Great Job Connor. Thank you for sharing your story. I hope more drivers would share their experience so the rest can avoid learning on bad mistakes alone. safe road
as far as I am concerned, if you are in that tractor, you are on the clock like firemen. that means if you add up your hours divided by your pay, you probably not making minimum wage
Unfortunately, that’s not how trucking works. Second year, he did pretty well. If he wants to now, he has experience to start looking around at other companies.
When I was driving I would be in the sleeper watching videos and sleeping. Kinda hard to justify getting paid for relaxing. Higher shipping cost just makes items in stores more expensive. If a driver got paid $10/hr for every hr and he/she was out for a week that would be $1680, if $20/hr that would be $3360.00. That wouldn't be justified.
@@kingmike40 to be fair, I bet they are perfectly fine paying their CEO and other high level executives millions of dollars but they cant fairly pay the ones who actually do the most work and hardest sacrifices. Without the ones at the bottom, their company would be pretty screwed. I would rethink on where the “justification” is truly at. The ones reaping the most benefits out of the company are the ones you should be looking at why shipping costs are on the rise. They always freely take a pay raise and dont want to offer much of anything to those at the lower end.
Ran back in 2005 for Schneider specialized flat bed, started in February that year. I used a inflation calculator for today’s time, I made that back then and I stayed out a full 30 days two times! I was usually home 2 days after 2 weeks out. I appreciate your video and honesty, if your happy that’s all that matters but I think you can do better.
No matter what a driver says, (I’ve been in the business 23 years), everyone claims to make more than they really do. There are good weeks and bad. At the end of the day you don’t make the money worth the time, events, holidays, and occasions missed by being away from home. Unless you’re single, don’t have a great home and family life, don’t have a family or just like to be away from home then trucking is not a great profession. I know I’ll have people who think otherwise and that fine. I stay off the road now and run local. Everyone has a choice. Happy New Year.
Good job. I worked for Heartland back in the 90's. Left to goto JB Hunt, Best move I ever made. I was talking to Walmart, and looking at the 6 figures for them. 30 years in trucking. I was asked not to share any income agreements, by Walmart. My best year with Hunt was $70's back in 2007. If you're not making minimum 6 figures in trucking, you're being ripped off. JB Hunt asked me to buy a truck but I said no (they saw the way I handled my money, and knew I could do it).
@@connorhuntington I was at Walmart the last 27 years of a 40 year career, it isn't what it used to be but still worth your time to check out. If you want to work 5 days a week and be home for the same two on a set schedule for about 100k+ per year to start, it's a pretty good job.
Ouch I work for Tyson and I’m a lazy trucker I want weekends off. I make around 75k but I’m at home at least 2 full days a week. I’m considered OTR but don’t go much farther than Chicago out of DFW. I have a lot of experience but I’m capped at 64 cents you may not make that but close. Not saying work for Tyson but I was making 85k at JBHunt DCS before they stuck a driver facing Camera in my truck. Even the JBHunt Amazon account payed around 75k 4 day work week 1 on call 2 days off
Out 4-6 weeks, home for 5 days, all for $71k? If you like living in an 8x8 metal box, more power to you. Wait until you get 10 years under your belt. You'll have a whole different view of trucking.
That's also working 70+ hours a week including weekends and holidays. No time and half pay , vacation pay or holiday pay. Trucking sucks. Do something else with your life.
Good work man, but 71k for a trucker that is out 24/7 at work to me is so wrong. Over the road drivers are over worked and underpaid. It pisses me off because we’re just making the CEO’s of these trucking companies rich and they give us pennies of the money we’ve made them.
I can understand how you see it like that. But to me I think it’s a pretty cool job. I’m almost never stressed, nobody bothers me, and I’m happy with the pay. Sure beats my last job of being a line cook
Stumbled into your video--interesting--that is a hard job---I'm retired--was a big city transit driver for 31 years---dealing with the public face to face each day---have a government pension each month for it---but somedays I would have rather had your job after a bad day with the public-----good video.
