Training with Werner part 2

[Ekkaddon]

went to the class room for 2 days in a crapshoot of a hotel and waited two days for a trainer. I finally got one noontime today and we headed out of Allentown PA to Michigan and made it right into Ohio when the truck broke down. Freightliner down here can't fix it till Monday so I am back into a hotel for another few days. The trainer seems nice and drives a freightliner classic xl. So far I am pleased with Werner as a whole with their treatment of me. Then I found out my trainer has been driving for more then 20 years and gets paid .34 per mile, highest Werner offers for 48 states I can not believe how little they pay!

[Uturn2001]

Keep you record clean, hang in there for a year and you will see a lot of doors open up for you.

[Ridge Runner]

Then I found out my trainer has been driving for more then 20 years and gets paid .34 per mile, highest Werner offers for 48 states I can not believe how little they pay!

That is low. I started right out making $.34/mi. with an O/O leased to USX. None of that "contract labor" crap either. They did all the payroll taxes with great bennies to boot.

[xtoolguy]

What you're not taking into account here, as far as your trainer's pay is concerned, is that he is getting paid for all the miles HE drives AND all the miles YOU drive! At least that's the way most companies that train pay the trainers. Most of the larger companies run their trainer/trainee trucks like team trucks, so the trainers make out pretty well on pay.

[Double R]

What you're not taking into account here, as far as your trainer's pay is concerned, is that he is getting paid for all the miles HE drives AND all the miles YOU drive! At least that's the way most companies that train pay the trainers. Most of the larger companies run their trainer/trainee trucks like team trucks, so the trainers make out pretty well on pay.

But a solo driver at Werner who is not a trainer and has 20 years of experience is getting screwed. That is the point that he is making. Not all of Werner's drivers are trainers. .34 a mile for 20+ years experience is an insult.

[xtoolguy]

He said his TRAINER gets paid .34 cpm. Let's see...avg. team miles 5000 per week times .34 = $1700 a week. If they pay their regular solo drivers .34 cpm of course it's lousy. He said his TRAINER!!

[xtoolguy]

Werner's web site states that for a solo driver with 2 yrs exp the avg pay per mile would be .393, so a guy with 20 yrs exp would OBVIOUSLY be earning more than that.

[Evinrude]

What you're not taking into account here, as far as your trainer's pay is concerned, is that he is getting paid for all the miles HE drives AND all the miles YOU drive! At least that's the way most companies that train pay the trainers. Most of the larger companies run their trainer/trainee trucks like team trucks, so the trainers make out pretty well on pay.

But a solo driver at Werner who is not a trainer and has 20 years of experience is getting screwed. That is the point that he is making. Not all of Werner's drivers are trainers. .34 a mile for 20+ years experience is an insult.

Stop training new drivers and solo drivers wages will go up. Training drivers for more money is like heating your house with a wood stove and use your walls for the wood supply.

[Ekkaddon]

To clarify a few things he said that he does get .34 per mile and said that on an average week takes home about 800$. To me that seems really low and he does dedicated office max. So he must not get paid like a team. Im not sure how perdiem works but i signed up for it anyway. When i told him id like to make 500 week after training he laughed and said i shouldnnt get my hopes up

[Drew10]

Eddaddon: said

To clarify a few things he said that he does get .34 per mile and said that on an average week takes home about 800$. To me that seems really low and he does dedicated office max.

Hi Ekkaddon, I also drive the Office Max account, out of Hazleton, however Im a solo driver. I probably know you trainer, (dont give any names) maybe Ill see you around the roads or the DC. I know some of the trainers on the account run mostly like a team truck, some are run a little closer to solo miles. $800 take home (net), seems a little low for a full blown team/trainer, however keeping in mind his/her driving/training style and the fact he is probably only running 5, maybe 6 days then taking off most of the weekend.

My truck # is 52405, Classic XL, you can keep a look out for me if you like. If you have any questions about Werner feel free to ask.

[DD60]

To clarify a few things he said that he does get .34 per mile and said that on an average week takes home about 800$. To me that seems really low and he does dedicated office max. So he must not get paid like a team. Im not sure how perdiem works but i signed up for it anyway. When i told him id like to make 500 week after training he laughed and said i shouldnnt get my hopes up

500 a week for driving a truck OTR?
You can make that as a pizza delivery driver in tips alone and be home every night. What a waste of a career.

