I do like trucking. I just don't like how time consuming it is. It's usually always 80 hours a week. Barely enough time to eat, shower, workout, and sleep.
80 hours a week should be $3,000 MINIMUM *NET* (should be $5k but whatever) and 40 hours a week should be $2,000. We’re all being reamed and paid less than people making $15-$20/hr to prepare and hand you food and items. $40/hr should be standard pay. Not this $24/hr crap. Most people don’t understand that there ARE drivers like me who can work upwards of 90 paid hours, paid hourly.
I had a blessing in disgise in November 2023! Flipped my truck doing 75mph in AZ. Didn't get hurt but milked the gravy train $800 a week 7 months working on the side for cash. Thought about driving again but. You get the picture
I am going into trucking specifically for the lifestyle, I am INTJ, no wife, no kids. I like and need my alone time, I like traveling and working on solving tasks on my own. In my current role I have to deal with a couple dozen people and tasks daily. There is constant distractions and people interjecting themselves into my path...I can stand that.
Going into trucking in 2 years when I retire from Teaching I’ll be 56. Got my class A in 94…..drive school buses for extra money. If parents raised their kids I’d teach till I’m 61.
2:23 You hit the nail on the head! Unfortunately, most people don't understand this simple truth! You sound a lot like me. I can count on on hand the number of true friends I have. I love being home, but after a day or two, I'm ready to hit the road again! Thanks for the video. It's good to know that I'm not a total weirdo loving the truckin' life ;)
26 years here. Done everything from wrenching on trucks, dispatch, ops manager, terminal manager and safety manager. I run regional Sunday to Thursday usually home Thursday by noon and leave Sunday about 7am. I make $1800+ a week drive awesome equipment. Trucking is what you make it. Some are born to be a trucker, some can be trained to be and do great others will never make it.
Absolutely the best way to put it as far as trucking goes, been at this for 5 years, and I fall in the 2nd group, not born to do it, but learned it and I do well at it
The only trap is within your mind. Iam the same Kev. I love driving and is why i do it for a living. Everyday is different and challenges can be overcome with a little ingenuity at times.
Great video buddy , you are right on point … when I first got into this business I hated it , but as I have gotten older I love it … my office changes views all the time and I get to see amazing places … your also right , this job isn’t for everyone, most of the people I have meet on the road are stuck and don’t manage there money very well… keep up the good work and keep it between the lines brother …be safe ….
I been otr about 2 years I have hopped companies trying to find right one I do flatbed love the flatbed life I always count down the hours when home to when I go back out sometimes it’s hard like especially now been sitting at a truck stop over 73 hours waiting for a load
Trucking isn't the problem. What you do in trucking is. Semi-local dedicated here, line haul, sleep at the hub. 48 hour reset at home. You need to get out of OTR.
For some people for sure. I love OTR. I did regional and hated it because I constantly felt like I couldn't get any traction because I kept having to go home for resets. There definitely are places for people who don't like OTR to go in trucking.
@@ridingwithkev5560 OTR is only great if you're making $$$, always moving. OTR is dead and will remain dead until the economy starts back up. USA if fighting 2 wars right now, the economy will not boom any time soon. Meaning, OTR is dead.
Good Morning, Excellent video, now with that said here are my thoughts. I started trucking in 96’, trucking was a career and a lifestyle back then. The lifestyle has been long over for at least twenty years. If I were looking for a different well “different”, I wouldn’t drive a truck that’s for sure, why? The money is not what it once was, the plastic trucks have ruined the industry as well, just my opinion. There’s two statements that have screwed Professional Drivers for forty years. - Trucking is a lifestyle - Rate per mile matters Those two statements are the genesis of poor wages, how? - If you believe and buy-into the statement that trucking is a lifestyle, then why should a company pay you for a life style you are choosing? - Rate Per Mi, all this does is create the hampster in the wheel and you run run run your butt of to make literally pennies. - Your time is the most expensive commodity/expense you have, not fuel not tires your time. I run my own truck, trailer and my own numbers, not leased on to anyone and when I look back on my life I’m very blessed to be old and started when I did. I hear guys talking about making $1200-$1500 per week now in 2024, that’s terrible, guys/gals made that twenty years ago in trucking. I love trucking and what it has done for me however, there’s no way I would do it again and especially now. Too many regulations and more to come, there’s no freedom of the road anymore. Every company has an app or computer tracking you, so what we had is gone. Trucking is no longer a career, it’s a job that’s it. Guys/gals no longer polish their trucks (very few) and few wash their trucks. The way you got a newer truck back in the day was to keep it clean, polish the tanks and wheels, that was the only way a company would put you in any thing newer. Sacrifice vs reward vs risk, ask yourself this daily. Stay safe
I’m actually considering a career change to trucking. I’m 40 with no kids or wife and just want to be on my own and experience life. I can take that CDL anywhere so it seems like a no brainer especially since it’s a great skilled trade=) Great video my man!
