How do you guys prefer to get paid, by the mile or by the gross amount the truck made for the week? Just trying to get a feel for the business. Thanks for any replies.

 

Depends on what the freight rates are really. CPM is more stable and easier for many drivers to budget on, percentage you can make more - but only if you're hauling freight that is paying well. Goes back to the "Say No to Cheap Freight" deal.

 

I worked both systems and made more on CPM.
Thing is for me...I live in Northern Michigan. Getting good rates outbound is easy, but finding good back loads is hit or miss. I don't know if location effects others...but seems to have made a difference for me.

Time of year also seems to effect our rates. CPM is steady...and if I have the choice...I'd choose that again. But the Company I'm with now does percentage.

 

Yes, location is a big issue. Generally, trucks making percentage eat any deadhead miles you have to travel to get to another load. I've sat and figured out on some loads and realized I was making mere pennies in slow freight times. I think I prefer the stability of CPM as well. Sometimes I really made out like a bandit on percentage, but sometimes I had to nearly work for free just to move into a better freight lane.

 

Thanks for the info. Correct me if I am wrong, as a driver you would pick CPM, but if you were to pay a driver you would decide to go by percentages?

 

Neither.

I'm paid by the hour with overtime after 40. I've done the mileage thing and found it to be a complete ripoff. That's because you only get paid when the wheels are turning are turning under a load (and you don't even get paid for all of that!). Once that truck stops, so too does your paycheck.

 

That's all good and everything except MOST companies want you to have between 1 to 5 years OTR experience. At least here they do. I've looked at every Co. where I live and the all want OTR experience.

 

Seems by the hour would be difficult to pay someone. Does anyone know what cpm an experienced driver should get paid?

 

Should get paid?

Most pay according to experiance...w/ 1/2 cpm increase every 6mo.
The rate is somewhere between .34-.44 CPM. Some pay straight, others pay so much loaded, and so much empty.

Guy's paid CPM usually recieve drop/pick fees starting after the first one.
There are other compensations as well, for both pay scales.
Detendtion pay
Self-Lumper
Lay-over
Down-time

...and what I called Combat-pay...I got an extra hunnert for NYC loads.

Some Companies are mostly Drop & Hook....or no-touch freight.

Other compensations are.......
Health Insurance
Paid Vacation
Co. matched 401k
Company generated discounts on products
monthly incentives
sign-on bonus
referral bonus
Million Mile Safety bonus anywhere from 5k-20k


Of course the is also another pay scale. CFM (ColdFrostyMug)
The additude is extra, but irresistable to some Local Driver's. :lol:
OTR Driver's usually can spot them right away...by the way they drive, or look at you at the Docks when they expect you to step out of their way.

Ahhhhhh....Celebrities. You either love'em or you hate 'em. :lol:

 

Ah shucks Roadhog. I thought that those "looks" from our OTR brothers and sisters were ones of admiration. :wink: Are you hinting that we locals may not be invincible.