Doesn't at Least ONE Trucker Enjoy Their Career? Stop Whining!

I don't even know what that word means.....lol

 

Should have said my first year back in a truck after a hiatus. The point being you can make more than 25K. The company I was working for (I have recently changed employers) starts student drivers # $.36 for 1st 6 months then they receive a $.04 per mile raise, average miles are around 22K with drivers being home most week ends.

 

KE5WDP, I'll dig out the dictionary for you, driver
Definition of FACETIOUS

1
: joking or jesting often inappropriately : waggish <just being facetious>

2
: meant to be humorous or funny : not serious <a facetious remark>

— fa·ce·tious·ly adverb
— fa·ce·tious·ness noun

Hope that helps!

 

I'm 57, I drove in my early 20's and loved it. It led me to the construction business, which led me to starting my own construction co. I retired at 52, sold my construction co where I employed 55 to 60 people.

After 1 year I was bored to tears. I knew so people in the nascar industry and got a job driving a hauler for a team here in Mooresville. I did that for three years when I decided it was time to be on my own again. I bought an '03 W900L and am now working as an O/O. I have been able to run pretty much the same loads from SC to TX with a return to NC almost every week. I load and leave on monday's and am home friday before noon. I'm having a great time, probably because I don't have to do this "I want to do this". I am home weekends, see my grandkids and I already built that 67 chevelle except it was a 34 ford roadster.

I am not trying to sound snobish but, I love my job because it is my hobby.

 

I'll sum it up in one word.... SMARTA**.

 

Yep, that pretty much covers it.

 

Well, I don&#180;t expect Row Ashore to make pre-deregulation inflation adjusted wages in todays trucking enviroment.

Odds are he doesn&#180;t know someone in NASCAR and won&#180;t be driving around Jeff Gordons car, tires, or anything else related to NASCAR.

Will he become an O/O? Will he buy that 18 speed, 379 peterbilt and custom chrome that bad boy out...naked lady silhouette mudflaps with rows of lights running in every direction? Hit that lonesome highway and find the adventure he seeks yelling &#168;breaker 1-9&#168; as he does it?

Maybe.

I&#180;d happily eat crow feet and cheer him the whole way if he did it and was being succesful. I hope he keeps us updated.

 

I just had to post before I read what everyone else said.

My comment? A whiner already whining about people whining. He'll fit right in at trucking.

------ edit: Darn, everyone beat me to it.

 

That is one experience, but even so, the driver is making $25-30,000 their first year. Even if that is the average, it is a decent wage starting out with no experience. There aren't many positions where you can start with minimal training and earn that much money your first year. Besides, beginning with the second year a driver's wages can escalate considerably. Within 2-3 years a driver can be earning over $40,000/year. You won't earn that much in fast food. Drivers don't need to eat in truck stops every meal. If you eat most meals out of the truck then it isn't too expensive out here. I would not count the cost of schooling. It has nothing to do with how much you earn. If you went to college you would not include the cost of getting your degree in your wage. Some people save their money so that they don't have a big payment for their school. There are also grants and company sponsored programs that are available where the driver would not have any financial obligation after their training period. Another part of a drivers compensation is the company paid benefits, such as insurance. That is also compensation to the driver that most probably don't even consider.

If you spend a lot of time at truck stops playing video games and buying a lot of snack items you are not going to notice as much income. Much of it is how we manage our income, not how much we make. Some people can save money on minimum wage. Others can earn $1 million dollars and still be broke. I am sure that some people may only earn $25,000 their first year, but I am not sure that is the norm. Each company sets their own wage. It is our choice as to whether we want to work for the wage offered.

I think that we need to get away from thinking that a new driver should be paid $100,000/year. It isn't going to happen. Nor should it. No matter what you do for a living you are not going to start at top wage. You need to prove your value to the company. We all must pay our dues. I have spoken to some drivers who think that they should be paid top wages before they will give their best. That is also not going to happen.

There is a sense of entitlement in this country. We must get away from that thinking. As long as we live in a capitalistic country we are subject to market forces. There is value placed upon the products and services that we provide. When labor costs exceed what the market will bare and for the company to make a fair profit, then the company will cease to exist. We have seen that in many industries in this country. We may think that we deserve a certain wage, but unless the market agrees then we must either settle for what the market will bare or find something else to do.

The great aspect about this industry is that you can earn more money as your proficiency and experience grows. You can also continue working as long as you can pass the physical and have a clean work history and mvr. I would say that most of those who complain the most are making more in this business than they would in another profession. If not, they why not go with the other profession? In fact, if you are so unhappy as a driver there are many other things that you can do for a living. I would not continue working at a profession that I disliked or didn't enjoy. Life is way too short to be miserable doing a job for at least a third to half of your life. It isn't worth it to me. I won't continue with a job that I don't enjoy.

 

this is just my opinion, but to really make a better living in the transport industry.. after paying your dues and learning the trade find a speciality to work in such as over size or machinery moving.. those type of trucking jobs pay better, and you will find that you are paid hourly while loading as machinery is a long process sometimes talking more than one day depending on what you are transporting. I also run heavy equipment and for a while pulled a 9 axle moving earth movers dozers and so on. Now I work in the oil patch here in northern Canada and all my work is by the hour.. From when I clock into the yard and do my pre trip then load and then drive to the drill rig be it 5 hrs or a 24 hr drive its all on the clock. But that being said this ype of trucking is not for every one.. I've taken new guys to the oil patch on a mentoring trip and after we have come down off a mountain on a single track and having to be hooked to a D-9 to be lowered down/towed up a steeper section of road they have grabbed thier gear and told me I was crazy.. But I have earned at least or over 100k a year the last 7 yrs working the oil patch.. Im home every few days , not gone for weeks.. I could earn even more if I worked a camp job, meaning stay in camp and work 14 12 hr days then off 7 days.. we have a thing up here called oil field exemption.. we cant work more than 16 hrs a day and have to take off 3 days in 24... but as I said this type of work is not for every one.. I have posted a few of my videos on here for those who want to take a look and the oil patch side of trucking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wvEDWoq-eI