What do you all think?

Some of you may recall my first post on the forums here, regarding my situation.

So, fast forward, I get on with a local company hauling bulk cement.
NYC, Philly, NJ areas.

While I was in training the pay was $12 per hour. Now that I'm outta training I get 24% of every load I take.
There are also two types of "Pre-Loads". One is where you take a tanker to the mill which is about 20 min's away and pull it into the silo to be filled with cement.

The other is where you take a flat bed to another mill, also about 20 mins away, where it is loaded with pallets of packaged cement.
After which, you must tarp and strap the load.

With BOTH loads you will then return to the yard (another 20 mins back) and drop the trailer.

HOWEVER, before you take either trailer, you must do pre-trip on the trailer and truck. And do a post trip when you drop it.

Every time I have done these pre-loads it has after I have already delivered a regular load to the client.

The pre-load for flat bed pays $20. Last time it took me 3 hours from the time I was told to do it till the time I returned with the trailer. I did have to wait for someone in front of me to get loaded. They FIGURE it can be done in 1 hour. Funny being that at least 30-40 min's is trip time. Not counting inspection time.
The pre-load for the cement tanker pays $12. This MAY be done in an hour. Depending on anyone in front of you getting loaded or not.

What I'm driving at here is...
I was making more on training pay than I am now on regular pay.
I got my first non-training pay check and it was rather puny.
My hours vary. Sometimes I'm at the yard at 0400. Sometimes 0700. Regardless, by the time I get there, plan my route, find my trailer. Hook up.Inspect it and my truck. Paper work, computer stuff, go to the mill and get loaded, drive to client, unload, return, post trip insp. on truck and trailer, drop trailer, paper work, computer stuff (logging off trip/log) I usually have about a 10-12 hour day.
My AVERAGE pay as of last week, is 24%. Or, according to miles driven, it is about $0.23 per mile.

Technically, I can't drive MUCH more per day then I already do.
Actually, already, I've had to use a 16 hour exception while on training while I sat for FOUR HOURS at the mill so the business between the mill and the client can get straightened out.

I'm also driving old equipment. The picture of the Volvo I use is from training. Now I'm driving an old international that SHIFTS nice but beats you to death and is gutless and about 20 yrs old.
The tankers are usually in just as bad shape. Abused, neglected, rode hard and put up wet. Leaking hoses blowing cement. Faulty protection valves. Gauges that don't read correctly.

Funny thing is... that I see OTHER bulk carriers come in with new Freight Liners, nice single cab Western Stars, KW's, and Pete's all the time. Nice shiny newer looking tankers. Not us. They did go and buy a bunch of new sleeper cab auto-matic Volvos that I have NO interest in driving so either way, I'm stuck with the has been.

Here is where I'm coming from...
The pay is HORRIBLE. NOT even enough for me to survive very long. I'm dipping into saving's all the time.
Dispatch is almost useless. I call them up because I don't want to get turned around on Long Island and basically it's SOL, get a map. Ask another driver. And this is said with such an attitude by some I've had to hold my tongue a couple of times.
My situation; DUI almost 5 yrs ago, they take with 3yrs.
No driving experience before this. NOW, I'm trained however, and taking runs into NYC/Philly all the time. Solo.

I'm NOT wanting to leave, I feel a sense of loyalty to the company because they gave me a job when it was hard to get someone to give me a chance.
My work history is all over the place, I DON'T want my FIRST trucking job to look like it's following the same trend.
I DON'T want to go OTR, though, now, after the hours I put in for this company, my wife is encouraging me to go.
Mainly because I never know what my schedule is. Get home at about 1700hrs, call in to dispatch, gotta be back at the yard at about 0400 doesn't leave me much time but to eat, shower, and sleep.
She say's now, I'd be better off going OTR because I'd be making MORE money for about the same hours I put in here.

So, what do you guys think???

If ya have any questions just ask.

I'm NOT going to say WHO it is I work for. In fact, if there are any of them reading these forums, they will probably know it is them I am speaking of.

 

wow...

Over 120 views and only ONE reply...

It was a good reply. Much truth in it.

Just pointing out a statistic.

Anyways...

I'm guessin I will try to stick it out for a year. If my saving's will last that long.

