$ per hour worked..

Hotel/motel much different than sleeping in a fiberglass box. Did the company hollar at you for turning up the heat in the winter/AC in the summer? I'm sure meals were paid on account...plus a free continental breakfast. Hotel/motel is the only time you shouldn't be paid, less driving to/from work also.

But this is all a moot point. People on this board go hog-wild over living out of that little cave behind their seats. Never seen a bunch like this...high-fiving each other over penny raises. Another guy bragging about $10 tarp-pay.

 

I've been in the military. Never was in combat so I don't pretend to know what that stress is like. Was stationed overseas for a year at one point. Have to say that being an OTR truck driver is by far, the most stressful job I've ever had.

 

Too soon. Before you posted, you should have done a bit more research. You should have done a poll to see the number of drivers who are either ex-military, retired ex-military, ex-law enforcement and retired ex-law enforcement. I'd estimate that 40-50% of all drivers have served in the military or in law enforcement.

Oh...those guys. Well quite a few of them came from the military into trucking. Shocking isnt it! If THATS true, then that means that theres a really good chance that you know absolutely nothing about either.

Your're not one of those people who give expert opinions on things in which they know nothing about, are you? You know...like Oprah and Dr Phil? Or one of those guys that read espionage books and go around telling people they are former deep undercover operatives? Or the guy that hangs out at the donut shops listening to cop stories then goes out and buys a crown vic so you can fit in?

Attention rookies and driverwannabes: If you are interested in trucking, always keep in mind that in and around trucking are a bunch of people that cant cut the mustard/ never could cut the mustard/ never could pass a DOT physical type people that are going to attempt to pass themselves off as some sort of expert and give you advice. Its like going to someone that hasnt reach puberty for marriage counselling. I give to you as an example, Paddington. Imitation. Never was. Fraud. Conman. Blue collar Oprah.

 

Well I made some points, but nobody replied to them, so...

I really don't understand why you are complaining about something that is commonplace in the trucking industry. This IS life on the road. Living out of the truck. Thats why the sleeper is back there. Lots of people take their truck (company or owned) and customize the inside as it IS their home away from home so that it is comfortable enough to live in. You have a 14 hour work day as a driver and most often I would feel safe to assume that is almost always taken up by OTR drivers each day. After that, you have 10 hours to rest, meaning get a meal...whatever. You hop in the back to sleep, not to make muffins and arc-weld. You are paid to move (aka DRIVE) the freight, not to sleep; NOR should you get paid to sleep.

Granted, you are responsible for the truck, trailer and freight, but how hard is it to lock the trailer doors, and park somewhere somewhat secure? If you can't plan your route accordingly so you can park somewhere safe and secure to the point where you worry about your truck all the time, then maybe you aren't doing your job and should go back to any one of the big companies two week schools where they cover this important topic in about 10 minutes.

I guess its because you are only concerned about getting paid for not working while others are talking about the actual realities of the job and what it is in the real world. A penny raise is...still a raise isn't it? Im a former teacher so let me use some basic elementary math for you. Lets say a driver only drives 100k a year...a really crappy year. at 40 cents a mile, thats grossing 40k before taxes. Not too bad. If all he got was a one cent raise...thats another 1 grand he made. Thats a 2.5% raise; which is actually PRETTY darned good compared to what many other people get for raises. My wife is a teacher and she just got a 3% raise which is darned near unheard of in school districts. But yeah...keep whining about that 'penny raise' because five penny raises over the course of five years adds up to be 15 thousand extra dollars over the course of those five years. And THATS WITH only driving 100k miles.

 

What percentage of people actually stay in the military to retirement ? Your ignorance includes being unaware of how many people in the military were not allowed after 14 -16 years service . You don't seem aware that some hardnosed CO in the military can get you busted several pay grades . Where in the trucking industry do you take that much of a pay cut ?
Health issues ? How bout permanent hearing damage from exposure to gunfire and explosions ? Agent Orange has been linked to prostate cancer ? How many vets have PTSD ?
A kid gets to know a parent that has deployments over a year ?
Showers ? Maybe if you have a bar of soap when it rains when your are in the field in combat months at a time .
Anyone with brains stays away from trucking . So what about your posts about driving for mail contractor ?
I've never read such a bunch of nonsense in my life .

 

Not to bad???,.....Ha!!!,...

I'll make more if I only work 8 hours a day,...And I get to go home every night,.......

For those that don't want to line in a rolling prison there are options,....But ya have to have a good record and keep your nose clean,...

 

It all depends. I think 40k isn't too bad right now with the way things are going. I work right now a total of 8 hours a day on one week and 7 the next and Im going to make right around 40. And that's on a dedicated account. If I got my hazmat and tanker endorsements, I could make about 70k with other local companies.

 

I would kill for 40k a year, I made about that at my last job and being laid off for over a year, I've applied at over 200 companies and only have had 3 interviews, I never miss work (could confirm with my last employers) and am a healthy young guy. Sometimes people don't realize just how bad it is out there. To laugh at 40k around my area in western PA is crazy.

 

Oh yeah in WPA. I mentioned at the Country Fair in Warren that my last check was only 1200 for two weeks (take home) and people looked at me like I was nuts. lol

 

Yeah this area is a great area to live, I love it to death, and hope to never have to move. The area also has a high unemployment rate, and to get the good jobs (plants, mills, driving, etc) you have to be somebodys brother or son.