Flatbed Wages

What I mean/meant: if you hate it, you'll never be satisfied with what it pays. Gotta like it enough to want to do it.

 

That's very true. I've looked at 1 pay stub in 6 months. I don't care about the money. I expect to be paid fair. I get some weeks are great and others aren't. As long as the take home is fair I'm not worried.

 

Why should they get paid less? I got paid the same as experienced guys at lots of companies in the beginning of my career doing different kinds of trucking.

 

That's the way I see it too. The guys that do well at open deck are in open deck because that's where they want to be. The mountain man loves the mountains. The beach bum loves the beach. Bullhaulers love their cattle. Hoppers hop. Skateboarded love to skate.

 

I wouldn't say that. We don't have a CDL School and we don't train, but on the other hand you don't need "X" amount of years of experience to get hired on. Of the last two guys they hired neither had open deck experience and both have been driving less than 18 months, but they have good backing skills and they want to learn.

 

That's just how it works, in most trades. If the foreman on a crew made the same as the temp workers, why be a foreman? If the guy pulling OSOW for two years, no accidents, gets paid the same as the guy who put it in the ditch twice and tore off three bumpers pulling a flat, why go the extra mile?
Good for you if you got paid well starting out. I know you said you jumped around when a better position opened up. For me, at any job, if I was being paid the same as a rookie, I wouldn't be there long. Sorry if that's offensive too many in our generation think they're entitled to too much. You're an exception I believe.

 

Learn the craft and do it well, the money will come. It is amazing what happens when you pursue the craft instead of the money.

 

'The man skilled in his craft will station himself before kings.'

I agree, especially in a mileage contract. The thing that's hard to swallow is they wont give the high end and critical loads to the new guys. I do understand why...

On a percentage contract, the difference in money can be huuuuuuge.

 

Don't work at a union job than because you'll make the same as the next guy. For us the only difference is the more axles the more money but right now I'm getting paid the same as my coworker who's driven for 30 years. Doesn't bother him.

 

That's because you have the determination, knowledge, and skill it takes to do the job, you are a exception.