Trucking companies are also aiming to modernization so they want to have truck drivers that are capable of using devices that will increase the driving productivity and will increase the speed of delivering documents.
Source: www.bhphotovideo.com
Skills that can increase truck driver salary:
- Learn how to use you Smartphone to send picture of some documents
- Learn how to use route optimizer to shorten your trip or avoid unnecessary traffic jam
- Learn how to use portable scan devices to scan original documents and how to send them (this is very useful because freight brokers are willing to accept color scanned documents)
5. Be paid Per Mile
One average truck driver is traveling 2,000 to 3,000 miles per week and of course in the range of 70 hours driving regulation.
If you are paid per mile you will be capable of counting your monthly truck driver salary.
But this is not the main reason because in this way you will be able to gain more mileage if you avoid the traffic jams and unnecessary downtime with finding the best route for you.
Source: www.buffalogov.org
Since most of the trucks are equipped with route optimizer you don’t need to be an expert of the Cartography to find a route that is suitable for you.
This is a way to increase your truck driver salary which is not a case of truck drivers who are paid by the hour.
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Most of the trucking companies are giving an opportunity to get bonuses if you are in the top few truck drivers with high driven mileage.
This is, in fact, a very smart way to put a little competition between the truck drivers and to award the drivers who reach that milestone.
The company achieves higher mileage and the truck drivers add more money in their truck driver salary. One way or another It is a win-win situation.
6. Choose to be OTR Driver vs. Regional Driver
Everybody who is in the trucking business knows that OTR drivers earn higher truck driver salaries.
By taking long distant routes (I am talking about weeks and months) you will make more miles or more hours on the road which will allow you to have decent truck driver salary.
Driving Over the road will increase your truck driver salary but will take you from you home and your family.
However if your goal is to make more money, you need to avoid regional routes and take the highway for the long run.
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com
- OTR drivers earn $50,000 to $90,000 per year, depending on the working experience and the driving records
- Regional drivers have median of $50,000 truck driver salary
I mention before that if you are OTR driver and you earn per mile you will have a chance to make additional earnings beside your regular truck driver salary.
Also, there are other driving safety performances that can increase your truck driver salary if you drive impeccable.
7. Choose Some of the Top US Trucking Companies
Becoming a part of one of the top trucking companies can influence on your truck driver salary in a good way.
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These top trucking companies prefer to find reliable truck drivers with clean driving record and for that will give them 4-6% higher salaries to keep that clean driving record in the future.
Besides the record, they require on time transportation and perfect vehicle performance.
Source: www.betterdriverjobs.com
For return beside the higher truck driver salary they are giving other benefits like:
- Medical insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Paid Vacation days
- Even Stock Options
8. Become Reefer truck driver
Reefer trucks drivers are earning higher truck driver salary because they are taking care of the load that is sensitive to temperature.
This job requires constant observing of the temperature of the load and time for stopping to check the condition of the load in case of system failure.
Source: www.championtrucklines.com
Reefer trucks are having constant work and for transportation, they are paid more than most of the other class 8 trucking services.
Being reefer truck driver requires additional education and expertise which entail bigger truck driver salary for the reefer drivers.
You are getting a higher cost per mile than the other OTR truck drivers which is the main factor for achieving high truck driver salary.
9. Choose to drive Dump truck
Dump truck drivers are the heroes in the story. This tracking service requires high knowledge in different areas.
One dump truck driver needs to be capable of checking the ground where he is loading the truck since the ground is not very steady, improper truck placing can cause an overturning or slipping of the truck.
The extreme position in this service is the coal mines dump driver.
Source: www.rjshvacblog.com
Dump truck drivers achieve 10% higher salary on the annual base of other trucking services because specific knowledge requirements.
The dump truck drivers are the only one that has accommodation of their home but still have a chance for higher annual earnings.
Reason for higher truck driver salary is also the fact that these trucks are going in the city roads with high traffic jam and to deal with the traffic and the full load dump truck requires high driving skills and techniques.
10. Become Owner Operator
Being on your own have many advantages as:
- Choosing your own loads
- Choosing the routes
- You can take as many loads as you can handle
- Important one is that everything you earn it is yours
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The owner operator earning are higher than a company truck driver salary. The median of owner operators’ earning is $150,000 per year and a maximum is $250,000 per year, but be aware that from that you need to pay taxes, to take care of the legal issues and to cover your expenses.
So, in the end, the total annual truck driver earnings can be from 40,000 to 75,000 per year depending on your expense saving techniques.
Conclusion
There are many ways to find your way to the success. Life as a truck driver is harsh and tough, but an advantage is that you know that your effort will be rewarded with great salary and many benefits. In the beginning, it will be hard but embrace the challenge and find a way to rise above.
