Indian River Transport, Co. - Winter Haven, FL.?

The numbers you saw mitch post 7 months ago is from him being a contractor, not a company driver. Out of the $1.48 - $1.58 per mile, he has quite a few expenses company drivers don't have. Since the cost of fuel has come down, my guess would be he isn't making that much per mile now.

You also mentioned this.

Understand, many drivers (certainly not all, but many) are to blame for the wages they earn. Lack of experience, criminal records, poor driving records, poor attitudes, and/or simply lazy, will have an impact on the company who hires them OR the miles they get once they are at a company. Some companies have higher hiring standards than others. Heck, if you can fog a mirror, some companies will gladly sign you up to fill a seat.

 

Help me understand what you are saying.

Nine out of ten (9/10) drivers who don't make much money are "forced" to be employed by the company they work for and bear no responsibility for being there? What US-based trucking company FORCES a driver to work for them? I know, I know. If the driver doesn't fulfill a one year contract, then the company can come after them for the full cost of sending them to driving school. Some slick recruiter approached a potential driver on the street and stuck a firearm in his face and said "sign this contract to be indentured to us for a year!!!" ??? No, that doesn't happen, especially not 9 out of every 10 times.

Drivers choose the companies they work for. If it isn't "the right company" it's because the driver didn't make the proper choices. You will not end up in a great situation if you make a series of bad choices. Didn't do his research, chose to speed, chose to put illegal substances in his body or be around those who did, chose to teach that car a lesson and run them off of the road, chose to tailgate the vehicle in front of him (and subsequently earn that following too close ticket). I could go on, but you understand these are "choices" a person makes and that person shoulders the brunt of the responsibility (ie, "the blame").

This should be interesting.

You have identified what, to you, is a problem. That is the easy part. Identifying problems. Finding solutions to said problems are difficult.

You have now been promoted to the position of HMFIC of IRT, the person whose name is on the bottom of the paycheck. What would you do to "increase the drivers wages tremendously"?

 

Spring Chicken...ever consider a career change? I've read a lot of your posts and almost every one has a definite negative tone to it.

Man, if you hate driving so much why not just get out of it? There are things in this business that will never change. The bosses and the top execs make the bucks. They're harder to find and harder to replace than drivers. It's always been that way and I don't see it ever changing. Sad but true.

A good driver can make a good living but that's all he'll ever do. I think you need to be a little more realistic in what your expectations are for a driving career. Or...get promoted, get a job in the office dispatching and work your way up from there. See what it's like on the other side of the desk. I did...and it was a real eye opener.