Advice for truck driver wannabes murphy counsels anyone considering getting into the trucking business to develop specialized skills. If youre an otr driver, you can try to keep a certain schedule all you want, but its not gonna work. Weve all wondered if the adventure and challenges of life on the open road would suit us better than the ordinary day to day lives weve always known. Its demands, particularly upward of 300 days per year on the road, will certainly limit what time you spend at home, thus impacting relationships with those around you. However, a typical truck driver schedule may look something like this. Dennis shipman i love trucking as much if not more than anyone.
As you start planning your truck driver schedule, you have to consider your family commitments and other obligations to your loved ones. Yes, theres orders from dispatch and yes, there are hours of service rules to follow. No wonder some truckers say that never in a million years would they trade their truck driver career for a 9to5 job in a cubicle. Depending on your delivery schedule, you may have to adjust your sleep habits so. They will have the responsibility not only for driving but also ensuring their cargo is cared for appropriately, loading and unloading including processing the relevant paperwork and keeping inventory records. Successful drivers have strong inventory and timemanagement skills to ensure that deliveries arrive on time. Each truck driver will need to have their hazmat endorsement. Visit payscale to research otr truck driver salaries by city, experience, skill, employer and more. The answer that says there is an eight hour limit is pure fiction. Factoring in schneiders improved performance pay and automatic annual increases, plus the latest van truckload pay increase, here is what that truck driver pay would look like for the driver above hired today. S, which affects the truck driver who needs to cross the border. Otr truck driving jobs what you should know before signing.
When i see the stage all ready to go, i know i had a small, but important part of making it happen. Minimum of 1 years class a driving experience in the past 3 years or 2 years in past 5 years. Your responsibilities go so much further than just holding the wheel and shifting gears and, especially for overtheroad drivers, trucking is not a switch that you just turn off at the end of the day. Over the road, or otr, truck drivers earn a higher salary too. Our equipment is top of the line, and its a pleasure to drive a. Typically, for otr jobs, you will get home time only if your trainer also takes it. Even for local and regional drivers who are home more often, truck driving is still nothing like a typical 95 job at which you punch a clock twice a day at the same. As the demand for goods increases, more truck drivers will be needed to keep supply chains moving. When you think of the phrase truck driver, youre probably envisioning an overtheroad otr truck driver. Many truck drivers have found great ways to stay active while on the road. Much of what makes the life of a truck driver successful is in the planning and preparation that goes into each journey. Well help you make the right choices and prepare for a great start to your trucking career. Inspecting the truck to ensure it is safe for operation. Truck driving is a career choice like any, however trucking requires tailoring a lifestyle completely around a job.
As a driver for one of these companies, you wont have the typical 9 to 5 job, and you wont get paid by the hour. Please make sure you check with a professional tax preparer. Heres a look at the typical day in the life as an over the road truck driver to get a. Being a driver has its challenges, but its very satisfying. My mileage per day averages 350450 miles, with a day every so often over 500 miles. Eventually, you get accustomed to living out of a truck, and get used to having random schedules. Day in the life of an otr truck driver drive my way.
Truck driver otr former employee red bluff, ca may 2, 2020 i was a truck driver for walmart and they could not care less about their drivers. Over the road driver jobs otr drivers are responsible for driving semi or tractortrailer trucks over long distances. How much does a truck driver make in united states. However, it can also be a flexible life, with the option to start working at any given hour and private time on the road. But that doesnt mean youll be working or earning the whole 27 days. Overtheroad truckers drive 100,000 to 110,000 miles on average each year. An over the road otr driver is a person who is responsible for driving truck over long distances. Truck driving is no easy task, but its lifestyle is appealing to many. The truck driver would be on 3 rd shift with a start time of 10pm. Local deliveries for the austin and surrounding area. An otr driver is required to have a class a commercial drivers license, or cdl. The adjustment period of being on the road alone for the majority of the day or night will require determination and a love of the job. You have the power to increase your earnings, and schneider has many overtheroad drivers earning much more.
That translates to 7 12 to nine hours of driving each day. Their statistics show a positive job outlook for heavy truck and tractortrailer drivers. As a new otr truck driver, youll be driving to different places every day. Apr 23, 2019 heres a look at the typical day in the life as an over the road truck driver to get a better sense of how they go about their daily routine. An otr driver will almost never have to unload any freight, but you are reliant on various shipping and receiving departments observing your strict schedule. Salary estimates are based on 300 salaries submitted anonymously to glassdoor by otr driver employees. The job description of an otr driver entails conveying of goods, raw materials, equipment, and sometimes wastes or chemicals between terminals or locations. Each truck driver will be using a 2019 cascadia freightliner. That breaks down to around 2,500 miles a week, which equates to 500 miles a day.
