Don't Know if This Is The Right Decision or Not. Any advice?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by DARKNIGHTRUCKER, Aug 11, 2020.

  1. DARKNIGHTRUCKER

    DARKNIGHTRUCKER Light Load Member

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    I know I've posted about this in other threads but the day is coming soon where I have to chose between staying at my job and going to another one.

    Right now I'm with a company that pays really low. I'm on home time right now but the last 4 weeks I was out, the first two of them I got paychecks for 100 something the first week and 240 dollars the 2nd week. A "good" week is me getting 400 something. Ive never made 500 or above.

    I've been here for 3 months they paid for my CDL. Contracted to work with them for a year. Don't have any points or recorded accidents on my MVR. But honestly, in my first month I did bend a guard rail out of shape with my trailer and hit the corner of another parked trailer (on my first back to shipper dock solo driving). Another time couple weeks later got stuck in 2 different potholes at a shipper and ripped the tread off some trailer tires trying to get out of the potholes, some air lines ripped out of the tandem system, and some of my tractor tires had to be replaced as well.

    I've been talking with another company for about a month. They will pay ALOT more + pay for other stuff as well.

    Just a bit torn on what to do. I think I already ####ed up by not telling the new company about the 2 accidents I had in my first couple weeks driving. Do you NEED to tell new companies about any accidents or incidents if they dont show up on your MVR? I've checked it several times by now and nothing ever showed up on it. Is there some other system where accidents are recorded?

    Should I just tough it out and stay with my current company for a year and then look for a better paying job? Or should I take a risk and go to this new company? Thanks in advance for any input .

    I just dont want to get into a situation where I leave THIS company , get rejected by the new one im trying to get into, and be stuck without a job again. I've been unemployed and struggling to find jobs for a very long time before this so that has contributed to my reluctance to leave as well. Its still however frustrating dealing with making less money than I would be working a retail/fast food job with decent hours.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2020
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  3. rachi

    rachi Road Train Member

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    Give this company a notice and then head over to the new company. You can't survive on $300 a week. None of that stuff will show up on your mvr.
     
  4. Gdog66223

    Gdog66223 Road Train Member

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    Watch this video first


    2nd get a copy of your contract that you signed for your CDL's and read it thoroughly. "Most" of the time companies do not sue for breach of contract but, they have the power to sue if you breach contract and do not pay them the rest of the money for your CDL's.

    You've had 2 accidents in 3 months? WOW. Honestly I would just stay there and deal with it at this point in time. The accidents pay not be on your MVR but, they will be on your PSP report and it will affect your CSA score and DAC Report. Granted someone else will hire you, the motto in trucking is, "if you can breath, then your hired."
     
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  5. DARKNIGHTRUCKER

    DARKNIGHTRUCKER Light Load Member

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    Well they were both in my first 2 weeks and the first one was my first time backing by myself into a dock, up a hill , around a corner to a dock you cant even see until you get up the hill and around the corner. In retrospect that was a terrible setup and I should've refused to even attempt it, nothing in my training prepared me for a situation like that. I was waiting on the dock for 5 hours before that , I was already anxious with my clock running extremely low and had a difficult first back with sunlight expiring.

    2nd time I was in a shipper yard that was a minefield of potholes. Almost no space in the yard and the space that did exist had gigantic muddy holes everywhere. Some other dude from my company got lifted out of a hole almost the same time i did. I dont blame myself for getting stuck in the hole but I should't have made it worse by flooring it trying to get out of the holes. Another situation I'd never been in and dealt with it the wrong way. Both situations my anxiety was shot through the roof and I was panicking. That's when I shouldve stopped and asked for help .

    The 2 and a half months after have been clean. I've gotten into several sticky situations after those but I've learned from those mistakes i made in my first 2 weeks. I almost always ask for help in any situation where I doubt myself and I'm extra careful in any backing situation or any environment that has hazards everywhere (I striaght refused a load to one yard b/c it too had massive crater holes everywhere and I refused to put myself in that situation again).

    I cant stay with this company forever, I literally made more in my 2nd to last job UNLOADING trucks instead of driving them. The main issue is trying to survive for so long on starvation wages.
     
  6. tallguy66

    tallguy66 Medium Load Member

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    How could you possibly be making 100$ in a week? I’m also under contract for another few months after going through my company’s school, but as far as pay I’m usually looking at high 900s to a bit over 1000 after taxes.. and I’m still always looking for a better opportunity.

    Is that 100, 240, 400 gross? What company is this/location? There is no “Toughing it out” here... I’d run. Next company you look at, do a lot of research on here, google, Glassdoor, etc. I’m sure the bill will be hefty for breaking contract though, I assume 4-7k. Lastly, are you making yourself available or are they straight up taking advantage of you with a low CPM? I’m just having a hard time thinking about this in my head here..
     
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  7. Dockbumper

    Dockbumper Road Train Member

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    What company are you with! Are you managing your clock well and picking up and delivering on time. Are they giving you load assignments on a regular basis, or are you sitting for a day or 2 at a time? With your history of "incidents" in such a short period of time, I suggest you speak to your Driver Manager about getting more miles. You mentioned you are on hometime. How often do you take hometime? These are all important questions. With only 3 months under your belt, you are probably operating very inefficiently, that is normal. It takes a minimum of 6 months to really get your legs under you. I WOULD NOT LEAVE at this point. Especially since you didn't tell this new company about your "mishaps" Your current company has an investment in you and have forgiven these things. A new company may drop you like a hot rock for one minor incident. My vote is stay put for the time being.
     
  8. DARKNIGHTRUCKER

    DARKNIGHTRUCKER Light Load Member

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    I checked today both my PSP report and my MVR (yet again) and nothing shows on either of those.

    This new company I'm considering has a tuition repayment plan that would pay off most of the school debt. I could pay off the rest of it in a couple good paychecks.
     
  9. Dockbumper

    Dockbumper Road Train Member

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    Who are you driving for now?
     
    LoveHateTrucking Thanks this.
  10. Dockbumper

    Dockbumper Road Train Member

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    Who is the new company? BTW.....You will have to tell them about your Incidents.....they will find out about them
     
  11. DARKNIGHTRUCKER

    DARKNIGHTRUCKER Light Load Member

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    Ahhh the split opinions!!! This is why i still haven't decided yet, my brain is just as undecided as the general consensus on my situation lol.

    Dont want to say the name of either company. Specifically for those two 100 and 200 paychecks, they had me sitting for the most part of two weeks. They were trynig to get me on a dedicated walmart account but the walmart kept telling me they didnt need any more dedicated drivers. I got frustrated after 2 hideous paychecks and told them to put my back OTR so I could at least make more than chickenfeed .

    They actually ended up putting me on some other dedicated account but it doesnt pay anywhere near as well as the walmart one. Basically the only good thing about it is they pay me for running 2000 miles a week if I dont get above that number , or they pay me for whatever miles i run if its above 2000 (i ran 2400 the week before i went on hometime).

    I go on hometime once a month. So every 4 to 6 weeks. ill be home for about 4 or 5 days. I'm willing to take one short check after a hometime week as a sacrifice for the time I get to spend at home tbh, that isn't the problem here . Its getting paid like #### for the weeks i do work is the problem.
     
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