@connorhuntington do what you love and if you made 80 plus the 2nd yr and are happy you just won the battle. Never stop learning and observing other mistakes
@@dankerns171thank you for that. I really do love the job, I can’t imagine doing this if I didn’t. You really have to be comfortable with the lifestyle change
Yeah don’t be one of these knucklehead truck drivers that finance everything under the sun. House car boat credit cards that kinda stuff. My truck needed repairs about 2 months ago so turned it into terminal shop went to the hotel. I road over with the orientation guys and they asked me questions. Do Tyson drivers make 100k a year yes but I’m lazy so I only make 75k. They were relieved come to find out. One of the guys needed 5 k a month to pay his bills other guy need 6k per month😳
There’s always going to be someone who feeds you the negative. But what other job can you basically live out of your truck and see the country while being paid for it. If you’re single and starting out it would be the ideal way to get a start in savings.
I did my first year in a sleeper regional account out Monday til Friday home weekends at fifty years old gave a lot of experience and mostly enjoyed it but the company sure new how to push you to do fourteen hour days to make any money left after a year joined OD Monday to Friday usually 45 work week 1,800 a week home at night I do Aline haul some saturdays for extra pay usually around 450 dollars for nine hours drop and hook been with them eleven years now with no complaints great benefits 401k safety bonus profit sharing for 2024 that was close to 13000 dollars not here to self brag or anything just like to point out other options to younger people as I entered trucking later in life from thirty years in the building trades and needed physically a easier work life until I retire
That’s an awesome gig. From what I hear it sounds like OD is the best ltl company out there. I’d be lying if I said I’m not not starting to look around now that I’ve got 2 years experience
I do some p&d usually two days a week then work for some dedicated accounts they have a couple days usually involves two or three delivery’s and some good window time and then lastly a line haul or two usually covering drivers who are out or on vacation so I get a nice variety. But I do like the fact they usually don’t run me to death it keeps me feeling fresh
And def not making over 50k first yr, no chance and theres far, far to many drivers and nowhere near enough jobs plus for eign idiots that dont belo ng on thw road.
If you like it in the money is good and they treat you pretty good just stay there. It’s all the same. There’s two kinds of companies and trucking companies that values their people and companies that treat their people like slaves so I’d stay there the longer you’re there, the easier it gets because the more you know if you go somewhere else, you have to start all over and it takes a year of driving With your head up your ass, trying to figure everything out
Yeah I do like it and it’s nice to be at a job long enough to develop relationships with people. There’s some companies I’m considering looking into, but for the most part I don’t switch jobs very often
@ I started out at Western express and then I came to where I work now I’ve been here. It’ll be four years in about a month and I’ll probably stay here until they quit. The only thing I think about maybe buying a truck but I don’t make much sense. To me, at least not yet but the bottom line though is especially if you’re single guy this is a pretty decent life. There’s a lot of ways it can go wrong, but for the most part it’s not a bad way to Liv.
@connorhuntington OK. I would keep track of all the miles you drive. Deadhead and loaded. At the end of the year, you can see exactly what you made per mile. I drive a cargo van for FedEx Custom Critical. We do expedite. My motto for my business is, less miles for more money. I know we do completely different jobs, but there are always ways to cut down your costs out on the road. I personally don't spend money in a truck stop. Every penny I spend is on a spreadsheet. So I can see where my money is going, and I can make adjustments. Thanks for getting back to me.
@connorhuntington to finish off retirement fund smart boy. Ain't gotta like it. Just got the bucks and quit when I was ready. Smart guy like you probably does'nt get that.
Hey, Connor, my opinion is to get hold of Chicago based companies, especially owned by immigrants. I know a lot of ppl who are not even the US citizens, but they bring home $12-$15K biweekly. There is a whole gang of them, and I am not sure, if they are paying any taxes or not. For the past 3 years, we have not got any issues with product deliveries or shipments. You might wanna adapt into that scheme and start making over $200K a year?
@@ZavHustles It does not have to be a special product, but more of tempering with log books and working overtime. I have seen guys not seeing their families for a couple of months, and they can afford to buy a house worth well worth $500K within 2 years of working. Go, DYOR.
