14 Days Out, 2 days off

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I would say that at least 60% of the ads I see for otr drivers state, "14 days out, 2 days off". After I really thought about this, first, if that is your "cup of tea", more power to you, but personally about a week inside of a fiberglass box is long enough for me, it is really too long to be perfectly honest. But do you math and see what you make per hour.

Here is a driver making $1500 per week and I use $1500 because it is well above the average, but we will us $1500. There are 168 hours in a week, 336 hours in 14 days. Do you math, even if a driver makes $3000 in the 14 days, that only comes out to $8.93 per hour. Oh, you say that you are sleeping at least 70 hours per week, REALLY?? Who is actually responsible for the truck or the freight while you are sleeping? Is the dispatcher? The fleet manager? The load planner? NO! You are still responsible, a driver is never, never really off duty while out there on the road. Out of the gross revenue that the driver earns for the 14 days, the government is going to take at least 20% or more, food will take $400 for the 14 days unless you want to eat out of a cooler. So for the 14 days on the road, you might bring home $2000 for 336 hours, now the $8.93 per hr is now $5.95 per hour.
 
Is the "1,500.00" amount including Per Diem??
I get $59.00 per night away from home, not that namby-pamby "addition to mileage pay" and it'll soon go up a few bucks.
That "pay" is invisible at tax time so IT IS FREE MONEY.

The LONGEST out was 9 days in a year and that is VERY RARE.
The normal time for me is 5-6 nights.

When ANY driver is OFF DUTY, said driver IS OFF DUTY if said driver is in a restaurant, hotel, motel, inn, truck stop game room, cat house, massage parlor, adult toy store, spa, gym, saloon or bar, schoolyard, halfway house, soup kitchen, jailhouse, hospital and or other 10-20.

I am at home and have no responsibility for me combo.

Yes, when we "do the math" it appears we do not make very much income for the work performed yet we're also not standing in ditches with picks and shovels nor do (most of us) need wear hard hats and other "safety" gear or use a port-a-potty. There are trade offs in every avocation, some good, some bad, some not noticed for years.

CHEERS!!
 
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No job pays you to sleep, bud.
Hey BUD, most jobs allow you to sleep in a bed at home, not in a fiberglass box and using public facilities for the body's natural functions. And just because you log it as being in the sleeper, you are still responsible for the truck and the cargo, if you think otherwise, then you need to learn a few things.
 
Hey BUD, most jobs allow you to sleep in a bed at home, not in a fiberglass box and using public facilities for the body's natural functions. And just because you log it as being in the sleeper, you are still responsible for the truck and the cargo, if you think otherwise, then you need to learn a few things.
Per deim does exist, ya know......
 
Per deim does exist, ya know......


Per Diem helps some and harms others. Let me give you an prime example. A driver claims 4 days this week for Per Diem, $59 per day and a driver can only claim 80% of that and this comes to $188.80 and this is only $188.80 off of the gross wages that is not taxed, it is not $188 in your pocket. It actually lowers your tax liability. But it could harm you in the future. If for some unforeseen event comes along and you need to report your gross earnings to secure a loan or a Workman Comp. claim and even if you make it to retirement age, then your S.S. benefits will be lowered. If I was a young man I would certainly look very hard at Per Diem because the "same glove does not fit every hand".
 
You must work for a real scumbag organization! :wtflol:

What difference does it make who I work for? Who I work for, doesn't alter the IRS laws on Per Diem. Your company might twist the rules, but what I have said concerning Per Diem pay is a general analysis of a trucker being paid a Per Diem. To put it in a simple term, you actually do not get "paid" a Per Diem. Per Diem is a tax deduction , not a wage or salary.

Oh, who do I work for? Nobody really, you see I am retired and but I do part-time driving from time to time, on my terms.
 
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What difference does it make who I work for? Who I work for, doesn't alter the IRS laws on Per Diem. Your company might twist the rules, but what I have said concerning Per Diem pay is a general analysis of a trucker being paid a Per Diem. To put it in a simple term, you actually do not get "paid" a Per Diem. Per Diem is a tax deduction , not a wage or salary.

Oh, who do I work for? Nobody really, you see I am retired and but I do part-time driving from time to time, on my terms.
I never worked for any outfit that deducted per diem from pay. Always was in addition to regular wages.
 
My employer pays me by the hour, pays time and a half after 40 hours, and doesn't touch my per deim. Stop driving for :shit:ty companies.

Don't take this personally, I do not even know you, but from what you have stated, you have no idea what Per Diem is all about.

Last remark that I will make about Per Diem, if you feel comfortable with the method that Per Diem is handled in your case, more power to you.
 
Don't take this personally, I do not even know you, but from what you have stated, you have no idea what Per Diem is all about.

Last remark that I will make about Per Diem, if you feel comfortable with the method that Per Diem is handled in your case, more power to you.
Clearly you know nothing about me, because I do drive OTR. Yes, hourly pay OTR jobs do exist.
 
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Right now I'm at $22 an hour. I'm typically only gone 5 days a week. I'm home every weekend and holiday. Once in a while I'll run harder like last week. I stayed out a extra day and drove 4,300 miles. On top of my 79 hour check, my employer gives performance bonuses. I got an extra non taxed $1,000. No strings attached. That was my employers way of saying "thanks for the great week".

So no.... Not all OTR jobs are :shit:ty.
 
Strange as it is David, I never see Wal-Mart in the ditch.
no, they just plow into cars, killing all inside, such as the wally-world driver did up in Maine, a few years ago. this got PATT started.

Parents against tired truckers,

and they have since merged with CRASH

Citizens for Reliable And Safe Highways.

or they plow into bus limo's killing and maiming people

other than that, wally world drivers are perfect POS........
 
Damn, I didn't know I was gonna start a bunch of stuff, at least in my neck of the woods its the other OTR drivers in the trees, never WM.

Hey though, sorry I got stuff stirred up, I will leave now, happy Thanksgiving.

GT
 
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