Hi everyone! There is a lot of info on the web about trucking companies going out of business lately. I know do not believe everything on the web, but what is your take. Going to decide by March if this is what I want to do, just want to make the right decision not knowing anything about the business. Thank you!
Hey Tony,
When you get started in trucking, you’ll almost certainly begin with one of the large, well-established carriers that have been around for decades. You will rarely have any reason to be concerned about their longevity.
Once you learn the ropes and gain a little experience, you may want to change carriers, and then you may have to dig a little deeper into their prospects to make sure the company is stable.
But here’s the key takeaway - do not let the headlines concern you or influence your decision to become a truck driver. This industry has a ton of ups and downs. Countless small companies are going into or out of business all the time. That’s just normal churn.
The industry itself is strong; autonomous driving will not affect employment for a very, very long time (possibly decades); driver demand is strong; and wages are strong.
Overall, the industry is healthy.
If you want a career in trucking, you will not have a problem finding good carriers to work for and earning a great living.
Hope this helps!
2 Likes
Hi Tony. Owner ops and 1099s are still struggling. Do NOT lease or buy a truck. Costs are still high. Do NOT expect to come out here making $100k. Is it possible? Sure… but not ur first year .
Tens of thousands of carriers and brokers have indeed gone out of business. However those numbers also include one man operations who did not really have the trucking knowledge nor business experience to compete. After covid, tons of people came into trucking creating overcapacity. We are still feeling the impact. Foreign drivers have made the news lately, but their influx also affects drivers.
Mega carriers are trying to shift to 1099s even harder than the past so they can pass the costs onto the driver. In order to be profitable they need high revenue, low miles which results in low miles for the driver.
In 2022 i made $145k while training students
2023 $100k
2024 $80k
2025 was so bad by May I left my company of 10 years. Seriously only did like $28k in 5 months at Prime. In 5 months at the new company, i did $48k. So yes companies make a difference.
Since that change, i will be at about $110 to $120k per year as a company driver for a 90 truck operation. But that is a decade experience. Many companies have low miles right now…. Im talking 2000 miles a week. The key is to find a company with its own freight
I now drive for a meat packing plant so plenty of miles. Tyson drivers do well.. but they have closed 15 plants over the last few years. Fuel hauling for Pilot or Loves would be great but 2 yrs experience required. Walmart is the same.
Can u make $$$… yes but be prepared to fight for it a bit and be more profitable in a year or so.
Millis, Titan, Prime, Heartland Express, Bay & Bay are all restructuring their pay scales.
Talk to drivers at truck stops to find decent company. Some will be BS… but ask several.
Good luck
4 Likes
Thank for the information!
Definitely to add, this can be a lucrative career. Most top teir drivers earn in the 100 to 120k range, but it takes time to learn how to become efficient and effective at this as well as build relationships and a reputation for safe reliable and on time delivery.
Yes, the market is tougher and will be for the foreseeable future but its still there and as was said, getting in with a solid large scale company has a lot of benefits to offer as well as the resources to build a great lifestyle and career.
I started with what many call a “mega” carrier and would highly recommend them, they were a great place to start. I ended up going back to work for them briefly as a company driver and then as a lease/owner op. Also as stated, I don’t recommend lease/owner op at this time, especially not if youre new and even more so if you don’t have business ownership experience.
2 Likes
Tony,
There is the scuttlebutt that trucking as an industry is slowing down, or that there aren’t as many jobs. Stuff like that, At the moment I am “between jobs”. I am registered on Tenstreet Driver Pulse and the recruiting emails and phone calls are like flies - they don’t stop! (Get the app at your local app store)
The advice above is real. Any company reviews you see online are probably by people who don’t understand how OTR driving works. Be patient, check in here and you’ll do well.
2 Likes
Hi Tony,
To echo what has been more or less said above, if you are focused on safety and success it’s still the most secure good paying job in America IMO.
As a regional driver in 2025 home every weekend for 48-60 hours I made $66,325 + $19,993 per diem, and with that much per diem my total income is 8% higher since approximately 23% of my income is non-taxable per diem. So in reality apples to apples compared to a standard W-2 job my actual earnings were about $93k being home every weekend. Please know, like many drivers in here, I run hard, have zero DOT accidents/citations/negative DOT inspections, and for the 3 years with the carrier have ranked #1 by the AI safety platform (Netradyne) in a fleet of 200 drivers. I also think of the company’s financial well being in every decision I make. I mention all this to reinforce the FACT that you create your own worth with your carrier. If you perform at a high level, your earnings will be at a high level. If you establish yourself as an elite top tier driver, you will never hurt for miles. Carriers take care of the drivers that take care of them. EXAMPLE: I had exactly one layover for freight on the road in 2025 I took a 34 hour reset and simply stayed on the road an extra week.
Another thing…..my carrier (like many mid-sized to major carriers) has had to resort to hiring CDL holders from South Africa and other foreign nations with documentable CDL histories (some are doing great). Why??? Because carriers can’t find people domestically that will work 12-14 hours a day AND pass a piss test without THC with the proliferation of cannabis in the last 5-8 years.
Long winded response, sorry! In a nutshell, stay clean, work hard (but take your time learning), bring a safe and positive attitude to each day and you will be gainfully employed with a good income as a truck driver for years to come. Best of success to you!
3 Likes
ZenJoker preaches:
If you perform at a high level, your earnings will be at a high level. If you establish yourself as an elite top tier driver, you will never hurt for miles.
I stand in testimony. Two things: First, as a Swift driver that “got things done”, my dispatcher often pre-planned me for a week out - no hanging at a truck stop waiting for a dispatch.
Second, one time I had a trailer hooked up ready to check out at the shipping office. My dispatcher called me and said “I have this hot load there, and the assigned driver isn’t there yet. Can you get it? Sho’nuff, I put the trailer back and hooked into the “hot load". My dispatcher’s day was saved.
I’m not posting this to boast. I’m posting this story to show you how easy it can be to be a dispatcher’s go-to driver.
Thank for the information!