Question:
I have been doing oustside sales for a Moving company for the last 18 years, have earned from the low of 28,000 to the high of 65,000. over the last 4 years tho the pay ( commission sales ) seem to be running around 35,000. this is working 5 days a week and maybe 6 to 7 hours per day. Sounds real good right. Well here is the bad part, while the money for the time put in seems good the frustration that comes with it make is almost impossible to live with. My income is soley decided upon by what some one else thinks of me or my price for the services I offer.
I would rather work a 12 to 14 hour day, get paid for the time I put in or the miles I drive and feel good about the job I am doing.
So it is off the school I go to learn how to drive. I have wrked around truckers all my life and have seen them make from 35,000 to over 100,000 depending on who they drive for and and who owns the truck.
Now from all you seasoned veterans:
As a new guy with a lot of drive to succeed and a desire to learn, what can I truly expect from my first year on the road ?????

Answer:
Well I think i might can help you a bit here since I have done the same thing . I have had a sales background since I was 19 (Im 33 now) . Just like any sales job , Trucking has it's ups and downs . One thing they have in common is you will probably never have the same paycheck two week in a row . Your miles will differ , So so will your check .
I am in my 3rd week OTR with my trainer at Star Transportation and the biggest thing you need to be prepaired for is the time away from home . I really thought at first it would not be that big of a deal but as the weeks rolled on from School to the driving job it'self you will find the day and a half or two you have at home go by really fast and you never seem to have enough time to do the chores you used too . I had to teach my wife how to mow the yard since I can't find the time ... LOL . My only other problem Im having is not getting enough rest . I have a very hard time sleeping with the truck moving , So needless to say my sleep pattern is all screwed up . Keep in mind , you not going to start work at 6 am and get off at 5 etc . your day may start at 2 am so you need to plan some sleep time somewhere ... Best of luck to ya , and be safe .....
Answer:

A Rude Awakening,to put it mildly,judgeing by what you've posted.
Actually judgeing by the "tone"of your Post you've already made the decision
to join the Thousands on their way to the "riches"(snicker)of Trucking.
Use the search feature to research your questions,listen to what the"Posibies" and "Negabies" give as OPINIONS.
Welcome to "Fantasy Island".
Answer:

I'd say $20-$25K.
It ain't much. The average experienced driver makes somewhere around $30-$35K per year. It'll probably take you 2-4 different employers, and maybe 5 years (or more), to make this amount.

Answer:
As usual Hoss hit the nail on the head.
You can do real well or you can starve in trucking. It will take you a while to find a home.
1) NEVER abandon a truck or walk off a job. You work history will reflect on how quick you will find a home. Good luck and stay in the right lane unless you are passing.

Answer:
I've never met a truck driver making 100k let alone over it no matter who they drive for. Some O/O's like to say they make that much but their usually forgetting to deduct little things like fuel.
Hoss hit it fairly close. Even with experience 35k can be hard to get to. You wont come close your first year. Maybe not even your second or thirds years.
Besides trucking isn't a job it's a life style. Who cares about money.

Answer:
If you get with a company and stay there the first year. You should do around 35k. After the first you you can earn .41 cents a mile at alot of different companies.
If you only adverage 2250 miles a week. This is real easy to do.I have worked for alot of large carriers and never adveraged under 2500 a week. I did see weeks with less or more. I am talking adverage.
2250 miles. 52 weeks a year. 117000. miles The adverage for the large carriers is around 128-130000.
117,000 at .28 cents a mile. 32760 This dosn't include extra pay. For stops, short haul, or fuel bonuses.
117000 at .41 cents a mile. 47970 Same here. No extras figured in.
The first year sucks! Can you earn over 50k a year? Yes, very easy. Many do. Many company drivers do. The drivers that go job hopping every 3 months have a hard time. They spend more time in orientaion then behind the wheel.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

Answer:

"Very easy"should be deleted and ignored unless you're delusional. Daytraders Math also seems to be lacking in facts or the constant recruiting of Drivers would not exist.
Answer:

My understanding is...that after a 1-2 years, you can get 50k...not right off the bat. But then hey...i'm just a newbie too...getting ready to go to school.

Answer:
Just to keep the record straight. I must post actual figures that I actually came up with using my virtual calculator.
1st year drivers;
OTR training at .12cpm being paid for all miles the truck moves; weekly mileage average with 2 drivers = 5000 x 12cpm = $600. for 8 weeks = $4800..
Solo averaging 2250 miles a week at .27cpm = $27,630.
Accesorial pay average appx. $2570 (have to unload some trailers yourself the first year), total first year $35,000
2nd year drivers;
Solo average pay .34cpm x 3000 miles a week at 52 weeks = $53,040.
Plus accesorial pay, fuel bonus and mileage bonus averaging $125.00 a week x 52 weeks = $6500 total for year $59540.
3rd - 5th year drivers;
Solo average pay .41cpm x 3200 miles a week at 52 weeks = $68,224.
Plus accesorial pay, fuel bonus and mileage bonus averaging $125.00 a week x 52 weeks = $6500 total for year $74,724.
6th year - retirement;
Solo average pay .46cpm x 3200 miles a week at 52 weeks = $76,544.
Plus accesorial pay, fuel bonus and mileage bonus averaging $125.00 a week x 52 weeks = $6500 total for year $83,040.
Plus a nice yearly bonus of $5000 for longevity with the same company comes to a total of $88,040 a year as an experienced solo driver.
Please note that mileage is based on the fact you have become a really good driver and can easily do it every week.
Unload a few trailers and get paid for doing it and you to can make $100K a year with experience.
What is really nice is you also get up to 5 weeks paid vacation at your regular weekly average if you stay at the same company. Isn't that just great.
So welcome to TN's lala land where often times the newbies know more than the drivers, only a few posters like Daytrader actually know what their talking about and far to many other people talk bad about trucking as if they actually know something. It just aint right. Be a pro and make your life long dream of being a trucker a reality. It is what you make of it.

Answer:
My advice to you while out there your first year is to do what you are doing here. Ask questions from other drivers and simply listen to other drivers when your in truck stops and restaurants. 50% of what you hear will go in one ear and out the other, because it's useless info, but the other 50% will help you make a system of how you do your job and plan your finances. There is a wealth of knowledge out on the road, just as there is in trucknet. Good luck to you.

Answer:
I think alot of drivers get take home and gross mixed up.
I have chatted with alot of drivers that can care less about how much they earn a year. They want to know how much they will take home.
I seems alot of folks do not understand that this will be different for most any one.
Some may take the heath insurance, contribute 15+% to a 401k, have child support comming out of the checks, or many other things. There take home will be much less then a person that dosn't take any of these. This driver still earns the same as you.
To try and compair a job on take home pay is not a good way to do it. Why alot of folks do this I am not real sure. I think they may not understand that THEY hold a huge key in how much they take home verses gross.
This seems to be one reason so many leave jobs paying 50-60k a year as a company driver to lease a truck and put 1100-1400 a week in the bank. They see this as take home. We then hear from these folks 3 years latter how they havn't paid taxes and are in deep debt.
Some of these companies are very unethical in there marketing for new drivers. It makes me mad when I see the "Solo lease operators adverage $118,976 a year last year" This seems to suck the drivers in fast. They should add the adverage net was $44,616. Yea, right like they are going to do that.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

Answer:
Rider..
Do yourself a favor and take a drive over to the Swift terminal in Ocala. Speak to a few drivers there. I know a guy who lives in Jacksonville who drives for them. He went OTR for 6 months, and is now doing car hauling out of Savannah,Ga, and is home every weekend.