Working for big companies

I'm in my 2nd year back in trucking, did about 400K in the mid '80's. It was a lot more fun then, but it is what it is today. Regulated. Competitive. Cheap. OO's were 90% of trucking, now they're less than 50%. It's hard. In this post, I want to share something I figured out. I got a ride from one of the big companies. It was good, I'm a mature guy and they gave me a seat once I'd finished refreshing my CDL and driving skills. Working for a smaller company, one not listed on the NYSE, there's the same layers of cost and expense that all businesses have to cover. Working for a big company, listed on the NYSE, these companies have the 800lb gorilla to satisfy - shareholders, in addition to all the other expenses. Big companies have work but it's all numbers because they have to satisfy that gorilla, and he's a big, hungry animal. If a company's stock share price drops by as little as $.25 per share, literally millions of $ could just vanish. So they squeeze the drivers, they pay lower, they're tight on detention or layover, repair time, cheap insurance and benefits, all the things that come up. The big companies have work, there's that myth of security, but if you go to work for one of them, there'll be more rules, more people watching you, and more reasons why they just can't give you that money. One thing I have noticed, if you drive for a big company they might have a nice stock share match or IRA match. I can't remember who it was, but when I was searching through the list one of them offered a 50% stock match. Drivers, that's free money.

 

RickG, I agree. I have checked, Swift, Werner, others, they're doing better than I am. I don't suggest that stock purchase match is a reason to work for a big company, but there are some good elements, and you can always take the stocks with you when you leave.There's a reason why the big companies are meat grinders. Also, for some reason I don't yet understand, drivers get little respect from companies. We're expendable. I think it's at least partially to do with drivers negative behaviors. We could be better: dropping trash, emptying ash trays, aggressive driving, cheating logs, there are a lot of things drivers do to themselves, it's not any company big or small. The companies buy fuel futures, hedge costs, and do things to max profits, but the cost of drivers is something they control internally. I don't see any changes to this formula in the visible future.

 

RickG, I agree. I have checked, Swift, Werner, others, they're doing better than I am. I don't suggest that stock purchase match is a reason to work for a big company, but there are some good elements, and you can always take the stocks with you when you leave.There's a reason why the big companies are meat grinders. Also, for some reason I don't yet understand, drivers get little respect from companies. We're expendable. I think it's at least partially to do with drivers negative behaviors. We could be better: dropping trash, emptying ash trays, aggressive driving, cheating logs, there are a lot of things drivers do to themselves, it's not any company big or small. The companies buy fuel futures, hedge costs, and do things to max profits, but the cost of drivers is something they control internally. I don't see any changes to this formula in the visible future.