Money vs quality of employment

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by cdavis188, Jul 15, 2022.

  1. cdavis188

    cdavis188 Road Train Member

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    Salina, KS
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    Not sure if i qualify as a 'new' driver but here goes.

    I make some good money at my current company. DM's are great, they run great equipment, overall a nice place to work. However they're based out of Fargo, ND, about 600 miles from where I'm going to live, and honestly their health insurance stinks.

    There's a small 15 truck outfit in my hometown that I'm moving back to. I did an internship there in high school. I know the office people and mechanics very well. They operate late model tractors. Majority of their reefer trailers are older but well maintained Thermoking's. Most runs are out east and back, with weekly hometime. 10-12k a month isn't hard to achieve if you do what you're supposed to. Just an overall nice place where the two main dispatchers actually know you by name.

    Now the bad: their trucks run at 62, their pay is nothing to write home about ($1,000 net/week), and obviously they don't have as much flexibility as larger carriers when the economy tanks.

    Probably their biggest perk is they offer full health insurance coverage to their drivers, $1500 deductible, and it's completely paid by them. If i were to try to get similar coverage at my current company, my pay would take a hit, and the best deductible they offer is $3250.

    I love my current company, i really do, but more often than not they have trouble getting me a load home where i won't have to deadhead for hundreds of miles. I'd take a paycut at the other company and I'd travel slower, but they offer weekly hometime that's flexible, a laid back family atmosphere, a company paid insurance policy, and their office and shop are literally a couple miles from my doorstep, and not clear up in North Dakota.

    Any opinions are welcome.
     
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  3. bonder45

    bonder45 Road Train Member

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  4. cdavis188

    cdavis188 Road Train Member

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    Jun 10, 2021
    Salina, KS
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    Salina, KS
     
  5. Val_Caldera

    Val_Caldera Road Train Member

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    GREETINGS & WELCOME TO T.T.R.!!

    Appears there's "a hitch in your giddyup".
    EVERY DRIVER BEGAN SOMEWHERE!!

    10-12K a month doesn't equal "$1,000.00 net/week". The RED bits don't compute.
    What's the potential GROSS B4 "deducts"??
     
  6. JoeTruck

    JoeTruck Heavy Load Member

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    With two years experience and clean record a driver should make15 or 16 hundred a week dry van. 1800 reefer. 2000 flat or tanker.
    Health care only matters if you use it. You know if you are going to run up medical bills.
    The only way I would work 1000 is home every night.
    Companies in areas where the cost of living is low get away with low pay.
    A couple years ago I was very happy working for a company in my town getting 46 a mile. Went to a company outside of Chicago and got 65 a mile.
    Just keep looking and the right job will come along
     
  7. Thrasher28

    Thrasher28 Heavy Load Member

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    Aug 12, 2021
    Bowling Green, KY
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    Do you have medical issues that would make the free coverage important? The things you like about the new company can be found in thousands of other companies. The only standout one is free health insurance.

    Money isn’t everything, but having a similar job you like 80% as much for 1750 a week seems like a better quality of life than a job you love for 1000 a week. It’s subjective to you and depends on your cost of living, but I can enjoy life a lot more with 1500/wk (after you pay for insurance) than I would only netting 1000
     
  8. bryan21384

    bryan21384 Road Train Member

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    Memphis, TN
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    OK so you're going to be taking home a thousand a week. If I'm betting, I'd say you can make a living off that. Some say you should make 1500 to 1800 take home weekly......everywhere is increasing cpm but you ain't gonna see the 1500 to 1800 take home every single week. It's not so much about what you make, but whether you can make a living. If being home is what you value more, and the pay is similar, with full company paid health coverage, I'd make the jump. After reading your post, if feels like a wash to me. What you're not making in terms of take home is being put back in your health coverage. Folks gotta realize with these jobs, you gotta give up something. It's unlikely to impossible for a company to meet every need and standard.
     
  9. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Being an adult sucks. The easy choices are picking between something you don't like and something you really like. The hard decisions are between things you like but by different amounts. If you are paying your bills and saving money at your current job stay put.
     
  10. DRTDEVL

    DRTDEVL Road Train Member

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    Give it a try. Don't burn any bridges, give proper notice, make sure the truck is nice and clean when turned in, and try the new place out. Be honest with your current employer and don't do anything dumb on the way out the door. If it doesn't work pout like you hope at the new place, you can call the old place back up and get in their truck again because they will remember how you handled it this time.
     
  11. rockeee

    rockeee Medium Load Member

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    Hard to say but having the terminal in your backyard is a big plus. Joe mentioned that the health care only matters if you use it, which is true. But if you "have" to use it for some unforeseen reason, that could be money in the bank right there. What is the difference in the other benefits they have? Do what your gut tells you. Just guessing but he might have meant 10-12k miles a month..
     
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