How Much do Truck Drivers Make a Week?

Undergoing professional truck driving training is easy in comparison with other specialties, and it does not require too much of your time. Once you have a minimum set of documents (legal status confirmation, DOT health certificate, C class driver’s license, and learner’s driver’s permit), you can apply to any truck driving school, finish a training program that takes about a month, and get a CDL. Boom, you are ready for a new job in the hauling industry. The field is stable, and there are always vacancies which is encouraging. But how much money can be made there, and are all the disadvantages worth it? In the US, a commercial driver’s salary is calculated from mileage. An average mile cost is $0.49. Depending on the routes and company type, drivers cover different distances. Let us imagine an average specialist who drives not so much as they prefer to spend more time at home. Doing 2,500 miles a week, they will get a weekly paycheck of $1,225. Not the most impressive sum but, again we are speaking about someone who values their work-life balance more than income. If you look up jobs on Indeed, it is easy to see that potential profits vary from $2,000 to $8,000. According to the site’s overview, an average annual income of an American truck driver is $81,669. And we can add that the number can grow up to $100,000. It depends on many factors, such as operating mode, route type, company type, driver’s specialty, etc. Here is a list of the best-paid CDL jobs:

• Long-hauls team driver. Paired with another driver, they cover long routes in less time which is beneficial for their company. For workers, higher mileage means higher payment, and the cost of such routes per mile is usually higher as well.
• Driver who specializes in sensitive cargo, hazardous materials, oversized loads, or white glove delivery. Such jobs require impeccable skills, an even better driving record, and deep specific knowledge. Such specialists are rare, and, therefore, well-paid.
• Driver who works
• Private fleet driver. Some corporations maintain their truck fleet. They have high standards so getting into the such company is not easy but the salary is worth the competition.

Undergoing truck driver training

To get an American CDL, you must enroll in a truck driving school in the USA. Your learning program will include such stages:

1. ELDT. Essentially, it is a crash course for a beginner but passing it is obligatory to obtain an FMCSA-recorded certificate. Without it, you cannot get a CDL.
2. Learning how a truck is built: main parts, maintenance, etc.
3. Performing a pre-trip inspection.
4. All aspects of vehicle control: parking, backing, driving in city streets, etc.

After that, an internal test follows. It serves to check if you mastered all necessary skills and have the knowledge required to pass a DMV examination. Passing the latter results in getting a CDL.

Finding a good truck driving school

To receive proper truck driver training and not fail your DMV test, a good educational establishment is a must. This is why we recommend checking out Start CDL. Look at this list of benefits!

• Experience. The school works since 2015 which means the reliability and good skills of instructors there.
• Graduates. Over 6,700 students received their CDLs.
• Help with finding a job. Start CDL educates skilled drivers and supports them in their first steps in the job market.
• Flexibility of the class schedule. It allows a student to combine learning with other activities, such as part-time work.
• The variety of programs. Start CDL provides for everyone, beginners and experienced drivers who need to upgrade or renew their CDL. You can apply for a class A or class B license and learn manual or automatic gearbox.
• Unlimited practicing hours. You can perfect your skills as much as you want before proceeding to an internal exam. Getting much practice helps you to feel confident, overcome the fear of failure, and significantly reduce the stress of testing.
• Accessibility. In Start CDL, classes are held in English in Russian, so that the material can be easily understood. And materials about pre-trip preparations are available in Hindi, Turkish, Punjabi, Uzbek, Spanish, Ukrainian, Georgian, and Polish.
• If you live in another state, you can stay in an affordable hostel not far from the school training site.

If you are curious about anything regarding the school or the learning process, you can always ask your questions in a phone call, electronic letter, on socials, online chat, or feedback form on their website.

The takeaway

While the average income of an American truck driver is over $80,000, their weekly salary o can greatly vary in range from $2,000 to $8,000. The main factors affecting it are mileage, route and company type, and qualifications of the driver. Long trips, remote routes, complicated roads, sensitive cargo, and high operating standards are things for which the companies are willing to pay better salaries. While experience and specific skill sets will only come with practice, strong basic skills can be obtained together with a CDL in a truck driving school. This is why it is essential to pick a good facility where you can not just graduate but also upgrade or extend your license, find responsible and experienced teachers, and not sacrifice your budget and personal life too much in the process. In that regard, we recommend getting familiar with Start CDL and wish you the best of luck with your future career!