OTR after 16 yr hiatus

Started driving in the early 90s and teamed two years with my wife 98 and 99. Wife got off in 99, so I gave OTR up in 00 to be with the family. Drove local for 15 yrs.

Well now the nest is empty and we were bored, so we got the great idea to go out and see the country again. Did some research on this site, and a thanks goes out to you guys with some great input. I chose a company based on what I read here, and and im not thrilled to say the least. There are questions I should've asked, that I didn't know existed.

The last company I was with 98-00, i drove an 99 80mph pete and we turned California/New Jersey once a week @.38 by the hub. Most of the time I had stops in Vegas/LA, sometimes Tracy/ San Fran sicko (got banned from Safeway in Tracy) and picked up produce usually for Hunts Point. We were in our mid 20's, met some great people, and had tons of fun going coast to coast and made decent dough.

Now I know I'm not in my old pete and things wouldn't be the same but, holy mackerel. I can't beleive the changes 16 years brings from the company I'm with now and everything else from being on the road.

NOW, im with this company (not mega but 4-500 trucks) micromanages everything. I wanted to quit the first week, but i don't want to start job hopping. Are these things normal for most companies? I have my fuel/route planned, they use an inferior brand computer where the touch screen and interface constantly malfunction, no more dispatchers, i have a dm now lol, who is worthless btw, SUPER anal about overage/shortages, requires seal records, must lock everything, not allowed to go to a mall or casino, a slow ash truck that does 63, that supposed to go 65 and God forbid you roll down a hill and go 75.

This used be a job about freedom and not dealing with bosses and office idiots. But they can't leave us alone.

My road observations..

1 There lines at the fuel pumps??? I hardly EVER had to wait to get fuel. Pilot and Loves have created a business model with discounts that has lured almost every company to fuel there, creating a customer base their facilities can't handle. It's a madhouse at some of these places.

2 Buy 50 gal and get shower and free coffee/soda, right? WRONG, You get a shower but the drink amenity is GONE with Pilot. Buy 9 and 10th free? Lmao! They are like most corporate giants, make a money grab every chance you can get. My company just bought 120 gallons, and you can't give the driver a effing drink???? I hated Pilot back in the day, and loathe them today. I refuse to spend one penny in that place, i call for a boycott! At least Loves still honors this.

3 Driver courtesy....Or lack thereof. It used to be 80%/20% good/douche bags. Now it's opposite, 80% of you guys are complete genuine selfish a holes. My wife got ran off the road on snowy/slick roads in Wyoming and she was doing 50! This moron went by at 70 with his brights on blowing the air horn for me to get out of the way. I so wanted to see him in the ditch so i could beat him bloody.

4 CB is almost dead. I guess with new technology it is to be expected. Nobody answers about weather/traffic conditions or general conversation. Closely related with related 3.

5 ELD's are absolutely garbage. I'm not afraid of change or technology, but this is utter nonsense.With these new rules, I don't know how you solo guys make $ with this thing. I mean it's a job in itself. If you guys arent allowed to park at shippers/recievers, you then wake up and drive to them, your whole f'n day is shot. Thank God as a team we have two logs to keep rolling after loaded/unloaded. I would hate to be forced to sit when I'm wide f'n awake and ready to roll. Which leads me to...

6 Parking...um....wow....(nothing to say, drop mic, walks away.)

7. What the eff is a transflow




The few good changes:

1 it seems all companies pay for lumpers. Not all companies paid for lumperd back then, you were expected to driver unload, especially dry van.

2 Detention. That was a joke at the companies I worked for.

3 I don't have to touch that nasty phone at the fuel island anymore.

4 I don't have to touch the nasty phone at the restaurant table either!

4 TA seems to have cleaned themselves up. Back then every one of them was NASTY. The few I've been in were nice.

 

Next 16 years? Self driving trucks are around the corner. I read a post on this site the other day, guys were saying that'll never happen. Haha, oh yes it will, I imagine trucks being sent from hub to hub, with local humans delivering. Places like UPS and FedEx, will have big depots next to their facilities where humans drop trailers and yard dogs get them in the door.

And i forgot to mention we're at .44 cpm, from .38. Not that great of a pay increase for the times, but decent I guess.