Monster truck driving shows can be thrilling to watch. Now, though, you may be interested in being a part of the show. Understandably, one of the main details of this you’ll be wondering about is the yearly salary.
On average, Monster Truck drivers make somewhere between $25,000 and $50,000 a year. This is if you are on active duty, however. The amount earned depends on multiple factors, including experience of the driver, the team or company they are a part of, and the industry itself.
Reasonably, less-experienced drivers will get less pay than those of more experience. The more shows and the longer time spent in the industry, the higher the salary gradually increases. Popularity may also play a role in this.
Relatively unpopular teams usually contain smaller, less-known monster truck drivers. More experienced teams have weathered experts who know the ins and outs of the industry. As such you’d get paid more if you were part of a team that’s been around for a long time rather than one that may just be starting out.
No matter how the overall industry is, it is usually beyond the control of any monster truck driver or even the company they may be working with. Large groups of sports fans are the ones who can make big changes. That and the right amount of marketing on the industry’s part.
Travel costs are covered for the monster truck driver. They could be away from home for long periods of time throughout the year. The amount of money is determined by where the driver travels.
The cost of building a truck could be up to $150,000. After each season the repairs can be around $100,000. This is why you would need to find someone, usually a team, to sponsor you.
In addition to the potential $50,000 you could be earning a year is any additional revenue. You could earn more from side gigs like talk shows and merchandising. This all depends on how popular and successful you become during your career as a monster truck driver.
How to become a Monster Truck Driver
The salary seems pretty good and you love watching monster truck shows. This doesn’t mean that they’ll immediately let you perform at the next meet-up. You’ll need experience and training to even become a monster truck driver.
You first must understand that the monster truck business is a part of the commercial motor vehicle industry. This means that you are required to get a commercial driver’s license or CDL. Go to your local DMV, pass your CDL exam, and get your CDL so you can begin your training.
Your desire to be a monster truck driver may vary. Chances are that you’re looking to go professional. As such, you’ll definitely have to be incredibly active in the monster truck community.
The way people become monster struck driving professionals can heavily vary. Many have volunteered to work for anyone who asked. There are even those who have done their first show when they were too young to obtain a CDL.
You might not have a monster truck yet. That’s alright because you can still get some on-road experience. In this case, it could be other vehicle-related sports like off-roading, motocross, demolition derby, mud racing, and figure-eight racing. More recently, professional training is available at Monster Jam University in Paxton, IL USA.
With your newfound vehicle experience, you may now feel ready and confident enough to start driving a monster truck. Of course, you’ll need to obtain your own truck. There are two ways you can go about doing this: buying or building your vehicle.
Here’s one of the most important steps: learn the rules. Drivers can earn points for doing all kinds of impressive stunts. However, points can be taken away for actions like stopping reversing, and flipping over.
Finally Joining a Team
Your ultimate goal may be to join one of the best teams in the industry. Maybe it was a team you’ve been rooting for since the beginning that has inspired you to be a monster truck driver in the first place. These experts, however, are looking for those who have really made a name for themselves.
The next best thing is to join a lesser-known monster truck team. Even so, you won’t immediately be driving your vehicle with them. You’ll most likely have to start from the bottom and work your way to the top.
What you will begin doing is volunteer work. If you are serious about being a pro, then you’ll have to dedicate a lot of your time to this. Make sure you have a job that can tide you over because it can be a long time before you see any money from monster truck work.
Now you may not be a part of a team immediately. In fact, you may be finding yourself volunteering for multiple teams depending on the show. This is good because you’ll get used to what it feels like to be around a team or learn some very important information about monster truck driving.
After you get used to volunteering, you should try to aim for a smaller team in your area. Volunteer for them as often as you can. Learn the names of everyone on that team and keep up with their latest news and updates.
One of your main goals at this stage is to get your name and brand out there. This can be done by volunteering but it could also be done by involvement in the industry. Visit as many events as there are available, especially if the team you want to be a part of is there.
One thing you’ll definitely want to do is to become a member of all of the monster truck organizations in your area. Arrive early at shows and events to check out Pit Parties, where you can meet the crew and learn more about the team. You may need to buy a ticket, however.
Getting a Paid Job
It’s time to turn your volunteer work into expertise. The kind of job you’ll probably get once being a part of the team is mechanic. This is a good thing because you’ll learn more about monster trucks and how they function.
If you don’t have much experience with the mechanics of a monster truck or even a car in general, then you can still offer to be a mechanic in training. Much experience is needed to become an official, full-fledged monster truck mechanic. It’s good to have prior knowledge with overall car functionality, but a sedan isn’t exactly the same as a monster truck.
Once you work hard enough, you’ll become the monster truck driver’s apprentice. That means you’re almost there, but you can’t have your own team just yet. You will need at least two years of apprenticeship under your belt before you even consider this as a possibility.
Until then, you’ll want to gain more recognition for your future team. As an apprentice, you will have access to more higher-ups, officials, and more significant figures in the industry. This is your opportunity to start networking.
You may have figured out that this position is long-term. As such you’ll be able to establish a sense of permanence. This is where you can start building your foundation so you can ground yourself within this business.
You finally have your monster truck and are ready to participate. Make sure you are a part of the Monster Truck Racing Association, or MTRA, first. You’ll have to pay an application fee.
Here is where all the marketing and communication can pay off. There are over 400 monster truckers and only 100 racing positions a year. As such, you must find your unique angle and really work hard on your tricks and techniques if you hope to be distinguished from everyone else.
You can make a pretty good amount as a monster truck driver. In order to be successful, however, you’ll need to work your way to the top. With hard work and luck, you could become a legend and earn even more revenue.