Otr drivers can go back home anywhere from a couple of times a week to once every 48 weeks, depending on the job. Our support staff does a great job taking care of us on the road. The typical over the road truck driver can expect to get paid on average. Filter by location to see otr truck driver salaries in your area. Setting up a proper daily work schedule according to his or her current load, with rests and work breaks, will aid first year drivers in making the change to an otr driver far less challenging. Statutory employee, report all your income on schedule c. Otr truck drivers dont have set starting hours, unless theyre calling in to.
Check out these otr truck driver tips tips for sleeping, meals, showers. Heres a look at the typical day in the life as an over the road truck driver to get a better sense of how they go about their daily routine. As far as overtheroad otr companies are concerned, much of the actual driving schedule is left up to the driver himself. A typical day in the life of an otr driver might include. The life of a truck driver is about answering the call of the open road while moving goods across the country. Selfemployed drivers must report their deductions with. There are select occupations you ought to first discuss with loved ones before even considering applying for a job in the field. Long hours and sometimesfrustrating circumstances are the norm, and combined with the everpresent safety concerns and danger of the job in general. The irs removed jobrelated travel expenses form 2106 from. Our equipment is top of the line, and its a pleasure to drive a truck and not have to worry about breakdowns.
Truck driving is one such occupation in many ways, being an otr overtheroad or cdl driver is more a lifestyle than a job. They are proactively looking for ways to fire their drivers. One of the most rewarding things about being a trucker is that you can largely plan your own schedule based on routes that most efficiently meet your employer. Between 2012 and 2022, onet believes that truck driving jobs may increase by 11%. Tax deductions for truck drivers due to the tax cuts and jobs act, truck drivers that receive wages reported on a w2 can no longer deduct items such as mileage and travel on their tax returns. In some cases, shipments may need to be unloaded by hand by the driver, although this is usually not the case. The schedule of a typical trucker is going out on the road for several weeks at time. Too much good ole boy stuff going on with some drivers. Most truckers begin the day earlyanywhere between 4 and 6 am. Life as a truck driver does pose some interesting challenges, including physical fitness.
Also, any tips you receive, such as tips received as a taxicab driver, or bonuses received as a truck driver in cash, are taxable income. The miles that a truck driver can expect to run are often limited not by the driver but by load availability. There are many perks that come with a truck drivers schedule, not the least of which. Im asking all swift solo drivers otr, regional, dedicated how many miles do you drive typically each day.
Truck driver jobs in vance, al apply now careerbuilder. Depending on your delivery schedule, you may have to adjust your sleep habits so that you sleep earlier at night at wake up before dawn. He agreed to open up about what life is like on the road in the united states as part of a summer series the guardian is. However, regional trucking jobs can often have you back home every night or so. How to make a truck driver schedule work with a family. As opposed to delivery drivers, who typically have set local routes, otr truckers can transport goods across the county, state, or. Mar 22, 20 as far as overtheroad otr companies are concerned, much of the actual driving schedule is left up to the driver himself.
You see the advertisements with smiling drivers, but what is the life of a truck driver really like. The lifestyle of an otr truck driver trucking truth. Most experienced drivers will refer to truck driving not as a job, but as a lifestyle. Class a cdl overtheroad otr tanker truck driver schneider mccalla, al full time overtheroad otr tanker truck drivers at schneider travel the country and specialize in the safe transfer of bulk liquid chemicals 23 of them nonhazardous. Jun 08, 2018 overtheroad truckers drive 100,000 to 110,000 miles on average each year. When you go solo, you could be home anywhere from a couple. After eating breakfast and possibly taking a quick shower, theyll begin their pretrip inspection or fill out driving logs. From talking to the many drivers here in trenton, you can pretty much stay out as long as you want. Jan 12, 2012 otr drivers are typically on the road for at least five days before getting time off. At all times a commercial motor driver must follow all department of transportation laws and regulations and all truck drivers must possess a commercial drivers license. Aug 26, 2011 an otr truck driver or long haul driver, is bound nowadays to pretty strict hours of service regulations. Jan 19, 2016 for instance, over the road trucking jobs will keep you out on the road for days, and possibly weeks, at a time.
