Is your life worth $50K ?

I haul fuel and I drive the night shift and to be honest, I wouldn't want to do anything else. I love this job and although there is an inherent risk associated with hauling fuel, I can't see myself doing anything different. When I fist started fuel hauling another driver told me something that I will never forget. "Never become complacent." Those three simple words hold true in this industry. Always be aware of what you are doing. From loading to driving to dropping, you must always be focused on what you are doing and giving it your full attention. I know several drivers in this industry who have been doing this for well over 20 years with no incident. They drive carefully, pay attention to what's going on around them and don't allow themselves to get distracted while performing the job. I agree that 50k isn't worth anyone's life. Heck a million isn't worth a life but risk can be greatly reduced with proper training and attention to detail. It always saddens me to hear of a fuel hauler getting in an accident but to be honest I hear of far more of them making it out of an accident without injury than being killed.

 

I haul fuel and with our company we have 4 drivers to a unit, work 12 hr shifts, usually never more than 4 shifts a week unless someone is on holidays, paid by the hour.....from start to finish......truck never stops 24/7, if dispatched too much work we preload the last load or just kick it back. I feel sorry for the guys on trip rate because everybody will try to finish their day as quick as possible, this leads to drivers making shortcuts. In this business that is what kills.

 

I would say trucking is not for you. 14 hour days is the standard for now. (Untill more people like you get your way and we will be spending 14 hours a day at a truck stop doing nothing because we can only drive 8 hours a day)

Why are you standing next to your trailer for 14 hours?
You can drive 11 of the 14 but maby thats how its done out there.

And do you think your going to get better sleep when you cant move that truck for 14 hours and its 100*F and you cant idle.

But this is what really scares me from the OP

 

Who in the f@#$ do you think you are, no experience and giving someone grief......come back in another 10 years and I may take what you have to say seriously.

 

To be fair, it gets pretty #### hot in OK. I grew up and still live in MO and 98F here would literally kill you compared to what you're used to. I've been to Pheonix in the dead of summer and your heat is pleasant to me. The low desert humidity out there saves you. Here it can be, and usually is, over 100% humidity and not raining. You are literally breathing H2O.

All that's really beside the point, though. Point is, these college educated office types have no idea what the incessant heat does to us outside. They're all in the office in the A/C. The reality of what we do and what we deal with is nothing more than an abstract concept to them. So, when they take over the company with their narrow minded, shortsighted, and inhumanly callous methodology, you deal with it for as long as you can and then you get the hell out before their stupidity hurts or kill you.

 

'Is your life worth $50,000'? Well I have met a FEW people in my lifetime who should have to pay 50 Grand a year just for the privilege of being allowed to live..But in answer to your question;Of course not.

This being "taken advantage of" running when tired,blindly following dispatch;etc.etc.-this is a new person's burden entering the Industry,is it not? I mean in my estimation after being out here 2-3 years one should know what's going on,and if need be have the cojones to stand up for themselves.

Trucking is about money and when their is money involved,its going to get complicated. Bottom line is if they are making money with you,you will have some leeway in setting some limits on how you run. If not,get the hell out of there and go somewhere else. THAT isn't complicated.

 

Yes your right I did not realize you was a FUEL HAULER.
And yes Indiana does not get 110 degree but try out 90 with 100% humidity some time.
Sorry I bashed on you, I'm a noob and know nothing.

 

Yep you are right also, I know nothing being a rookie.
Talk to you in 10 years

 

Las Vegas is not much different than PHX except for a couple of degrees. I worked mostly days and I know what it's like to stand in the heat. We were still on 4-10 hour days a week and everything after that was time and a half when I left a few years ago. I know that they wanted to change all that and did do some minor changes like kick up the shift hours to 12 but still had three days off. Still the best pay and if my memory serves me right our company there is not union. I still talk to the drivers I worked with and they tell me it's not much different today than before. So I do not know who you are driving for but it sounds like a regional problem.

You know the old saying. When you get scared of what you're hauling it's time to get out. We were never forced to drive anywhere and I know of no drivers that get blackballed for not wanting to work more than their shift. We come to work and our dispatch is already there so not many changes when you're working. Some guys on nightshift never see the boss until the safety meetings. Maybe that's why they like the nightshift so much. But what I have found out it's the dollar an hour more for shift differential that they like the best. I'm, surprised that you feel the way you do.

From what you've told us here I can only draw one conclusion and that's if your area drivers all feel this way they you all need some safety training. I recommend the Charlie Morecraft Story. BTW we've only lost 2 drivers with our company since the 60's that I know of and both of them were in the L.A. area in CA. Both made evasive moves to save others lives and both were burned. Plus each driver had more than 20 years experience. I would never say you do not have what it takes because I don't know you but I do really think you should take a good look at what you are doing and either change or know the product a little better. I just say that because in Las Vegas I know of several rollovers from other companies and no lives were lost. A couple had the truck burn to the ground but you know if no air gets in that tank you'll never have a fire if you've kept the tank proper. I'd like to help in someway but I worked with a major and you know they are either keeping the number of drivers down or closing up all together. I know your area has been talked about for years. You can PM me anytime you like if you need a reference or something out of the regulations I'll do my best to find it. Good luck in whatever you do and you do have the best point of any job, if you feel it's a risk to you then it's time to leave.