Always brother you be safe too I'm new to your channel do you have any videos about how you got your truck and you said you got it from Prime anything you can recommend as a finance or lease option
@@SirMrJason1 I actually got it from a peterbilt dealership that got it from Prime. I financed it. It's a bit different with business equipment finance. As it depends a lot more on down payment, business credit etc.
Looking at getting into trucking. Does the working every day not get old?? I know you can only drive for so many hours then rest for so many but does it not get old when you are out weeks on end, day after day?
It definitely can. You have to know what you are comfortable with. For me it varies. I started out with a regional home every weekend company which was nice. I preferred that to OTR before I started my own company. Now that I have complete control being gone is easier
I would say that can be reasonable, but as many have said, and I have said a lot goes into making that $1500. Even local guys whonare home every night will work 60+ hours to make that. That's the whole lifestyle not just a job.
@jasonmoss-qk8oh people on RUclips will flame you because they know a guy, but I am over the road and work 60-70 hours a week. "Most" local jobs are 12 hours per day, 5-6 days per week, speaking generally.
@@ridingwithkev5560 why I went back ort. rather have 3 to 5 days off at at ime then a 34 at home that I sleep through because I'm tired. I worked more hours local than I did otr.
I would be lying or at least guessing if I gave you a definitive answer. I would say due to turnover there will always be room for new drivers but I am not sure
I do like trucking. I just don't like how time consuming it is. It's usually always 80 hours a week. Barely enough time to eat, shower, workout, and sleep.
Most definitely
80 hours a week should be $3,000 MINIMUM *NET* (should be $5k but whatever) and 40 hours a week should be $2,000. We’re all being reamed and paid less than people making $15-$20/hr to prepare and hand you food and items. $40/hr should be standard pay. Not this $24/hr crap. Most people don’t understand that there ARE drivers like me who can work upwards of 90 paid hours, paid hourly.
I had a blessing in disgise in November 2023! Flipped my truck doing 75mph in AZ. Didn't get hurt but milked the gravy train $800 a week 7 months working on the side for cash. Thought about driving again but. You get the picture
Yes I do
Damn glad you straight
I am going into trucking specifically for the lifestyle, I am INTJ, no wife, no kids. I like and need my alone time, I like traveling and working on solving tasks on my own. In my current role I have to deal with a couple dozen people and tasks daily. There is constant distractions and people interjecting themselves into my path...I can stand that.
It can be very rewarding
Going into trucking in 2 years when I retire from Teaching I’ll be 56. Got my class A in 94…..drive school buses for extra money. If parents raised their kids I’d teach till I’m 61.
2:23 You hit the nail on the head! Unfortunately, most people don't understand this simple truth! You sound a lot like me. I can count on on hand the number of true friends I have. I love being home, but after a day or two, I'm ready to hit the road again! Thanks for the video. It's good to know that I'm not a total weirdo loving the truckin' life ;)
Or are we the weird ones 😆
26 years here. Done everything from wrenching on trucks, dispatch, ops manager, terminal manager and safety manager. I run regional Sunday to Thursday usually home Thursday by noon and leave Sunday about 7am. I make $1800+ a week drive awesome equipment. Trucking is what you make it. Some are born to be a trucker, some can be trained to be and do great others will never make it.
Amen 🙏 💯
Absolutely the best way to put it as far as trucking goes, been at this for 5 years, and I fall in the 2nd group, not born to do it, but learned it and I do well at it
Unless you want to destroy your health, relationships, and basically you whole life.
With discipline, those don't have to be true, but unfortunately for many, it is.
Thanks for the video Kevin, good advice coming from someone with obvious background experience, much appreciated👍🏻! Take care, & be safe out there🚛🙏🏻!
Thanks for the kind words
The only trap is within your mind. Iam the same Kev. I love driving and is why i do it for a living. Everyday is different and challenges can be overcome with a little ingenuity at times.
Definitely a great sense of adventure especially on your own
Great video buddy , you are right on point … when I first got into this business I hated it , but as I have gotten older I love it … my office changes views all the time and I get to see amazing places … your also right , this job isn’t for everyone, most of the people I have meet on the road are stuck and don’t manage there money very well… keep up the good work and keep it between the lines brother …be safe ….
You to man
I been otr about 2 years I have hopped companies trying to find right one I do flatbed love the flatbed life I always count down the hours when home to when I go back out sometimes it’s hard like especially now been sitting at a truck stop over 73 hours waiting for a load
Yeah I've had to do some waiting
Trucking isn't the problem. What you do in trucking is. Semi-local dedicated here, line haul, sleep at the hub. 48 hour reset at home. You need to get out of OTR.