Take a good luck walk around the truck to inspect everything from its tires to the oil to the way in which the toys were loaded. Life as a truck driver involves long hours on the road at any given time, erratic shifts, and many miles under those tires. Most drivers are expected to cover 125,000 miles per annum. Likely youll get a load and work for two days, then you might have to sit for days waiting for your next load. As opposed to delivery drivers, who typically have set local routes, otr truckers can transport goods across the county, state, or even country. As a truck driver, how many miles a year do you drive. Youll work on your own schedule and get paid by the mile, which is much better for you. Local, regional and otr truck driving jobs prodrivers. Macho and say some unbelievable amount like plus realistically the most you can drive legal with this company is 682 miles if you could average the 62 mph restriction thats on us the whole 11hrs and dont be scared to post your number that you may think is low, i. While neither job is better than the other, each one comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Follow a typical day for a truck driver the balance careers. A driver can log no more than 11 hours of driving before 10 hours of sleeper berth or off duty must be logged. The irs accepts that the average otr truck driver is out on the road 27 days per month.
The schedule of a typical trucker is going out on the road for several weeks at time, and then having a few days home, which is called hometime. The truck driver is employed to either pick up freight or deliver it. In many ways, being an otr overtheroad or cdl driver is more a lifestyle than a job. Filter by location to see otr driver salaries in your area. An otr truck driver is usually required to drive long distances between states, using a tractortrailer truck or semitrailer truck. Employment of heavy and tractortrailer truck drivers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Aug 23, 2011 the irs accepts that the average otr truck driver is out on the road 27 days per month. Becoming a truck driver day in the life of a trucker. The annualized performance pay takes into account the varied number of days and working days in each quarter. Otr driver job description example job description and.
I am retired now and have been for nearly four years but when i was doing night trunking i would typically clock up about 450 miles per night so i would hazard a guesstimate of around 110,000 miles per annum. An otr truck driver or long haul driver, is bound nowadays to pretty strict hours of service regulations. They transport freight from a home terminal to delivery points or between two terminals. Jul 11, 20 j ack paulden is a commercial truck driver from ohio and a guardian reader. If youve spent time searching for a truck driving job, you have probably noticed two distinct types of truck driving jobs. How to calculate owner operator trucking cost per mile. Otr truck driving jobs what you should know before.
These regulations for driving times and sleep times have changed over the past few years, and are different in canada and the u. This schedule is perhaps one of the hardest aspects for new truckers and his or her. This could mean the driving of lorries, dump trucks, and box trucks. You may only claim these deductions if you choose to itemize instead of taking the standard deduction. Whatever claims of deductible items you see here or in other publications, remember, they are never promises or guarantees that the items listed are all deductible. After 15 years on the road i wanted to help people understand the trucking industry and everything that came with the career and lifestyle of an over the road trucker. A driver can usually set their own personal schedule and make many of their own scheduling decisions. Becoming a truck driver for your second career forbes. Salary estimates are based on 491 salaries submitted anonymously to glassdoor by otr truck driver employees. How i start my day in trucking, pretrip, driving vlog.
Show up at main truck depot hub in the far outskirts of town at 6. Otr truck drivers travel long hours all over the country and they have to respect road regulations in different states. This example used total annual figures to calculate your operating trucking cost per mile. He also wants to avoid the texas summer heat as much as possible, so this schedule made sense. Oct 10, 2018 the life of a truck driver is what you make it. The irs removed jobrelated travel expenses form 2106 from the individual income tax return for most taxpayers. An exception to this might be if a specific delivery date and time are required, then the driver would have to do his best to make the appointment, but he can not be required to violate the hours of service regulations. Mar 30, 2018 again, its important to emphasize that the above is an example of averages within our van truckload overtheroad fleet. If you work as a truck driver, you may be able to deduct businessrelated expenses that are not reimbursed your employer even if you do not own the truck. Its demands, particularly upward of 300 days per year on the road, will certainly limit what time you spend at home, thus. One of the most important contributing factors to the success of an owner operator business is knowing the trucking cost per mile. Simple easy to follow steps for truckers to determine their fixed and variable operating costs and their per mile costs.
Otr drivers should also have a passion for driving and travel, as this is what they do every working day. Becoming a truck driver is a dream weve all pondered at some point in our lives. What hours does an otr truck driver typically work. Otr truck driving jobs what you should know before signing up. A driver can usually set their own personal schedule and. A driver can log no more than 11 hours of driving before 10. There are many variables involved in determining which ones will be accepted by the irs and which ones will not. What are typical work hours days for otr truck drivers. Even for local and regional drivers who are home more often, truck driving is still nothing like a typical 95 job at which you punch a clock twice a day at the same time. You may account for selfemployment income yourself andor you may receive form 1099misc, miscellaneous income. Otr drivers are typically on the road for at least five days before getting time off. Over the road truck driving jobs allow greater flexibility for trip planning for the driver. Watch the tractors load the truck he was taking with.