Truckdrivers who drive for bands; how much do THEY get paid?
 

I've heard that some music bands have their own truckdriver (I guess to haul their music instruments and whatnot). Does anyone know what THEIR pay might be like? (I know the odds of getting to drive for a band are probably long, but I just always wondered).

I had a friend who drove for Alabama back in the mid 80s, and always made good money, he didn't see home much. I don't know if its still the same way now.

Douglas

I drove for a tour company that specialized in bands, concerts, broadway shows etc... I did that for a year made about 50 grand that year but it was a tough way to make money. The way we were paid was straight salary so regardless of the miles you got paid. The big downsize was never getting home. Once on the road with a tour you are stuck with it until the end, 3 months 9 months it does not matter. It depended what band or tour you were on. I was on a broadway show for a 3 month gig and , the best way to describe these people were major PRIMA DONNAS. It can drive you nuts.

As for the present I know of a few companies and have talked to several drivers that do this and they do not get paid that much. I know of one company that pays 28 cents a mile regardless of experience, but their selling point is that you get to drive one of those new really nice 379X Petes.

I would not do this again unless I get a real good offer.

I went to a WWE show earlier this year and happend to notice their trucks parked at the arena. I could not imagine trying to get to some of the arenas they have to get to. I would imagine it gets kind of tight.

Try residential neighborhoods day in and day out :)

The downside to concert touring is I hear the only time you sleep is when the show is goin on :cry:

You get to sleep during the day prior to the show and drive at night to reach the next city or arena.

As far as getting to some arenas or shows it gets real tight sometimes. I remember one small town in Indiana that we went to for a show, the theater was built in like 1880 so go figure where is the truck supposed to be?/

I think the worst place was downtown Seattle on 1st Ave in a little club that was an afterthought for the band.

You get real good at backing though

The only good side of working on a tour, you do not unload or load, the locals do it all for you. You just get into the trailer with them and direct them on what's next and how to handle it. You do get free meals at the show site but I have no idea about while your own the road to the next site. The schedule is usually very tight, if your slow loading, you will really have to hammerdown to make the next site in time to get unloaded and the stage setup. Everything has to work together like a well oiled machine. The roadies have to hustle to get everything put in the travel cases and the locals have to hustle to get you loaded and you have to hustle to the next venue. Once there, the new locals have to hustle to get you unloaded, roadies hustle to get everything pulled right back out and setup so the band can sound check, light check and then do the show. Some shows only have an hour to spare, others have nothing to spare. The best show to get on, a kid's touring show like Pokemon or Barney, they are at site's for like a week at a time and everyone on the crew gets to stay in hotel's. I used to be a local at Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA and dealt with everyshow that came thru there for 3 years. Every driver was cool, none were ever unhappy.

Do you have to have the band members ride with you? Or do you get to drive the truck by yourself?

Doug, the performers ride in a tour bus, a special tricked out tour bus. You will not have them riding with you unless you drive the bus. You may have another driver with you if the tour uses team drivers which some tours do utilize.