thats $1116-1209 US. It's 93 cents on the dollar right now... :shock:

I'm in Vancouver or Langley, weekly!

 

OP here - I already stated that our household might run a little smoother with DH on the road :wink: Also his plan is to go OTR for a couple years and then come local, or even just try to find local to start off with. Our kids are small right now so if he can get this going now and get local in a couple of years he won't miss much. I'd rather have him out for 2 weeks than have to worry about how we're going to pay our bills, which is where we are right now with him working a job that turned out to be seasonal with no lay off slip.

Thanks for the all the inspiration everyone!

 

And the may grow up without a father for all "intents and purposes" also... :P

 

My personal opinion is that whether a person can make a grand per week or not is almost entirely up to the driver. EVERY trucking company out there has opporunities for even new drivers to earn this type of money. IMO, why anyone would go "out there" for less than 50K per year is beyond me. Before anyone chimes in that I'm misleading you, let me reiterate that the "opportunity" will be there for you. Whether you take advantage or not is entirely up to you.

In my short stint as a truck driver, I have about 15 months under my belt to date. I have worked for 3 companies. Yup, 3 in a little over a year, definite job-hopper here. Of course, I worked for 2 companies in the previous 15 years before obtaining my CDL. I worked for Maverick for a little over 6 months, a local carrier for a little under 6 months, and now work for a local company that makes regional runs. We travel within a 500 mile radius and make 3 runs per week and I am bascially home ever other day and usually both days on the weekend. With all 3 companies I have averaged over 1000/week. Why, because the opportunity was there and I took it. My worst week with Maverick after I was turned loose by my trainer was $850. That was Memorial Day weekend 06 where I got home on Thursday night and left out in the late afternoon on Memorial Day. My second job was never less than 900/week and most generally over a grand. So far in my third (and hopefully last) job, I made $984 the first week and never under 1100 since. As a matter of fact, my last 4 paychecks have grossed around 1200 bucks. It is out there, it can be done and it's usually not the company's fault if you don't take advantage of it.

As for the time with your family. I have 3 boys (5, 8 & 12) and time with them and my wife is just as important as the money. I still coach my 8 year-old's baseball team. We've played 10 games so far this year and I've been to 9 of them. The one I missed was yesterday and I could have made it, but he was running a 103 temperature and I decided to catch up on some of the farm work instead. My older son plays select ball and I've made it to 4 out of 6 of his games so far also. We all sit down to supper together 3-4 times per week, celebrated everyone's birthdays together and I made it to all of their school functions this past school year. What the heck am I missing?! No more than I missed out on when I was gone from 6 AM to 8 or 9 PM 5-6 days per week working a management or sales job and I never cracked 50K with either of those positions.

Trucking is a JOB, just like anything else. It's not a "lifestyle" like many others will tell you, unless you choose to make it a lifestyle. Find the right fit, work hard and take advantage of every opportunity offered to you, just like you would at any other job, and you'll do fine. Otherwise, you'll just end up back in here complaining about how JB Hunt or Swift "screwed" you, promised you the moon and handed you 350/week.

Sorry for the rant, but man I feel better now!

 

It all depends on the individual.

I make $1,000-$1,300 per week every week and I am home every weekend and usually stop through the house once or twice a week. It can be done but when you get in the truck you don't stop for nothing but fuel and showers.

 

what about $2000 a week? realistic?

 

I started driving a van and my average was around $1000. Open the doors, close the doors. No load securment :wink:

Just have to keep moving.