Regardless, I have faith God has taken me this far, God will continue to put me where I need to be, WHEN I need to be there.

thanx

 

The harsh reality of the situation is that I am not getting paid enough to cover all of my bills. I can't take another job due to HOS regulations.

IF I were to come across a better payin driving job, I'd probably have to take it.

For some reason I thought I'd be making about double of what I'm making.
They have a "guarantee" for a certain weekly income for bulk haulers but that is WITH a year's experience.

 

So there I was...

Pulling into the yard at 0730 this morning.

Go in, get my paper work. Rockaway Park, NY. Hmmm... thought Dispatch said NJ on Friday. Oh, well, MY mistake, surely.

And then, there I was...
Driving my old International (which, I'm actually kinda fond of) around the yard, twice, looking for my trailer.
Trailer is not in the yard.
"Hey, I looked twice, that trailer aint here"
I'm told to get "this one".
Find it. Oh, my luck, it's hooked to one of the new sleeper berth Volvo's. Ah, well, all I gotta do is park my truck OVER HERE, and go move that one and unhook. (sarcasm)
No go. Locked door.
"Heya, that trailer is hooked to a locked truck".
Go get "this one". - OK

YES! I FINALLY FOUND A TRAILER FOR THE DAY!
wait...

Something aint right here... I do my pre-trip, and lo and behold those pesky super squirrels are AT IT AGAIN! Sneaking into the yard at night, after those other drivers do their post-trip inspections, and slicing tires, punching holes in hoses and then at least duct taping them back up!

So, I go over to a mechanic, show em the side wall, tell him my theory of the sneaky squirrels wrecking havoc after people do a darn fine post trip inspection on these vehicles. OK, maybe I'm over reacting... this is truthfully only the 3rd time I've had to get something fixed (in 2 weeks) that a post trip insp. shoulda caught.

While I was waiting I thought I'd go have a chat with the terminal manager.
He was sincerely not interested in my complaints about getting trailers that didn't exist and having to have my truck/trailer worked on before I can even start my trip. However, he assured me, that I had PLENTY of time to get to Rockaway Park NY.

Boy, was he wrong. I was supposed to be there at noon. Got there at 1330 to have to wait on two other trucks to unload.
I did get a chance to look at my truckers atlas the 3 hours (or bouts) that I waited before I could unload.
You'd think that it woulda went smooth after that huh?
Naw. Silo is full. Now I gotta pump out one bin at a time, as the ground crew uses it, I can put in another. Bummer.

My spirits lift though when I'm told that I should be able to get the other 2 bins off no prob!
Naw.

Silo gets full, clog's me up twice while I'm doing my clean out. Gotta work the valves and stress out, but, I get 'er done. Only to hit heavy traffic on my way home.

Funny how 14 hours goes by so fast, for so little money.


Just sharing this story with ya. I think I may use this as an outlet. I can't afford to lose my job, so it's not like I'm gonna say to them...

"Hey, now I know why that "Hiring experienced drivers" sign has been out there for the past 4 years!

Oh, ha, how could I forget the best part?!
So, like most of ya here, I'm in it FOR THE MONEY!
I get back to the yard, drop trailer, post-trip insp's, fuel up the truck, and get ahold of dispatch guy to turn in my paper work and find out what's on for tomorrow.

"On call" - What?! "Nothing at the moment. If you don't hear from us by 0900 give us a ring"

ok


Too bad my phone just died and I can't find the charger. Ah, well, I guess I'll look for it tomorrow. Sometime.

'night ya'll

 

I'm gonna go talk to someone tomorrow local here.

I'll be in touch.

thanx

 

The company I work for just posted another ad recruiting drivers.

With a guarantee for drivers with 1+ yr bulk experience and $800-$1,000 weekly for others.

So far, being on my own driving for 3 weeks, I have not come close to that $800 mark.

ALSO, why are they placing ads to hire new drivers when once a week thus far they have had me "on call" because there was NOT ENOUGH work so someone had to take an involuntary day off?

Makes me wonder what kinda dirt the guys have on 'em who have been at this place for several years. Because if I wasn't in a bind there ain't no way I'D be here!

Wonder what they'd say if I approached them about the $800 advertisement and show em my pay stubs of a little over half of that.
And yes, I do EVERY LOAD they have told me, pre-load's included. I WAS asked IF I could work this past Saturday and unfortunately, I couldn't.