Are there any good OTR companies out there? "Really"

Unfortunately no there are no real otr companies out there. And yeah if only it was that simple to vote for a pay raise. I continuly ask myself why I do this, Ive been trucking for about ten years and not much has changed industry wise. I believe you have too find what makes you happy and stick with it. Just remember it cost a lot of money too operate a truck and that is why the driver gets so little in my opion. Good luck in your search.

 

Alot said, I would like to add a view if I may..............

As you mentioned in most cases people will tell you the truth about the situations if you are listening. Considering when people are in the situations they are in due to the economy, home lives, etc. they only listen to what they want to hear. Stress, families and money cause short sightedness in the average person.

When the majority of people that look into and get into trucking it is usually (majority) due to displacement of their current carrers. The time for proper searching with solid information to make a rational decission they probably wouldn't make that leap.

I feel alot of people whine for this reason, when the information is provided and someone does not listen or only hears what they want to hear it is their own fault. Now what comes into play is when these people are lied too by a recruiter, etc. That is when again they did not attempt to get the needed information to make a reasonable rational decission with some solid knolwedge.

As you mentioned and pointed out based on 3k miles # .42cpm it is only 1250........that is correct but the people who are listening or making uninformed decissions do not understand or realize that a solo driver can legally only drive 3,500-3,700 miles per week. They do not understand DOT reg.'s etc. So under their stresses they take that number and just run what you can do in a personal car and then the numbers seem to work.

Then reality sets in..........sad but true..........short of being lied to the information is given but it is the individuals own due diligence to make an informed decission.

The key is, make an informed decission........that's it.

I work for what alot of people call and consider a horrible company, but even after my contract ended back in the spring I am still here going on 2 years and it is working for me and I am relatively happy and it works for my needs. I make Good money regularly and even with things slowing down still doing well. I have a good relationship with my dispatcher and get students trained and even fail the ones I do not feel are safe drivers.

Without going on and on I will touch on one other point.............pay
As long as their is an excess of people willing to work then their are jobs to give, you will not see an significant pay increases. But then this whole conversation comes down to that. If it is not or an individual is not happy with the circumstances then they can find another job.

Yes we give so much for what we get, bt we don't have too..........No one is forcing anyone to drive, just as in any other situation.

We all have a choice....................


Happy Holidays..............and Be careful out there........

 

To answer your question, I'm sorry to say, I don't think so. At least if you take the 99% of the companies dicussed on this site. Granted, there are a handful drivers who are successful at all companies but they pay the price as well. That price comes in all forms but most notably in being away from home for weeks/months at a time.

For those that are single, that might be OK. For those that are married or have a family, that is no way to make a living.

Companies tout how much they pay their drivers in terms of "cents per mile". That is all well and good if the miles are there. If not, then where do you stand? $.50 a mile is good but $.50 at 500 miles a week doesn't cut it.

The worst part of mileage is the fact that companies don't even pay for all the miles you drive. There have been arguments back and forth on this issue but the fact still remains that if the driver drives for 2000 odometer miles, they should be paid for 2000 miles, not 1800 or whatever the practical miles chart shows.

Another thing that really bothers me is delay time. A lot of people will have you believe that your delay time is built into your mileage pay. It's not! Mileage pay is just that, for mileage. I firmly believe that you should be compensated in some fashion when on duty. You only have 14 hours to work in a day. Sometimes less than that.

This includes waiting to load or unload. Why in the world would people find it acceptable to sit, while on duty, in the service of their company and not be paid for it? For any length of time? Your time, like mine, is worth something. The company does not do anything for free, why should you?

Dinner is ready. I will add more tomorrow after work.

Drive safe

 

You are not paid by the mile, you are paid by the trip. Based on the miles the book or computer shows. You are doing piece work.

Mark

 

There are good companies, just finding the one that matches your needs can take time and homework. If Trucking is for you and its in your blood (so to speak) then continue asking questions out on the road and at truck stops, you will eventualy find a good company.
Good Luck

 

wow learn how to do it. If i go to a shipper and i have to wait 6 hours to load then i go in the sleeper and split log it and dont loose the hours i take the 2 hours more and only have to take a 2 hour break along the line to get more hours. NOWAY am i sitting over an hour and showing it on duty. That is what that sleeper is for.

 

Those split sleeper breaks don't cause fatalities. Is that 2 hours going to make that much of a difference? If that 2 hours is going to make that much of a difference to a person, sounds like they don't belong in the industry.

 

I for one agree with bangngears if you log to much on line 4 your costing yourself money.
The logbook is your paycheck you will need to learn to play with the crayons to make the most you can and be legal.
Myself I get plenty of sleep to much sleep and never sleep 10 hours after waiting for a load you sleep while waiting so when its ready you can go.
Trucking is a life style