Truck driving jobs allow those professionals tough enough to handle the hardships of the lifestyle, a means of exploring this great country of ours. From Bangor, Maine to San Diego, California or Tacoma, Washington to Key West, Florida . . . there are a lot of miles to cover for the professional over the road truck driver. Through it all . . . between those endless miles . . . the truck driver sees it all.

You will find many ads for truck driving jobs describing the excitement and freedom of the open road. They lure in the unexpected by imploring you to “get away from it all” and enjoy the feel of freedom that only a truck driver can know. The truth is . . . truck driving, specifically over the road truck driving, is a rough and tough lifestyle that few can handle. As the number of vehicles on the road today continues to climb and there appears to be more autos than roads, you do not have to be associated with truck driving jobs to experience the rise of “road rage.”

According to a survey by AutoVantage, a Connecticut-based automobile membership club, Miami, Florida takes the top spot in the country for the highest rate of road rage among drivers. This is the second straight year in a row that Miami has won the “honors.” Based on their study, the top twenty-five cites for road rage are:

1. Miami, FL
2. New York, NY
3. Boston, MA
4. Los Angeles, CA
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Phoenix, AZ
7. Chicago, IL
8. Sacramento, CA
9. Philadelphia, PA
10. San Francisco, CA
11. Houston, TX
12. Atlanta, GA
13. Detroit, MI
14. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
15. Baltimore, MD
16. Tampa, FL
17. San Diego, CA
18. Cincinnati, OH
19. Cleveland, OH
20. Denver, CO
21. Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
22. St. Louis, MO 23. Seattle-Tacoma, WA
24. Pittsburgh, PA
25. Portland, OR

In today’s world of over crowded highways and the rush attitude of the present society, this phenomenon of road rage will likely continue to rise. It can be a frustrating time for all of us . . . if we allow it to be. When the roads are jammed by an accident, road construction or whatever the cause may be, the professional truck driver, those men and women who have taken on the challenge of endless driving for a living, will take a deep breath, put their favorite tunes on the radio, and will deal with the situation.

Truck driving jobs are not for everyone. The ultimate test will come when you are fighting a dead line with a load of “hot” freight, and the never-ending highway in front of you comes to a dead stop for hours. The way you handle it . . . the way you deal with it . . . will determine if you truly are a professional.

© 2007, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

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In the world of truck driving, many newcomers are lured into the realm of becoming an owner operator. Given the choice of earning .34¢ per mile or $1.15 per mile, it is not difficult to understand why someone would choose the route of higher earnings. At 2500 miles per week, the difference of $2025.00 extra per week deserves attention. However, when dealing with professional truck driving jobs, you must deal with reality.

In an industry where the driver averages 100,000 miles per year, an owner operator compensated at $1.15 per mile is looking at grossing $115,000.00 annually. Compared to the average company driver at .34¢ per mile, their annual gross is a mere $34,000. Why would anyone choose a $34,000 yearly income more than $115,000 while performing the same duties?

Although owner operators are declining, there are still those companies that advertise proudly that they are a 100% owner operator fleet. Some have even raised the compensation to an enormous $1.50 per mile. At 100,000 miles per year, you are now facing a gross income of $150,000 per year! As a newcomer searching for a new career and a company willing to place you in “your own truck,” the excitement of earning that kind of money is hard to turn down. You want the freedom . . . you want your own business . . . you want $100,000 plus per year. It all sounds great. Now, let me take you to reality.

Owner operator lease programs are a way for new drivers to “own” a truck. The driver is responsible for all expenses, including fuel and repairs. Although there are some who do well with it, the majority of these owner operators will fail. To me, a lease owner operator is nothing more than a glorified company driver. Let’s take a look at a profit and loss analysis sheet for an owner operator and a company driver, and you be the judge:

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Company Driver: Profit and Loss – Based on 100,000 miles per year

Compensation : .34¢ per mile = Driver’s Gross income – $34,000
Misc. Expenses, including meals @ $125.00 per week = Total Cost – $6500
*Tax withholdings @ 15% = Annual deductions – $5100
Company Driver NET annual income = $22,400.00
Company Driver NET weekly income = $430.77

*Tax withholding is estimate only at 15% average

And now . . . the “owner operator”:

Owner Operator: Profit and Loss – Based on 100,000 miles per year

Compensation : $1.15 per mile = Driver’s Gross income – $115,000
Truck Payment @ 1,333.35/month = Annual Cost – $16,000.20
Collision/Comp. Insurance = Annual Cost – $6300
Bobtail Insurance = Annual Cost – $804
Licenses = Annual Cost – $1,835
Permits = Annual Cost – $525
Accounting Services = Annual Cost – $725
Tractor Fuel = Annual Cost – $39,397.06
Truck Wash = Annual Cost – $701
Telephone = Annual Cost – $1,624
Meals = Annual Cost – $6500
Tolls = Annual Estimated Cost – $1,275
Taxes (Road, Use, Fuel) – $1,755
Taxes (Personal @ 15%) – Annual Cost – $17,250
Misc. Expenses – Annual Cost – $500
Maintenance @ .06¢ per mile = Annual Cost – $6000

Total Income to Owner Operator = $115,000
Total Cost of Operation = $101,191.26

Owner Operator NET annual income = $13,808.74
Owner Operator NET weekly income = $265.55

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The figures speak more loudly than words. This analysis is also based on the fact that everything goes just as is. A few tires blow out . . . a blown engine . . . and you are now in the red. It is not difficult to understand why the trucking companies love the lease owner operator. 100,000 miles per year at 60 MPH will take you 1666.66 hours to drive in a perfect world. This owner operator’s net annual income shows that they performed this hard, difficult life for $8.28 per hour.

The “freedom” of being an owner operator is a myth. Turn down a load or “head home” whenever you want, and see how long the company will make you sit afterwards. As a company driver just drive . . . without the headaches and expenses associated with the owner operator program. If over the road truck driving is in your plans, think hard about the possibilities that await you. Like everything in life . . . learn all you can BEFORE you begin the journey. It is imperative that you know the truth about trucking.

© 2007, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: company driver, owner operator, trucking companies

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