40 hours is all you get

So how much would you get done as an owner operator if all you work every week was 40 hours?

If I told a factory worker that I put in 70 hours every week and sleep at my job most nights they would most likely think I am rolling in some big money.

I started thinking about this after seeing the good paying trucking company Wal-Mart getting sued for not paying minimum wage. What about overtime pay? I know there has to be a lot of companies falling short on overtime pay.

From my quick study of drivers that do get paid by the hour in a 40-hour work week, you would be around 190 miles a day. This would also include going home every night. For me living in Lexington KY, I would not be able to get much more out of this cycle with those hours and still get home every night.
  

This is what it would look like if Dolly Parton decided to become a truck driver and only worked 9 to 5. 

Pre-trip inspection: 0.25
Get off-loaded: 1.25
Get fuel: 0.25
Get loaded: 1.25
Stop to eat: 0.75
Getting parked before 5pm: 0:50
= 4.25 hours - 8 hour work day = 
3.75 hours of driving at 55mph = 206 miles for the day 
If she had to find her own load
Making and receiving calls 2:25
Setting up with new broker 0:50
waiting for rate sheet 0:25

Dolly would say, I just left the truck stop and now I got to get this big truck parked before my working 9 to 5 job is done for the day.