Great Job Connor. Thank you for sharing your story. I hope more drivers would share their experience so the rest can avoid learning on bad mistakes alone. safe road
as far as I am concerned, if you are in that tractor, you are on the clock like firemen. that means if you add up your hours divided by your pay, you probably not making minimum wage
Unfortunately, that’s not how trucking works. Second year, he did pretty well. If he wants to now, he has experience to start looking around at other companies.
When I was driving I would be in the sleeper watching videos and sleeping. Kinda hard to justify getting paid for relaxing. Higher shipping cost just makes items in stores more expensive. If a driver got paid $10/hr for every hr and he/she was out for a week that would be $1680, if $20/hr that would be $3360.00. That wouldn't be justified.
Womp womp
@@kingmike40 I do think they should be paid at least a federal minimum wage when they first go on duty from their home domicile.
@@kingmike40 to be fair, I bet they are perfectly fine paying their CEO and other high level executives millions of dollars but they cant fairly pay the ones who actually do the most work and hardest sacrifices. Without the ones at the bottom, their company would be pretty screwed. I would rethink on where the “justification” is truly at. The ones reaping the most benefits out of the company are the ones you should be looking at why shipping costs are on the rise. They always freely take a pay raise and dont want to offer much of anything to those at the lower end.
Ran back in 2005 for Schneider specialized flat bed, started in February that year. I used a inflation calculator for today’s time, I made that back then and I stayed out a full 30 days two times! I was usually home 2 days after 2 weeks out. I appreciate your video and honesty, if your happy that’s all that matters but I think you can do better.
No matter what a driver says, (I’ve been in the business 23 years), everyone claims to make more than they really do. There are good weeks and bad. At the end of the day you don’t make the money worth the time, events, holidays, and occasions missed by being away from home. Unless you’re single, don’t have a great home and family life, don’t have a family or just like to be away from home then trucking is not a great profession. I know I’ll have people who think otherwise and that fine. I stay off the road now and run local. Everyone has a choice. Happy New Year.
True! Don't fall for the B.S.
@ $82,000/365=$224.66 per day. $224.66/14=$16.05 per hour!
Surely I worked 14 hours everyday for 365 days
Easy to tell connor coondogs a cb ninja too!
If you're happy, go for it. Good job!
Thank you!
Good job. I worked for Heartland back in the 90's. Left to goto JB Hunt, Best move I ever made. I was talking to Walmart, and looking at the 6 figures for them. 30 years in trucking. I was asked not to share any income agreements, by Walmart. My best year with Hunt was $70's back in 2007. If you're not making minimum 6 figures in trucking, you're being ripped off. JB Hunt asked me to buy a truck but I said no (they saw the way I handled my money, and knew I could do it).
Cool, tHanks for sharing the details.
Seems like the job is getting tougher these days. Wishing you a safe and happy New Year!
Yep no problem, happy new year 🎊
Good job, keep at it, keep your record clean and you can double that figure in years to come.
Yep that’s the plan, I’ve got some companies in mind but I’m pretty happy for now
@@connorhuntington I was at Walmart the last 27 years of a 40 year career, it isn't what it used to be but still worth your time to check out. If you want to work 5 days a week and be home for the same two on a set schedule for about 100k+ per year to start, it's a pretty good job.
GOOD JOB CONNOR.
Thank you!
Ouch I work for Tyson and I’m a lazy trucker I want weekends off. I make around 75k but I’m at home at least 2 full days a week. I’m considered OTR but don’t go much farther than Chicago out of DFW. I have a lot of experience but I’m capped at 64 cents you may not make that but close.
Not saying work for Tyson but I was making 85k at JBHunt DCS before they stuck a driver facing Camera in my truck. Even the JBHunt Amazon account payed around 75k 4 day work week 1 on call 2 days off
thanks for sharing Man
Yep you bet 👍🏼
Great employee that any trucking company would like to have!
Thank you very much 😁
Not Bad.... keep on Trucking SS gone.....also happy new year to everyone 🎉🎉🎉.
Thank you, happy new year 🎊
Out 4-6 weeks, home for 5 days, all for $71k? If you like living in an 8x8 metal box, more power to you. Wait until you get 10 years under your belt. You'll have a whole different view of trucking.
