Hello From JB Hunt

Much of what you say is true... and there are too many drivers who won't, for whatever reason, stand up for themselves. But there are alternatives also, such as unions and a union job (if you can find one), and there are good companies to drive for as well... and many private companies and local jobs also.

The bad thing about this industry is, I believe, the advantage taken of the new drivers. The driver mills are killing the industry, keeping wages down, and screwing more experienced drivers who have been with them, forcing them elsewhere.

I have used this example before: it is not right and should not be allowed... for a company and or recruiter to tell a 22 yo kid (or anyone) with no experience, maybe a GED or HS diplioma, young wife and kid maybe at home... : "you're gonna make $40k your first year... we'll make you a trainer after just 6 months and you can make up to $120k a year... we'll get you home or anywhere you want any time you want..."

... then the recruiter signs the kid to driving school ($4000) and a contract for one or two years (if not completed the kid needs to come up with the cash for school)... puts the kid out there and in 6 months he finds he's grossing anywhere from $75 one week to maybe $600 another week (but paying $200 wk to eat, plus tolls, lumpers, etc... out of pocket). The new driver is broke and stuck and under contract. Slave labor. Working for minimum wage or less and can't go anywhere.

THAT is what is wrong with this industry... and drivers allow it, the government allows it. It's wrong.

 

I agree.

I've written on the eating problem, and cost myself.

How is it the department of labor lets these puke companies get away with this robbing people. They have got to be giving out big bribes to politicians.

These companies should pay some kind of min. wage for the month so drivers aren't abused with $200.00 a week loads. They to pay for food on the road, and compensate for weekends and holidays. Then there would be some kind of protection for drivers.

 

Yes JB pays their recruiters very well. In most recruiting jobs, your pay isnt limited, JB pays their recruiters a small base salary and the rest is all commission. The highest paycheck I ever saw a recruiter get was 19K for 2 weeks work. My largest paycheck was about 9K. Now, with that said, For a long time there, the base salary was minimum wage. So along with those huge paychecks, I did see some 400 dollar paychecks too. Just not that many.

 

I'm gonna go work for the newly formed JB SWIFT. Isn't that what I heard on the news? Economy is doin great and JB and swift are the places to be to become billionaires? Crap, nevermind. Just found out it's comedy central I'm watchin!

 

Acknowledging all the great information I have gotten from drivers on here... I have also read some pretty off the wall stuff, and some funny stuff. That was funny. JB Swift... and the economy is just kicken it!

 

Disagree I worked for J B hunt when the man had less then 90 trucks and was making 11 cents a mile and I made money back then in. So give him He_l driver's he will be around when your long gone.

 

JB may be around, give him He_ l. I'm not a driver yet so I can't speak to it.

An industry I know a little about is construction.

One of the biggest developers in Las Vegas started out as a remodel carpenter in about 1985. Ronald Reagan signed Amnesty in 1986. The developers built there companies on cheap Mexican labor.

This was the cause of housing sprawl through out the southwest and probably through out the country, since in see Mexicans in the news every where in American now days.

The use of cheap Mexican labor has destroyed the checks and balances in housing. As well as the ability for many Americans to get into the construction trades.

Since so many houses were being built the system had to allow anyone to buy a house, IE. "subprime crisis". This in part has caused the financial chaos we are experiencing to day.

Are the developers big companies? Yes. Do I respect a company built on "cheap" 3 rd world labor. A company built on stepping on people. No!

 

While I have been a trucker for over 13 years and a couple of million miles and am not here to defend JB. I will say that I use work for JB (8 months till I decieded to move back to my home state).
Now Now I know what is running thru your minds..... POOR SB

Let me tell you though I was hired on a dedicated account which was pretty ez. Made guarantee of $750/week (in 2000) but usually was $1000 I was home every afternoon/ night (Usually left house about 4 am and was home by 2 or 3). Had priority unloading at receiver and was overall cushy.

But during my time there I also saw how bad the average driver had it. 3000 miles one week 1500 next. Go home more than 2 days you lose your truck. Dispatchers who were so overworked that I think some of them were in the middle of a breakdown.

So my point on JB is if you work for them go dedicated or go somewhere else.

 

That's about how the Dedicateds were described to us (I used to recruit strictly DCS) as "Yea, you hire em, but basically they drive for X Company with a truck that has JBHT on the door and topside"