a truck 24-7

 

[Electric Chicken]

yea but who would want to live in a truck 24-7

If I had a goal and that was the only way to reach it, I'd do it.

 

[krelithous]

If I had a goal and that was the only way to reach it, I'd do it.

not saying it can't be done there's lots of sacrifices to be made. i heard of a few doing it but they more than often wind up getting hotel rooms because they miss the creature comforts of home. though i say it's a mind set

 

[Injun]

I still don't see how you can average 2mph faster than your governor.

You're stuck on the 67 mph thing. Ever occur to you it might be an honest typo and he meant to say 57 mph?

Relax. You're wound way too tight.

 

[Electric Chicken]

not saying it can't be done there's lots of sacrifices to be made. i heard of a few doing it but they more than often wind up getting hotel rooms because they miss the creature comforts of home. though i say it's a mind set

Yeah I wouldn't do it for life like some, but if I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, it would be fine. You got a goal, you sacrifice, you meet that goal, you move up.

 

[krelithous]

Yeah I wouldn't do it for life like some, but if I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, it would be fine. You got a goal, you sacrifice, you meet that goal, you move up.

AGREE!!!

 

[Electric Chicken]

You're stuck on the 67 mph thing. Ever occur to you it might be an honest typo and he meant to say 57 mph?

Relax. You're wound way too tight.

I just call BS when I see it. Truckers especially love to exaggerate.

 

[Ranger_375]

I also did some research on Knight and found one where guys were disappointed to get 2200-2800 miles a week. Divide that by the no-stop 7 day week Ranger likes to run and your average daily is 400 max. Are these guys lazy? Nope they can't be. They wanted more miles.

Don't know what Ranger is averaging but I guess they love him if he can run more miles than any other superhero in a company truck. He must be running 3700 miles a week nonstop. More power to him. He earns his $1300 for sure.

Drivers whine about home time. Then they whined about miles...well, guess what.

When you put in home time, your routing options are limited as for example, heading out now due to a drs appointment, I can effectively only run west of Utah so they can get me back home when they need to.

That month out with the NC load I did. NV>CA>NC>FL>GA>KY>MI>WI>MN>IL>MN>UT ETC ETC. when you don't have a home time request because you have technology solutions for remote familial interaction, better than you did while you were in the Army (in my case), in frigging combat, then you can take the long loads because there isnt a necessity to do anything other than run where the freight takes you. That freight can take you many many miles at a high rate of speed, especially if you luck out with light loads.

I also DILLIGAF about loads as a general rule. I will do any load, as I am in the truck to make miles moving freight. Lots of drivers get picky. When other drivers get picky, I get more freight to haul as my demeanor and personality get me empties when places are notorious for holding onto them. I get to spend the night onsite for my delivery because I made the receptionist laugh her butt off on the phone. I also get ancillary pays because I solve problems like late loads due to other driver derps, and run load combinations that don't seem like they should be able to work.

Making yourself valuable and a solution provider, anywhere, means you start to get special treatment. Remember what I am driving. My truck is a 2017 prostar with 62k miles, and a ten speed auto. It had 6000 miles and plastic on everything when I was assigned to the unit. I had less than 3 months with the company when I was assigned to it. I made stuff happen and moved freight whenever, wherever, legally and safely. They saw that quickly and I was rewarded for it.

Within the first hour or so driving loaded, I have a solid gist of how I need to be doing things to make it get. Overriding the transmission because it wants to shift when an extra second in the gear builds the boost for the power to hold a gear going up a hill. Letting it roll down hills in a safe manner. Etc etc. Just because the truck is company spec doesn't mean it is really the same as what you run. After all, right off the bat...I drive a red prostar that does 65 on the pedal. You drive a caycab that can only do 60. Of course you'll never see my numbers, 5mph is a big deal.

5 mph attack speed on a hill can vary your average speed up the hill, because if it pulls or starts fishing for gears and cant hold it depends if youre at the torque peak for the motor....sometimes speeding on the approach means you can grunt up that sum b beacuse you can hold a higher gear when boost is built and its putting max power out the backside, through the gears and diffs and ending with clawing its way up a hill.

Tuesday, my first truck, was slow to get to go from a stop, but once you were rolling? Pfft. Bye. Cassie is getting better as the motor starts wearing in. I would remap the ecm/tcm controls in a heartbeat though, as it doesnt make sense to me what the auto does at times, nevermind auto vs manual rpm/power differences.

This truck will still get it though. I had about 20k in the box going up I5 from LA yesterday. It only knuckled down to 50 heading up the grapevine. I came down the hill slower than I climbed it due to the inane 35mph speed limit on the downgrade...