I don’t want this schedule forever, but for now I do like staying out and actually enjoy the job
That's also working 70+ hours a week including weekends and holidays. No time and half pay , vacation pay or holiday pay. Trucking sucks. Do something else with your life.
Yeah that’s not efficient use of your time and earning potential.
Good work man, but 71k for a trucker that is out 24/7 at work to me is so wrong. Over the road drivers are over worked and underpaid. It pisses me off because we’re just making the CEO’s of these trucking companies rich and they give us pennies of the money we’ve made them.
I can understand how you see it like that. But to me I think it’s a pretty cool job. I’m almost never stressed, nobody bothers me, and I’m happy with the pay. Sure beats my last job of being a line cook
Stumbled into your video--interesting--that is a hard job---I'm retired--was a big city transit driver for 31 years---dealing with the public face to face each day---have a government pension each month for it---but somedays I would have rather had your job after a bad day with the public-----good video.
I’m gonna make this my year! Tighten down on all my experiences and run hard 💪🏻
Yessirrr make that money 😎
Your 2nd yr is when you start learning the important parts of driving. Kid your just getting started and im busting my balls in retirement 🇺🇲
Any wise words for me? I still love the job so far, don’t plan on leaving the industry any time soon
@connorhuntington do what you love and if you made 80 plus the 2nd yr and are happy you just won the battle. Never stop learning and observing other mistakes
@@dankerns171thank you for that. I really do love the job, I can’t imagine doing this if I didn’t. You really have to be comfortable with the lifestyle change
Yeah don’t be one of these knucklehead truck drivers that finance everything under the sun. House car boat credit cards that kinda stuff.
My truck needed repairs about 2 months ago so turned it into terminal shop went to the hotel. I road over with the orientation guys and they asked me questions.
Do Tyson drivers make 100k a year yes but I’m lazy so I only make 75k. They were relieved come to find out. One of the guys needed 5 k a month to pay his bills other guy need 6k per month😳
Would you recommend heartland for a new driver?
I would, I thought the training program was great. I have another video that talks all about it and my experience
@@connorhuntingtoncheers mate I’ll check it out then
Yes,I was there 34 years before I retired.
@@KennyKircherJr th-cam.com/video/OowJrBk3uS0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5A7cHBe_wuO9mg33 this you? Impressive
@jezusjones4324 yes, had Almost 4 million when I retired last July
There’s always going to be someone who feeds you the negative. But what other job can you basically live out of your truck and see the country while being paid for it.
If you’re single and starting out it would be the ideal way to get a start in savings.
Yeah I think it’s been great. Sure beats the job I was working before of being a line cook. Bought my first house this year too 😁
I wont even watch the whole video...cause the only thing that matters is that YOUR happy.
Yes I am :)
I worked for Heartland for 12 years the last two years it sucked now I've been with Crete Carrier for 17
I did my first year in a sleeper regional account out Monday til Friday home weekends at fifty years old gave a lot of experience and mostly enjoyed it but the company sure new how to push you to do fourteen hour days to make any money left after a year joined OD Monday to Friday usually 45 work week 1,800 a week home at night I do Aline haul some saturdays for extra pay usually around 450 dollars for nine hours drop and hook been with them eleven years now with no complaints great benefits 401k safety bonus profit sharing for 2024 that was close to 13000 dollars not here to self brag or anything just like to point out other options to younger people as I entered trucking later in life from thirty years in the building trades and needed physically a easier work life until I retire
That’s an awesome gig. From what I hear it sounds like OD is the best ltl company out there. I’d be lying if I said I’m not not starting to look around now that I’ve got 2 years experience
Once ya jump ship you lose seniority, less $. The grass is no greener no matter where you go..