[Triple Digit Bob]

To clarify a few things he said that he does get .34 per mile and said that on an average week takes home about 800$. To me that seems really low and he does dedicated office max. So he must not get paid like a team. Im not sure how perdiem works but i signed up for it anyway. When i told him id like to make 500 week after training he laughed and said i shouldnnt get my hopes up

500 a week for driving a truck OTR?
You can make that as a pizza delivery driver in tips alone and be home every night. What a waste of a career.

What are you saying idiot? I was making good money at Jb hunt with fast truck at 275.00 a week. That was very good money. I save enough money to go see doctor about my fart problem. I still fart lot though.

[Drew10]

DD60: said

500 a week for driving a truck OTR?
You can make that as a pizza delivery driver in tips alone and be home every night. What a waste of a career.

Not very helpful, to a person trying to start a career in Trucking. Drivers have to start somewhere. I thought this forum is called "New Truck Drivers Get Help Here". Not Razz the :dung: out of them!!


Ekkaddon said:

Im not sure how perdiem works but i signed up for it anyway.

Im not sure of the innerworkings of the Per Diem, however I do hear its not worth collecting it through you payroll. Your better off using the Per Diem deduction come tax time. Others on the forum may beable to give better insight into it.

As far as your net income each week, this can be a highly variable answer. As a new driver learning the industry, and learning how to time manage, will have an effect on your payroll. Having a good FM will also have a hugh effect. I suggest getting into regional or dedicated with Werner as soon as you can after your training is complete. I see you live in Maine. I suspect regional in the East and North East may be a good thing for you. May also be easier for you when it comes time for hometime. Not sure of the Dedicateds available in your area. Although Office Max in Hazleton delivers into you home area, Im not sure our FM is to conducive to "hireing" drivers living up there. Ask him when you are in the DC. Also check on the Pep Boys account, they are in Chester NY, west of Newburgh.

[DD60]

Not very helpful, to a person trying to start a career in Trucking. Drivers have to start somewhere. I thought this forum is called "New Truck Drivers Get Help Here". Not Razz the out of them!!




That wasn't razzing. A new driver can earn more than 500.00 a week starting out. Notice that his trainer laughed at that income and told him not to even expect to make that much. :shock: The most helpful advice would be to not waste time on such a rediculous wage and try another career or look elsewhere. Why go thru all the risks and liability for less than 500.00 a week? As long as that is an acceptable wage to be trucking for,than there will be no incentive to raise them.

[Blind Driver]

I got .35 a mile right out of school. My average take home was normally over $850 a week. Home every weekend.

I finally got one noontime today and we headed out of Allentown PA to Michigan and made it right into Ohio when the truck broke down. Freightliner down here can't fix it till Monday so I am back into a hotel for another few days.

And paid how much for sitting over the weekend away from home in a flea-bag motel? Oh yeah, lemme guess...ZILCH!

Then I found out my trainer has been driving for more then 20 years and gets paid .34 per mile, highest Werner offers for 48 states I can not believe how little they pay!

Being the Big Blue Screw, I can certainly believe they pay that much. What's really amazing is why someone with even 1 year experience would pull for those wages much less a driver with 20+ years.

[Zen Road Warrior]

hey bud, as far as the per diem works...you pay a bit less in taxes. this is generally good. however, what they don't tell you is that instead of making .26 per mile there is a per diem charge of .01 so you will actually be paid .25 per mile. even so, you are paying less in taxes. after some calculations, the less you get paid the better the idea of a per diem. the more you paid, per diem loses its value. somewhere around $500-$600 the dollars gained from the extra cent outweigh the tax gain.

So, if you make less than $600 per diem is good. More than $600 per diem is bad. Generally speaking, of course.

i was an accountant before becoming a trucker. ....glad i left it...

[BigGee]

I got .35 a mile right out of school. My average take home was normally over $850 a week. Home every weekend.

Who did you drive for Blind Driver?

i don't wanna sound stupid but how does not training new drivers make wages go up? i hope i do not get the supply and demand answer.

[Evinrude]

i don't wanna sound stupid but how does not training new drivers make wages go up? i hope i do not get the supply and demand answer.

With no new drivers Companies will take care of the drivers they have.