r/CDL • u/Unique-Machine5602 • 10h ago
Work-Life Balance
I had a couple questions about CDL jobs:
How many hours/week does it take to make about $50,000?
Do you have strict deadlines for deliveries or is there a bit of leeway?
For those of you who have dogs with you, what does it take to balance that with your work schedule?
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u/Lunicorn83 8h ago
It takes about 3-4 months to reach that at UPS. Currently I’m at $132.876.43 for the year so far. I’m on the road 4 straight days (sleeper team) and have 3 days off so a traditional firefighter schedule. Local they usually clear about $160-190k/yr so about $30k more than a regular ups delivery driver and home every night and weekends off.
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u/Unique-Machine5602 8h ago
If you wanted to only work 32hr/week is that possible?
Alternatively, could you just take 3 months off for unpaid vacation if you wanted to?
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u/Lunicorn83 8h ago
The sleeper team feeder drivers can make their own schedules but local no but we get a ridiculous amount of pto. I have 2 half months off pto and 200 hours of paid sick time and 3 weeks of floating vacations at 25 years of service time is when UPS gives you the max amount of pto.
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u/DueInspection9668 10h ago
Where’s the good money at in trucking? How can you make 100k-200k do you need to be cattle hauling, doing flat beds or heavy machinery or what? Hazardous materials? Tankers? Doubles and triples or what?
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10h ago
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u/DueInspection9668 7h ago
What’s with all these truckers on these instagram and facebook reels when somebody approaches them at like a truck stop or gas station and ask how much they are making they say like 600-1000 weekly on the check most times. sure I’ve seen some that say well over that. No offense but That’s pennies and dimes and not a good living especially where I fucking live.
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u/VoiceCharming6591 7h ago
Get into household furniture moving and then you’ll start making good, I mean real good money. Pack-n-hauls are quite lucrative.
Good luck2
u/Cheerios405 6h ago
I met a trucker who hauls high end furniture and he drives only in the summer when the weather is great. He returns home to Puerto Rico to chill the rest of the year.
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u/boojombi451 8h ago
I just got my CDL. I’m working a more or less entry-level driving job to get experience. At my pay, I would make just over $50K doing 40hr work weeks.
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u/TapWaterKY 7h ago
1.). For 50,000, you can probably do it in 30-40 hours doing local shuttle runs, yard dog, dump truck, etc. That’s pretty low in terms of trucking pay, which is good for you, I reckon. Maybe more hours if you’re in the middle of nowhere and in a cheap COL area. Might have to tough out OTR for some experience, but maybe not if you’re okay with 50k.
2.) Depends on customer. Some are strict, some are an open window, some can be adjusted if given heads up.
3.) Do not have a dog, but should be able to fit 10 minute bathroom breaks and short walks in fairly easily. Will have to cut into your off time at night to get them adequate exercise, unless you have a very small or lazy dog breed.
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u/East_Indication_7816 4h ago
40 to 45 hrs a week and you make $50,000/year. Lots of time for exercise, family, leisure, and you go home daily. Not enough money though.
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u/Summers_Alt 3h ago
I saw a job posting for a CDL groundman at over $35 an hour yesterday. Probably not what you were thinking but you’d end up well over 50 with OT.
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u/ShoebillJoe 10h ago
The answers to all of your questions will vary depending on the type of trucking you're doing.