Driver Shortage?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by buzzarddriver, Aug 2, 2021.

  1. bentstrider83

    bentstrider83 Road Train Member

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    I'm a little leery of those Indeed job review postings. They've got heavy screening guidelines for the more thorough posts for particular companies(tried making one for a few previous companies and they outright told me they were borderline slander posts). Whilst the ones that look like no proofreading or self editing was done and look like they were written by a first grader come through like a fog through a screen door.

    At that point, it's all about hitting up as many drivers from a company in person and getting the details from them. Usually the in-person, fuel island debrief yield a little better understanding as far as how badly they're hurting for people and what their work environment is like.
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2021
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  3. mustang190

    mustang190 Road Train Member

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    Actually there is a Truck Driver shortage, but no shortage of steering wheel holders.
    Not to mention that the big guys are salivating over the thought of all those potential drivers crossing the Rio Grand as we speak.
     
  4. FFL Trucker

    FFL Trucker Light Load Member

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    I disagree with you there, I quit a fuel hauling gig that paid $35/hr because I could only get about 40-50 hrs a week. About $1500 a week to haul fuel around, I could easily make the same amount of money hauling dry van so why take the risk?

    Funnily enough the best money I ever made was working a job that paid $22/hr, 100 hrs a week makes a lot of difference. Unfortunately trucking isn't like any other job where I can just have 2 jobs if I want too, at least not legally so the one trucking job I have has to pay enough.

    I'd rather sit at home and not work than take #### pay, the reason why I'm able to do that is because I've always turned down sht pay. Meanwhile the guy that was training me to haul fuel basically lived paycheck to paycheck, and ran out of money one day so I watched him eat a whole box of cookies which was his food rations for the day. ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️
     
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  5. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Road Train Member

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    I just posted this in response to a reporter in another post, and it is 100% true.

    About four months ago I decided I had to change jobs. Filled out 50-60 applications, made several phone calls, responded to several adds - of those 4-6 responded back! NO BS. There is no shortage.

    I am not going to toot my own horn, but there is exactly NO legitimate reason any employer could not hire me. The shortage is just BS.

    Read the OP"s article and it is quite clear there are political motivations behind the 'driver shortage.'
     
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  6. VA CDL Holder

    VA CDL Holder Medium Load Member

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    There is only a shortage of pay. I heard on the “news” there’s a cop shortage too, I wonder why?

    Trucking wages are always in a race to the bottom. Just wait until they let the “undocumented” start driving. That will be the final death blow to a once mediocre job. Don’t think it can happen? Doesn’t matter to me, as in the last 14 months, all I see is a doubling down on crazy every where.
     
  7. Midwest Trucker

    Midwest Trucker Road Train Member

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    Anyone that says no driver shortage has never hired a driver before.
     
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  8. bentstrider83

    bentstrider83 Road Train Member

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    I'd definitely go with the $1500/week job with the 40-50 hours. Of course I'd also like to make sure it's not going to be in one of the cities I have to keep swearing off due to overblown rental costs.

    I also wonder how that trainer was budgeting their money? Sounds like someone with multiple kids and some stay-at-home spouse/partner.

    $22/hr and a hundred hours week is good for those that want it. If it follows overtime rules and gets you that time and a half, along with some not so expensive benefits, then all the better. Of course I would honestly only do that temporarily. Pay off the pickup and buy a house with rooms to rent out to continue generating a passive income.

    But once I hit my goal, back to that 40/50 hour thing and having whatever I consider a life......PARK LIFE!!!

     
  9. roundhouse

    roundhouse Road Train Member

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    There would be no shortage if the pay was significantly increased.

    long hours ,
    No overtime pay. No pay for sitting in traffic jams, no decent pay for waiting at a shipper or receiver. No pay for fueling or waiting for tires to be repaired or waiting for the oil change .

    if you paid $30-35 an hour with overtime and got paid for every hour that you were sitting in the drivers seat , with OT after 40 , double time after 60, there would be no shortage of qualified applicants.
     
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  10. Midwest Trucker

    Midwest Trucker Road Train Member

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    So, you are saying drivers should make roughly 160 to 175k per year and higher? I agree that would certainly help with the driver shortage. Thing is some owner ops don’t even gross that much as their entire revenue.
     
  11. Midwest Trucker

    Midwest Trucker Road Train Member

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    Import more foreigners and illegals. Keep rates suppressed. That’s what the megas do and will do.
     
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