Dunno if this has already been posted, but I just saw this article on msnbc.com http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42476113/ns/business-careers/
Should American workers really keep on truckin?
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by rayodeluz, Apr 11, 2011.
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Pretty much straight up info !!!!!
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Wait, you mean I can't make $55,000 driving local right out of CDL school?
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I think it's more like "it depends". I'm about to head out for 30+ days OTR, but that's what I signed up for. I wanted to do that. I don't have a mortgage, kids, or any substantial debt. My plan is to live in the truck and save money. That's not to say that I wouldn't opt for a good local gig 2... 4... 10 years down the line, but that's not what I went in expecting right off the bat.
I left what might be considered a decent job in retail. Not much money though; I grossed just under 24k last year. But I worked 8am to 4pm, five days a week and had the same 2 days off each day. I was also paying rent, I'm not now. Even if I only make $25,000 this year, I'm doing almost $5k better than I was before. (I think $30-35k is a little more realistic though, at least in my case).
No one is forcing me to eat 4 full plates at the truck stop buffet. But when I do partake, I'll have a salad, and some vegetables, and maybe a piece of fried chicken. I drink one cup of coffee a day, and maybe 3 or 4 of those .5 liter ice mountain bottles of water. I have a light breakfast, keep cold cuts, and PB&J for lunch, and healthy snacks throughout the day. By the time dinner comes around, it doesn't take much to fill me up. Aside from my pre-trip, I do 3-4 walk around checks per day, plus back and fourth to the rest area or truck stop bathrooms. When I park, I park in the far corner of the truck stop parking lot.
Before starting, I did research, and knew going in that the driving is the easy part (most of the time), and that there is a lot more to the job than just getting behind the wheel. Being prepared, safety conscious, and detail oriented, I find this job pretty simple. I do not expect to get rich doing this. I do know this is what I will do for a living.
It seems that too many people expect a cake walk and tons of cash, when in reality it's "pretty easy for decent money".
I can't speak for American workers as a group, but for me, the answer to that question is a resounding yes.panhandlepat Thanks this. -
Typical MSNBC piece,get half of the facts and find the most logical "Victim" and slant/spin the story,,,OMG PUUUUUHHH-LEEEEEZ,,,
So they "interview" 2 people and get a synopsis of an entire Industry,,,and btw Im pretty sure the "school" was correct in them saying about local jobs,,the dude is from the LA area,,yeah no daycab jobs there???
Then again I saw this on youtube and it was even worse,you could of swore the way MSNBC spun it ,if trucking companys could get away with "endentured" service they would,,,Do yourself a favor,turn the knob on the TV/radio
its the "what-about-me" generation of handouts that kill me when i see these types of newscasts,,pay your dues,and then reep the rewards of your sweat,whats so hard about that -
The only reason I can think of to drive a truck is if it's the one thing you really want to do. If you're willing and able to go to school for a year or two, there are still some decent, good paying vocational jobs out there that don't require a college degree. If you're in dire straits, and you want to be a 70 hour a week wage slave with minimal or no training, you could work a couple of fast food jobs and sleep in your own bed every night.
2021DREAM Thanks this. -
LOL at MSLSD.....umm, I mean MSNBC. That network is still making news stories????
2021DREAM Thanks this. -
Keep on trucking; have to! Life's to expensive to stop.
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The transportation industry is the very lifeblood of this nation's industry and economy. It's a job which has to be done. Truckers shouldn't be as willing to tolerate a lot of the stuff that they do, but this industry must continue.
2021DREAM Thanks this. -
Oh the industry will continue all right. As was pointed out, it HAS to. And as long as there are drivers willing to work in sort of slave like conditions, there will be employers who will take advantage of them.
It is the way of life. But it is also the way of life, that if no drivers were willing to work for next to nothing, then the companies would HAVE to start paying better, and giving better benes. I'm speaking mostly of APU's and the like here, as well as detention/drop/pick pay etc.
But yes, American workers can should and will "keep on trucking!"
It is just more media bull schidt hype. . .
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