I do some p&d usually two days a week then work for some dedicated accounts they have a couple days usually involves two or three delivery’s and some good window time and then lastly a line haul or two usually covering drivers who are out or on vacation so I get a nice variety. But I do like the fact they usually don’t run me to death it keeps me feeling fresh
Being an OO with my own authority. I make $60k in around 2 1/2 months
I made 95k gross. M-F home daily off weekends.....but hey that's cool...when I started in '91.... I made .20 cents a mile
I made $80,000 driving locally. No touch freight. Home everyday. Most drop n hooks. Weekends off. 🎉
Newbies never get local/regional weekends off until after 6mo to a yr of otr.
And def not making over 50k first yr, no chance and theres far, far to many drivers and nowhere near enough jobs plus for eign idiots that dont belo ng on thw road.
Work 5 days local, run a tanker, home every night, vacation pay, overtime and holiday pay. Gross $134k per year.
@@aviatortrucker6285sounds like a sweet deal. Do you mind sharing what company you work for?
Is that company driver or lease driver?
Company driver. There’s no lease purchase programs at Heartland
If you like it in the money is good and they treat you pretty good just stay there. It’s all the same. There’s two kinds of companies and trucking companies that values their people and companies that treat their people like slaves so I’d stay there the longer you’re there, the easier it gets because the more you know if you go somewhere else, you have to start all over and it takes a year of driving With your head up your ass, trying to figure everything out
Yeah I do like it and it’s nice to be at a job long enough to develop relationships with people. There’s some companies I’m considering looking into, but for the most part I don’t switch jobs very often
@ I started out at Western express and then I came to where I work now I’ve been here. It’ll be four years in about a month and I’ll probably stay here until they quit. The only thing I think about maybe buying a truck but I don’t make much sense. To me, at least not yet but the bottom line though is especially if you’re single guy this is a pretty decent life. There’s a lot of ways it can go wrong, but for the most part it’s not a bad way to Liv.
But, how many miles did you drive in 2024?
I’m not exactly sure but if I had to guess probably around 120,000
@connorhuntington OK. I would keep track of all the miles you drive. Deadhead and loaded. At the end of the year, you can see exactly what you made per mile. I drive a cargo van for FedEx Custom Critical. We do expedite. My motto for my business is, less miles for more money. I know we do completely different jobs, but there are always ways to cut down your costs out on the road. I personally don't spend money in a truck stop. Every penny I spend is on a spreadsheet. So I can see where my money is going, and I can make adjustments. Thanks for getting back to me.
get your experience and then buy your own.. never lease or buy from a dealership.. good luck
Was there 10 years to finish my retirement fund.
They treat you like you're 5 years old.
This guys a new driver, still drinkin the heartland koolaid.
So you worked at a place you didn’t like for 10 years, got it. You old heads are the funniest
@connorhuntington to finish off retirement fund smart boy. Ain't gotta like it. Just got the bucks and quit when I was ready. Smart guy like you probably does'nt get that.
@connorhuntington btw...37 years no accidents. 5.5 million miles. Whatchu got sonny?
I got good knees
I made 107 @ Shaffer in 2023
Nice, I always hear good things about them
I wish I could drive truck for this company
You should I love it here. What’s stopping you?
$113000 hauling milk
Well done, milkman 🥛
Hey, Connor, my opinion is to get hold of Chicago based companies, especially owned by immigrants. I know a lot of ppl who are not even the US citizens, but they bring home $12-$15K biweekly. There is a whole gang of them, and I am not sure, if they are paying any taxes or not. For the past 3 years, we have not got any issues with product deliveries or shipments. You might wanna adapt into that scheme and start making over $200K a year?
Lmao, no trucker let alone an immigrant is making 24-30k a month working for a company. Not unless they’re shipping a special type of product
@@ZavHustles It does not have to be a special product, but more of tempering with log books and working overtime. I have seen guys not seeing their families for a couple of months, and they can afford to buy a house worth well worth $500K within 2 years of working. Go, DYOR.
🤣🤣🤣
Absolutely nonsense.
You should be ashamed of yourself for peddling lies. Immigrants are not the reason you have failed in life.
You're lucky if you make $10.00 per hour.
Oh boy. Here comes the lies about how much they made driving truck. LOL.
Screw Heartland Express they suck
Yet here you are seeking out videos for Heartland Express 🤡🤡
oh my gosh . why do they pay so much for a no skill job ...jezz