what are the qualifications for becoming a semi-truck driver? i know there's a special lisence for it and then one for carrying hazardous materials etc...
how much does it generally pay?
how long does one have to have a valid license before I can get licenensed to drive truck?
any "hidden" type things that occur for truck drivers?
2007-02-26 06:50:09 · 2 answers · asked by guitarbuttmunch88 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment
Yeah the profession has a wide range of exploitation, OTR & regional hauling SUCK your out on the road all the time with out an hourly wage! If you enjoy being a lonely stranger with a life on the highway than maybe it is for you! However any job you take that does NOT have an hourly rate to it your setting up to be slaved-out! They lure people with $55k to $60k annual many companies want experienced Drivers over 25 years old! Because its so undesirable long distant Trucking companies are desperate for Drivers, they got Bush & company to let the Mexicans have a piece of this action!
2007-02-26 06:57:08 · answer #1 · answered by bulabate 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ok... qualifications.. generally none.. anyone will hire someone to drive their truck.. insurance companies have placed a limit on how young the driver can be (23 generally) and they must have graduated from an accredited truck driving school. (that also includes recent military experience)
Generally pay is per mile driven but... that is computed in different ways.. for instance... MOST companies will only pay you to drive from city limits to city limits.. But if you look on a map, you will find that your actually driving up to 10% more miles than what your getting paid to drive. As for pay scale, comming fresh out of school, you MIGHT find a job that will pay you 30 cents per mile, but Im thinking thats probably on the high end. Now... figure that at say an average of 500 miles per day, and you will see that you can make about 150 dollars per day. Let uncle sam and your state and local government get their cut and your now looking at about 80 dollars per day. Now.. eat twice, and you can subtract that from it, your now making about 60dollars per day, or roughly 420 per week.
Now.. set that up so its deposited directly into your bank account, cause youll never get home often enough to actually pick up and CASH a pay check.
Get caught speeding.. and its gonna cost you.. park your truck in some truckstops so you can eat shower and sleep, but dont spend more than 2 hrs there or theyre gonna charge you as well... have a burned out light.. and theres another ticket your paying for... be over weight.. another ticket.. not have your log book up to date.. another ticket... and usually trucker tickets cost a minimum of 100 bucks each.
Seriously... go grab a shovel and dig ditches for a living.. its MUCH easier!
2007-02-27 05:02:39 · answer #2 · answered by amadeus_tso 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