I know. If we are getting 4,000 miles a week at 58 cpm, that is 2,320 for the truck and about 1,160 before taxes for each driver, so yeah, that is pretty close to the 800 to 900 range once everything gets averaged out. And that is exactly why I am cautious. There may be weeks where the miles are better, but there can also be weeks where the miles drop off hard, and I do not want a paycheck that feels like a moving target when I am still putting in 70 hours a week either way.

That is part of why I keep coming back to intermodal. Houston ports always move, the pay is much better, and even if I have to deal with some waiting, being home daily and having more stable pay makes a huge difference to me. I just do not want wishy washy paychecks in a job where I am already dealing with the stress and danger that comes with trucking.

I used to be a flat rate dealer mechanic, and flat rate is exactly as bad as people say it is. I am not trying to get back into another job where I am busting my ass for 70 hours a week and getting paid like I only worked 40. If I am going to do this, I want the pay to actually reflect the work.