I should get rolling. 30 turned into more like usual, but I really don't HAVE to do 500+ today. Delivery is scheduled for 6 pm tomorrow, but a call to the consignee should mean I deliver it at 0900. Then its off to my hometown to say hi to family for a minute while my DM works out the next episode.

I am just having a good time making a buck.



@k_squared

Limiting expenses off truck and on truck is. Key.

@kpzra can break down my fiscals for weekly drive expenses.

 

[Ranger_375]

You're stuck on the 67 mph thing. Ever occur to you it might be an honest typo and he meant to say 57 mph?

Relax. You're wound way too tight.

I will ask for my logs for that run. I know for a fact I checked at the time of delivery and I was >60 for an average. I just didn't bother with saying anything further as its like trying to take a stick with nails in it from a retarded dog. More chance to get bit or a nail yourself than if you just let them be and when it hurts they drop it.

 

[mndriver]

When I eat out, it's about $35-40 per day.

When I eat in the truck, it's about $50/ week.

 

[kpzra]

Depending on who does the shopping (I tend to buy more real food, he buys more snack stuff) it's between $40-70 for eating off the truck for a week+. This is 3 meals a day, snacks, drinks, everything. Each meal at a truck stop is ~$15. @Ranger_375 has a Coleman cooler that plugs in so he can keep things like lunch meal cold and a crockpot to heat soup, stew, anything canned really. He uses the liners for it so there is no need to wash/soak it. If you are going to run a heater all night, put some water in for added moisture in the air with the extra bonus of hot water ready when you get up oatmeal or instant coffee.

The lunchbox cooker is good for unprepared foods or precooked ones (beef slices) that need to be hotter when served. He's had a normal meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes and a veggie, all prepared/heated on the truck. He doesn't have an APU so no microwave option.

 

[Electric Chicken]

When I eat out, it's about $35-40 per day.

When I eat in the truck, it's about $50/ week.

Legit. I try to avoid eating out completely.

 

[mndriver]

My last two meals on the truck. About $2.50 each. The protein powder to settle craving snacks with fruit juice.

Along with cottage cheese and veggies.
Yes. They have a lot of sodium, but the cardiologist is good with it. My sodium is too low anyway.






The living space has a fridge and microwave.


I can normally get 7 days worth of meals in the fridge. Either home made or store bought

 

[mndriver]

 

[mndriver]

That 1100 w microwave pulls 115 amps of power when used.

I've got an 1800 W inverter and four group 31 lead batteries. The apu has a 65 amp alternator and the truck has a 135 amp alternator. So any time I cook, the big engine is running.

 

[Allyxon]

And since we seem to have gotten quite off track... play nice kids...

If you put the time in and know where to look, you can find money in trucking. That's what I've been told and have seen. It's not gonna earn your whole tuition in a year, especially if you go through a company school and training, you'll have "training" pay while you're gaining experience. As stated, if you can cut ties with "home" and cars and everything so you have as few payments as possible, and you live a very frugal life, you may be able to get close to your goal. BUT it's not easy money, you have to put in the work. It will be challenging and frustrating and you might "just want to go home" a few times but if you keep pushing on through and working your - off it will pay off.

Have you researched the industry at all? Looked at some companies that might be good for you? Don't factor location in much, more than likely you'll be carted off to training and put up in a hotel till you get your cdl anyway so expect to travel. You'll be traveling anyway and even if it doesn't turn out the money in the amount of time you expect, stay with it and learn everything you can. Not just about trucking. You can meet some really great people and see some really great things if you open your eyes.

 

[Injun]

play nice kids..

.....says the kid...





(bravo!)

 

[Rigjockey]

I don't know, I didn't get into trucking for the money. Sure I have earned a ton of money and i have also been hurting at times.
If you are going to compare millage pay per hours worked to hourly pay for hours worked, Most times Mileage will lose, But not always.

IMO on OTR you got to look at your take home pay and forget about the hours put in.

Do you want a big pay check at the end of the week? Or do you want to be paid for all your time spent working?

Neither is the correct answer, It is a personal decision. I think getting into trucking for the money is misguided.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I totally got into it for the money. Didn't expect to pull down as much as I do, but I was sick of walking a million square foot warehouse and the pain associated with it for very little pay. And honestly it was the pain more than anything because I have suffered from shin splints/stress fractures in my legs for years. I needed either a sitting or an alternating sitting/standing rather than pure standing job.

It was basically the quickest option ie didn't require months of education and/or 5+ figures of debt.

 

[Electric Chicken]

It's all relative though as I would have been thrilled with 40k a year and no or less leg pain when I started.