Do you want to know how much money dump trucks make in profit yearly? If YES, here is an analysis of the salary & income potential of dump truck drivers. Dump truck drivers are categorized as part of the heavy duty, tractor-trailer truck driver career category. These drivers operate big trucks with open, hydraulic beds and they transport loose materials such as dirt, gravel, sand and coal.
Aside from driving trucks, they sometimes operate mechanical bed, load and unload materials, maintain the truck’s condition and track time, miles and vehicle service. Truck drivers in the united states are required to have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and a high school diploma.
Unlike other types of truck drivers, a dump truck driver’s routes are mostly local. A lot of jobs that dump truck drivers accept are hauling loads from one place to another within a 20 – 30 mile radius. So, instead of travelling interstate to deliver goods, these drivers are more likely to travel within a specific county’s boundaries.
Note that opportunities knock often for dump truck drivers. Companies scattered in the United States are seeking potential drivers to train by hauling smaller, heavier loads back and forth to places like construction sites.
In addition, if you have a few years’ experience, there is even higher demand for drivers like you. A lot of dump truck jobs require the driver to also inspect certain equipment, clean and maintain the dump truck, or haul waste. If you have experience doing any or all of those things, you’re already ahead of the game.
Salary of Dump Truck Drivers in the United States
A dump truck driver’s salary depends on the company they are driving under, if any, their experience and what they are hauling. Drivers are also eligible for company bonuses and incentives due to the high demand of their service. The average Dump Truck Driver salary in USA is $76,500 per year or $39.23 per hour.
Entry level positions start at $33,150 per year while most experienced workers make up to $130,050 per year. However, it is more difficult to pinpoint the exact salary of a dump truck owner – operator. The longer one is a dump truck driver, the more likely one is to make a higher salary.
When thinking about how much dump truck drivers get paid, have in mind that net profit differs between fleet drivers and owner – operators. Fleet drivers don’t have to contend with the cost of the dump truck, maintenance, insurance or gas. However, owner – operators must find a way to juggle such costs while operating their business.
How Much You Make Driving a Company Owned Dump Truck
Note that driving for a fleet usually means you earn an hourly rate for any job you take up. A lot of fleet drivers can rake in a minimum pay rate of $17 an hour. However, some companies will almost double that rate up to $30 an hour.
Nonetheless, the money you make is the money you keep. Any costs associated with the truck are handled by the company. Additionally, overtime can bump your earnings up to as high as $27.83 an hour on average, varying between jobs and duties associated. These kinds of contract jobs are great for truckers looking to gain some experience.
Driving for a fleet has its disadvantages. For instance, jobs are dependent on the high season. This means that if the company doesn’t have jobs to work – you don’t get paid. Many drivers resort to other streams of income including working for more than one fleet at a time or taking on part-time work at plants or lumber yards.
A Dump Truck Owner – Operator
Although fleet drivers earn an hourly rate, owner – operators are more or less taking home the profits of the business or splitting profits with a partner. Note that an owner – operator can expect to rake in a yearly salary within $40,000 – $197,000, depending on how successful their business is. Indeed, owner – operators have many more outgoing expenses that can put their own pay check in jeopardy.
They are in charge of the truck itself, insurance, gas costs and maintenance. They are also responsible for developing a client list and building customer loyalty. Some of the disadvantages associated with owning your own company are planning for unexpected expenses, struggling to find work to keep your trucks busy, and finding good drivers.
Conclusion
Indeed, anyone can earn a middle – income salary as a dump truck driver, but you should not expect to get rich doing it. You also need to be aware that while you can climb up the ladder, there isn’t a whole lot of room for growth. In this business, aside career length, geography tends to count as the biggest factor affecting pay.
If one owns several trucks, has those working relatively constant jobs and deducts the necessary expenses it takes to run them, the salary range can be easily much higher.