How to make the most money as a truck driver

Considering the long hours, the varying conditions, the difficulties of traffic, and the pressure of keeping to schedule, it sometimes seems difficult that people engage in the work. Yet trucking is a strong, viable career. Over 3. And the country has a shortage of truckers, even drive an atmosphere in which a great deal of growth is expected in the next few years. The opportunities in this industry are strong in and will remain strong for the next few decades. The key to getting more and better work is demonstrating your skill and reliability.

How does the average salary of the different types of truck driving jobs stack up?

The reason we work so hard as truck drivers is to drive home that serious scratch, the cheddar, the bones, you know…the dead presidents in our pockets—MONEY. But how much money can you actually make behind the wheel? Negotiating rates that are based around mileage cents-per-mile instead of hours can be a smart career move for drivers. These are all normal factors that play into the pay rates of truck driving. How do you do it? Well, typically, earning that much in the profession is pretty uncommon. Second, you can do a job that no one else CAN do. Owner-operators bring home about this much. However, the costs of maintaining that rig can be so high that after everything gets put into account for that—-you pretty much can cut that earning potential in half. The easiest way to move up financially? Put in your time. It pays to be experienced. Learn more about earning an amazing salary doing truck driving by watching our Big Rig Banter podcast! Drivers in warzones are typically not taxed on their income.

Types of Truck Driving Jobs

Hauling Hazardous waste in the U. That confusses me, what does he do for that kind of money? I drove more than 24 years never made near that kind of money. Is he hauling extreme heavy or something like that? I drove for two years before landing a job with a big box retailer. Keep your record clean, those jobs are out there. Get your CDL! My husband started leasing from xpo logistic when he first started out which brought home 65, a year.

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It is no secret that over the road, or OTR, truck drivers make the best money. Over the road drivers are paid more due to the type of travel, the hours involved and all of the different road laws that must be followed in each state. OTR drivers are also held to much higher standards. They deliver a variety of products around the country and have tight delivery schedules to keep. Specialty drivers and long haul drivers rank right up with OTR drivers. Specialty drivers fall into a special category. These are drivers who haul oversized loads, specialty products, and Hazmat materials mostly. It takes a specially trained driver to take on these trips. Thus, the jobs pay more. The higher pay also means that these drivers are expected to stay up to date on industry policy changes, new laws that go into effect and the laws of the roadways in each area that they travel in. Truck drivers that belong to a union are also paid higher than national companies are. Unions have several rules in place that require the drivers be paid accordingly.

The timeline of each program can also vary. If you meet those requirements, contact nearby truck driving schools and sign up for a program. Attend an orientation. Pick another answer! Show Ignored Content.

Seek Out the Higher Paying Trucking Jobs

Know what to expect as salary. Note that you can take the exam or more than one type of commercial vehicle endorsement. Not Helpful 8 Helpful Can I become a truck driver in Canada while I’m a foreigner? Pass both parts of the licensing exam. Attend truck driving school. Show Ignored Content. Bonuses In addition to a regular paycheck, you may also be able to make money through various bonuses as a Class A CDL trained truck driver.

Hourly Truck Driver Wage

That rate varies depending on the years of ss the driver has, the region where they drive and the company they drive.

Unlike other careers with a set salary, Truck Drivers are typically paid a set rate per mile that they travel, not for how long they work. You may find some companies paying more because of the high demand for Class A licensed Truck Drivers due to the ongoing truck driver dtiver.

So even if you start out at a certain rate per mile, your performance tye the industry demands can cause that to change over time. When you get paid by the mile, your odometer counts your money for you as the miles thr by. This makes it easier to track your expected pay. Truck Drivers that are paid by the mile do tend to make more than hourly or salary paid drivers. Truckers have the opportunities to earn bonuses in addition to their regular pay.

Truck Driver Pay also varies by company, location, the type of driving you do, the materials you haul, and your certifications. The best news is that new truck drivers will find competitive wages and great incentives due to the miney high demand. Making Money By The Mile ruck Drivers are typically paid a set rate per mile that they travel, not for how long they work. Some carriers set a standard pay rate while you train. Their earnings vary depending on the available bonuses offered by their carrier.

With two drivers, the truck hos stops moving. While you take your rest period your partner mqke driving. Because the drivers split the total combined mileage, there is typically more money to be.

These drivers typically get a bit more home time than standard cross country truck drivers. The trade-off is that these positions typically require you to handle the freight you are delivering.

These positions can sometimes pay less than truck drivers who log more miles driving cross country. Carriers typically require their new drivers to ride with a trainer until they feel comfortable with the driver going solo.

Owner-Operator — If you like the idea of running your own business instead of working for an employer, consider becoming an owner-operator once you have adequate experience working for a carrier.

Owner-operators can earn a greater rate-per-mile by cutting out the middleman te signing contracts directly with companies. As an owner-operator, you could eventually have your own fleet of drivers! Bonuses In addition to a regular paycheck, you may also moeny able mzke make money through various bonuses as a Class A CDL trained truck driver.

Each trucking carrier is different, but many offer bonuses like:. Monthly mileage — Some carriers pay their drivers extra when they achieve company thresholds for miles.

Earn money for driving the longer distances and earn extra pay just because you drove them with your company! Sign-on bonus — In order to attract how to make the most money as a truck driver truck drivers, competing carriers will mozt offer sign-on bonuses for drivers who choose their company. The amount differs from carrier-to-carrier and can be dfiver as a whole sum or through gradual payments. Fuel efficiency — By using various fuel-saving practices, you prove to your carrier that you are a cost-conscience truck driver.

Carriers appreciate that, now many reward their drivers for cutting down on fuel. Safety pay — Carriers strive for safe driving and may even offer bonuses for proven safety out on the highways.

Proving that you can safely drive a tractor-trailer means more than good business, it means saving lives! Layover pay ohw If you are inconvenienced or stalled in the delivery process, some carriers offer layover pay as a way of compensating truck drivers for the time lost. Carriers know this, and many pay their truck drivers for clean inspections. Referrals — Having a friend sign up for your carrier company could lead to hefty bonuses.

CDL-trained truck drivers are in high demand, and carriers are ready to pay for them! Benefits While benefits are not direct money, they can be of great value to drivers. Typical benefits for Truck Drivers include.

Where can you start? S Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Working monwy the trucking industry can be quite lucrative; the right job will result in higher pay ratesin a shorter period of time. Regardless of age or your experience in the industry, the right job is going to result in more monwy and better benefits as a driver. These are among the top paying driving jobswhen you are looking for a career in the trucking industry.

Find a Truck Driving Job

Gas, chemicals, and other hazardous materials are dangerous to be around; further, they require immense skill for you to drive and haul. For this reason, working in this industry, you are going to earn more, and depending on the type of hazardous material, and company that you work for, the pay rate can be rather expensive. Driving double wide trucks, and over load trucks will also result in a higher pay rate. Not only do you need a special license, special training is also required for the job.