For some people for sure. I love OTR. I did regional and hated it because I constantly felt like I couldn't get any traction because I kept having to go home for resets. There definitely are places for people who don't like OTR to go in trucking.
@@ridingwithkev5560 OTR is only great if you're making $$$, always moving. OTR is dead and will remain dead until the economy starts back up. USA if fighting 2 wars right now, the economy will not boom any time soon. Meaning, OTR is dead.
Good Morning, Excellent video, now with that said here are my thoughts. I started trucking in 96’, trucking was a career and a lifestyle back then. The lifestyle has been long over for at least twenty years.
If I were looking for a different well “different”, I wouldn’t drive a truck that’s for sure, why? The money is not what it once was, the plastic trucks have ruined the industry as well, just my opinion.
There’s two statements that have screwed Professional Drivers for forty years.
- Trucking is a lifestyle
- Rate per mile matters
Those two statements are the genesis of poor wages, how?
- If you believe and buy-into the statement that trucking is a lifestyle, then why should a company pay you for a life style you are choosing?
- Rate Per Mi, all this does is create the hampster in the wheel and you run run run your butt of to make literally pennies.
- Your time is the most expensive commodity/expense you have, not fuel not tires your time.
I run my own truck, trailer and my own numbers, not leased on to anyone and when I look back on my life I’m very blessed to be old and started when I did.
I hear guys talking about making $1200-$1500 per week now in 2024, that’s terrible, guys/gals made that twenty years ago in trucking.
I love trucking and what it has done for me however, there’s no way I would do it again and especially now. Too many regulations and more to come, there’s no freedom of the road anymore. Every company has an app or computer tracking you, so what we had is gone.
Trucking is no longer a career, it’s a job that’s it. Guys/gals no longer polish their trucks (very few) and few wash their trucks. The way you got a newer truck back in the day was to keep it clean, polish the tanks and wheels, that was the only way a company would put you in any thing newer.
Sacrifice vs reward vs risk, ask yourself this daily.
Stay safe
Appreciate the awesome insight. Be safe man
I’m actually considering a career change to trucking. I’m 40 with no kids or wife and just want to be on my own and experience life. I can take that CDL anywhere so it seems like a no brainer especially since it’s a great skilled trade=) Great video my man!
Thanks man. It's definitely different and doesn't necessarily feel like groundhog day
25 yr local part-time driver, like it tried otr not for me! Semper Fi.
Semper Fi. It definitely is not
Do you know how many people think they understand and they grossly underestimate what's needed
Most have no Idea.
Good information! Semper Fi,, stay safe!
Thanka man will do. You as well
I am the same way I get home from home time and a couple days I rest but the next couple days I can't wait to get back in the truck and earn and run
I know that feeling 💯 be safe
Always brother you be safe too I'm new to your channel do you have any videos about how you got your truck and you said you got it from Prime anything you can recommend as a finance or lease option
@@SirMrJason1 I actually got it from a peterbilt dealership that got it from Prime. I financed it. It's a bit different with business equipment finance. As it depends a lot more on down payment, business credit etc.
I’m just like you
There are a lot of us out here
Great info
Thank you
Looking at getting into trucking. Does the working every day not get old?? I know you can only drive for so many hours then rest for so many but does it not get old when you are out weeks on end, day after day?
It definitely can. You have to know what you are comfortable with. For me it varies. I started out with a regional home every weekend company which was nice. I preferred that to OTR before I started my own company. Now that I have complete control being gone is easier
😎😎🚚🚚🚚
Heck yeah
why is 1500+ a week bad or is that not reasonable per week, i see numbers like this thrown around often
I would say that can be reasonable, but as many have said, and I have said a lot goes into making that $1500. Even local guys whonare home every night will work 60+ hours to make that. That's the whole lifestyle not just a job.
@@ridingwithkev5560 didn't know it was 60+ hrs fk that
@jasonmoss-qk8oh people on RUclips will flame you because they know a guy, but I am over the road and work 60-70 hours a week. "Most" local jobs are 12 hours per day, 5-6 days per week, speaking generally.
@@ridingwithkev5560 thanks
@@ridingwithkev5560 why I went back ort. rather have 3 to 5 days off at at ime then a 34 at home that I sleep through because I'm tired. I worked more hours local than I did otr.
I’m hearing people tell me that the jobs opportunities are drying up for newbies. Any truth to this?
I would be lying or at least guessing if I gave you a definitive answer. I would say due to turnover there will always be room for new drivers but I am not sure
UNLESS YOU'RE HOMELESS 😂
Always have a place to sleep 😆