yep-I was just going to post about it but you beat me to it :P

 

yeah i did funny how that happen no offense RockyMtnProDriver.

 

Ya, that was me. ops:

 

I was Red, I guess after running for 36 hours a person can snap. I just got pissed and realized it isn't worth it. It was also my fault because I let them push me that hard without speaking up for myself, I just wanted to make money. I have also been talking to alot of the bigger trucking company's for the last couple weeks and been offered alot more, some from good company's too. I have 2 interviews with local companys this week. I want to find somthing local, If not I will go back to OTR. I just need the local companys to give me a road test and yard test and I 'll get in (if no insurance hang ups). Star was a good company to get your feet wet but for me that was it.

 

now this one isn't on down shifting, but on pay. What I have found so far as a beginner is that when you get started, you get the smaller pay (i.e. 27-32cpm). Or at least that's if you start out going to a big company through their financing program and learn to drive from them. The smaller/higher paying companies aren't usually going to look at you until you have about 3 yrs or more of driving under your belt. A friend of mine took 5 yrs experience to a small company in Sturgis, SD and gets 2.29 per mile on some of his runs. Granted he hauls bees this time of year and that's the highest paying runs he gets, but still. You need more road time under your belt before you can expect more than .27 cpm.

 

Starting out without experience you have little to offer a potential employer. You have not proven your value or worth. In addition to learning to drive, you also need to learn time management skills. You need to point A to point B in a timely manner and without incident. Insurance costs are certainly a factor. It is very difficult to insure an inexperienced driver without at least 2 years experience, unless you are a large carrier. Some of them actually self insure up to a certain level. Even at $0.28/mile your wage is higher than many jobs starting out. Besides, many also want benefits such as insurance, etc., Those benefits are not cheap. The more benefits that are paid, the less is available for wages. Most employee's don't understand the cost of providing benefits. Just providing hospitalization can cost several hundred dollars per month for each employee.

 

Yes I understand. I was replying to the very first post on this topic. It's pretty much the standard to get .27 - .32 cpm starting out. You have to have atleast 3 yrs experience to get into the higher pay bracket. But then you also have to watch out for the smaller companies that try to jip you out of the higher pay. My father ran for over 30 yrs. Started working for a fuel company, and he barely cleared 30k a year. I don't think that was fair considering it seems that I-90 west of Rapid City during tourist season is very dangerous as far as a tanker goes.