Conway Truckload; A Very Low Paying Job

From Con-way's 10Q:

Which means billion-dollar Con-way's going to see big $$ fly out the door on Jan 9, 2015.

 

So they would rather pay lawyers to defend this, than pay their employees a fair wage. What a crap outfit.

 

According to the 10-Q, Con-way has $457-million dollars in cash and cash equivalents. Compare that to Heartland/GTI with $23-million cash on hand.

 

Con-Way has 85 million different streams of trucking revenue in as well. Pretty sure Con-Way has operations in Canada and Mexico as well as Hawaii and Alaska. They also have a giant segment of the LTL business and then their truckload division. Pretty sure they have other streams of revenue besides those. Heartland would have more cash on hand, but don't forget they just purchased Gordon Trucking as has to update their tractor and trailer fleets, as well as the cost of combining systems and other things.

 

Business as usual all across the trucking industry.

 

"Conway drivers were not provided with required rest breaks and lunch breaks?" Isn't that a drivers responsibility? Whining is the new paradigm, like Appalachian Trucker speaking for all Con-way drivers when he know probably less than 5 of them and doesn't really know their income. Also, the impressive listing of check amounts conveniently leaves out things like expenses, insurances, dependents and other relevant information. I'm a Con-way Truckload driver and did fine as a company driver and I'm still there, I/C for 1 1/2 years. My last settlement was 3,100 miles, $2,300 direct deposit. Could be worse. Whatever happens to me is my responsibility. If I'm not making enough takehome dollars, it's my duty, my responsibility, to find another path to that increase I want/need. To my way of thinking, this lawsuit resembles the McDonalds lawsuit for the woman who spilled hot coffee on herself, then sued for damages. If it's breaktime, take a break. If you need food, eat something. Like, you're the only one in the cab, don't reach out for someone to blame. I acknowledge I do not have all the information, but "company didn't provide breaks?" Right. Give me a break!
By the way, Appalacian, $32K gross is about what I took home working with Con-way Truckload, OTR. I wonder - what was different for my experience?

 

"...If it's breaktime, take a break. If you need food, eat something. Like, you're the only one in the cab, don't reach out for someone to blame. ..."

Starboy, that's not the point. Interstate drivers can be paid piece rate (mileage) and not paid for their required non-piece-rate duties because Federal laws exempts us. We are, by law, second-class citizens not entitled to protections of Federal minimum wage.

Required to work for free.

OTR drivers routinely work 100 or more hour weeks for $500-$600 or less. Do the math.

This needs to change, leads to poverty pay for many, 100% driver turnover and California, in particular, is stepping up and saying non-piece-work required duties have to be paid at State minimum wage.

Con-way's taking it not on the chin, but in the wallet. Even better.

 

I hear that and sadly most if not all are like that.It you're on line 4(on duty) all drivers should get paid for it.How many non hourly drivers get paid for pre and post trips,How about fueling how many get paid for that.I don't care if its very little work the point is anything and everything logged on line 4 should be paid for it plain and simple.Checking in at customers that's line 4 pay the drivers for it.

 

I appreciate what you're saying here, V, you too, Pattyj. The way mileage pay works is that those line 4 tasks are "included" in the mileage pay, which is how companies get around that matter. If you disagree, drive a different method. Also, I don't think any driver should violate the law for their employer. It's no wonder OTR drivers tend to lowball those line items. Or, prefer running on paper. Patty, when I have to take my break at a truck stop or rest area, I'd say the number of drivers actually doing those inspections or following HazMat procedures is low. Very low, like 2% or less. I almost never see a driver check the air pressure in their tires, and rarely even see the thump stick come out. I, just me, don't want to work hourly. I might move to a percentage based pay structure, which is available to me if I want it that way. Victor says "OTR drivers routinely work 100 or more hour weeks for $500-$600 or less. Do the math." If a driver works over 100 hrs in a week, they are in the oilfield sitting and waiting a lot. Lines 3 & 4 are restricted to 70 hrs. If a driver wants to cheat their logs for $500-600/week, they're doing all drivers a disservice. When I first got out of my refresher course, I went with Swift because nobody else would hire me, a 69 year old man out of the business for 30 years. $.26/mile. It was really bad, just like you're saying, except for the hours. So I stayed a year, went with Conway Truckload, $.38/mile. Improved my income a lot. Then I went I/C, and improved more. I don't see why any driver can't do the steps, earn more reasonable income for their effort. I do think I'm missing something here, because I'm doing the "included" work, (I actually do the inspections and log my fuel stops) taking my breaks and I'm not going to cheat my logs for anybody, company, customer, it's irresponsible. I knew there'd be times when I didn't like working "included" tasks, but I agreed to that, I knew it when I signed on. No one kept any secrets about it. I don't spend a lot of time on line 4, by the way. I've learned to minimize everything, and focus on line 3. My income, my energy, and my safety are all a little better now. Thank you for your reply - now I'm thinking about O/O work again. Thinking carefully.