Question:
Hi all I have got a question I have 1 week of school left at roadmaster in orlando and was looking forward to going to a company but now with everything i have read on these boards I wonder if its the right choice I am not worried about home time at least for the first year or two I figure everyone has to pay there dues at any job what I am wondering is can i make enought money to support my family I need to gross at least 600 a week just to pay the bills but I have to live out there to so better make it 700-750 or so can it be done legal and how long do you think it would take to get that kind of money and how do I keep from getting screwed by these dispatchers........thanks

Answer:
You are NOT going to make $700-750 a week fresh out of school! Even the $600 is going to be a stretch..... It isn't the dispatcher who rips you off, it'd be the company you drive for, IF that happens. I don't know what your school fed you, but there are drivers who have been driving for longer than 6 months who are STILL waiting for that $700 paycheck. Don't set such lofty goals and you won't be let down too severely.......

Answer:
what I am wondering is can i make enought money to support my family I need to gross at least 600 a week just to pay the bills but I have to live out there to so better make it 700-750
Only if you Already have Financial Peace.(what I mean by this is...if you are TOTALLY Debt FREE/ALL Credit Cards & Car Notes are Paid Off.)
Then, that way the only bills left are the "recurring" ones such as...Rent, Utilities,Phone, Food, Internet, cable,etc.
http://www.daveramsey.com/streaming_show/listen.cfm
Rokki's Budgeting Tips(click here)

Answer:
choclit snda ~ and I thought I was the ONLY one on trucker message boards who "lived like nobody else"

Answer:
It's true 700 or more a week is tough as is 600 a week. Remembering that it will cost from $100 to $150. a week to live in the road. At $600 take home the cost will drop your wage quickly to some where around 450 +/-. That will be tough for a while. While training for how ever many weeks you may not even see 300 a week after exspensis.
You can make ok money driving but it's going to take time and patience. It won't come quickly. If your needing money now for bills it will only get worse. Many newbies like myself when I was new only heard the bright side from the schools and companies. I learned quickly as do most new drivers it doesn't come fast or easy.
You need to have it together and have time on your side ot you may have more trouble than you want.
Good Stuff
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:
It can be done, but you will have to be patient and willing to reject plenty of companies to finally get to one that pays that kind of money, assuming there is going to be one in your area that pays that. Or you may have to move. My husband has gotten 5 paychecks so far at his first driving job out of school, three weeks of that were training, and his net averages to $754 for those 5 checks. So it is possible. However, keep in mind that you need at the very least $100 to $125 per 7 days out, and you need to have about $100 cash always on hand for tolls, something DH didn't really know until it hit him. He does get reimbursed when he gets to the next terminal but you have to pay the toll when you get to the booth.
The comments you have read about having a budget and having your financial house in order were very wise. If you go into trucking in a situation where you MUST have X dollars per week to survive you may not want to get into trucking. Your checks will probably go up and down a LOT, depending on your miles. Yeah, my husband's average looks nice, but those checks have ranged from a lovely $1,158.80 to a shocking $257.81 for his very first week, and everything in between.
Just my opinion, but I think it is a good idea to be financially in a stable position before you get into trucking so that you can withstand erratic pay, and so that if you don't make it you won't be left bankrupt.
Good luck!!
Some of it's magic, and some of it's tragic, but I've had a good life all the way.
(Jimmy Buffett)

Answer:
We own our own truck and our checks are not exactly consistent. On the weeks when life is good, put the extra money up. When it's bad, you have something to fall back on.
I'm speaking from the been there, now on the other side. You can spend bunches of money on the road, or you can spend a lot less.
$2400 a month minimun is probably going to be a "tough row to hoe".
Gross, you probably can do that. (If you look at the ads). I just wonder what net is. Net is the bottom line.

Answer:
Unless you just happen to luck into one of those "dream jobs" for newbies, but you can not afford to wait around for that type of job that may never come. You only have a handful of weeks to get moving after school or carriers will start to shy away from you.
On the whole the first year is the toughest for a new driver as they learn how to spend less on the road and send more money home, not to mention that your rate of pay isnt that good and when times get tough the new drivers are usually the first to get thier miles cut. Here are a few tips to help you out.
1. Make yourself a budget and stick to it. Know what you can afford to spend every week for life on the road and budget it out to last. Even conseratively you are going to spend at least $100-$150 per week by the time it is all said and done. Also as already pointed out save for the bad weeks.
2. Purchase as many things as you can from Wal Mart or a grocery store. Picking up a few cases of soda and a few gallons of water while you are at home will save you tons not to mention the HUGE savings on things like paper towels, pens, toiletries etc.
3. If the truck you are going into does not have a fridge (and most company trucks dont) get yourself a 12 v cooler. One of the 40 quart ones is my personal reccomendation. This way you have enough room to chill some soda and also to keep lunch meat, cheese, etc for sandwiches. Also consider a 12v lunch box stove. These are great for cooking canned foods in, as well assome other things if you get creative.
4. Spend as little time inside the truck stop as possible. There is too many things in there to suck the money out of a bored drivers pocket.
5. If you havent settled on a company yet be sure to look at the entire pay and benefit package. You may end up bringing home more money if the company has a lower cent per mile and pays a bigger chunk of the health insurance premiums. Also be sure to look at the pay package through the first year. There is a big differnce from carrier to carrier here. While some pay less during training you may find them paying a lot more in 6 months to a year than a company that pays a lot during training.
6. Be sure to keep yourself, your log book, your truck, and your load legal at all times. Nothing will take a chunk from your wallet faster than a speeding ticket, overweight fine, or log book or equipment violation.
best of luck to you and if you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.
Answer:
I can not stress how TRUE This Is BTDT, & Not a good thing.
6. Be sure to keep yourself, your log book, your truck, and your load legal at all times. Nothing will take a chunk from your wallet faster than a speeding ticket, overweight fine, or log book or equipment violation.