The truth about trucking....

Celadon,mercer Roell,heartless,CRST Malone.
What a horrible bunch of jobs you had and
Leasing to boot.
I feel your pain.

Don't trash that cdl just yet.
You can make that grand a week as a company driver,
And you'll get to keep all of it.
Get away from those big garbage companies.

 

Drivers gotta learn to ask the right questions

 

Start by not "leasing" anything. The last thing you want is to be financially obligated to your employer. At least a company driver can pack up his duffel bag, park the truck, and go home if he doesn't like the job. All we can do is try to warn aspiring drivers about these lease programs but many think they'll beat the house at their own game and end up learning the hard way anyways.

It isn't just the companies that abuse and take advantage of drivers. The whole industry is rotten to the core. Rack up too many PSP points, get a few a tickets, and you'll be out of work very fast. Then there is the whole living out of a truck for weeks at a time thing.

 

Gee, another one with all the answers. After that many companies, and jobs, I might be looking into a mirror, and saying, "what can I do to improve my situation".

But that's me.....

 

I wouldn't do Mercer as a van. I spend my free time pondering load boards, and kinda ruled Mercer out for van.

Nothing in the trucking game is perfect. But I've always made money even at the worst company ( CRST ). But I will tell you, you can make some very good money at smaller companies, been there done that. I take home $800 to $850 week doing local, home every night, 5 days a week. Full benefits. Now that's around half of what I was making. And today got a lead on another small outfit where I might squeeze out a little more. And the guy I ran with, I always had a 34 at the house on the weekend. Another company no, out for weeks, but made some very good money.

Six years in, you should be able to pull down some good coin.
Good luck, trucking ain't for everyone that's for sure.
Should you decide to stay in the game, you might figure out which companies are teamsters and go that route.

 

I'm curious how you can say Mercer and Malone wouldn't let you go home when you literally book your own loads
Even Roehl has self dispatch in van division.

You do have to leave home to make money though, was that the problem?

 

I'll look for you in five months when you start a thread "Hey, anyone know if #@&! Is any good?"

 

There are pros and cons in every industry. And there are millions of truck drivers out there making good money. Trust and believe all these truck drivers are not out here for their health. Some of us are fortunate enough to know where to go to get a decent wage for our services. You can too! You said it yourself. Do your research. Knowing is half the battle