Toxic work politics

A big recession is coming, worse than 2008. Drivers will have job security, esp at LTL companies, Martin Brower, Private Grocery Fleets. Those jobs, Union or not, provide work life balance, and you still get to drive. The Happiest drivers I know, work for UPS (doubles) Federated Coop (City/LCV/Tanker) and XTL (Costco Account).

I hear you on life passing by my 6-7 years of driving flew by while I was OTR, it was a cool adventure tho, 47 states and everything West of New Brunswick. Then I found work life balance, first in my dedicated run to Texas/Arizona, and then LCV dedicated was a DREAM. I would still be doing it, if we had company LCV trucks. But the opportunity to dump my equipment for a profit, then move into the office at the request of the owner was too good to pass up. I will say tho, I'm really close to asking to run a Day Cab, working in and office or construction site or shop surrounded by people all day; really makes you miss driving.

Don't try to plan the rest of your life, things are too volatile these days, 5 year plans my dude, maybe 10.

 

Go union. Get in when you're young. I loved trucking when I was young too. Now I hate it. I'm just doing it for the money now.

 

I might be getting into hauling garbage myself already had a company call me monday . $28-$30 a hr ,day shift ,mon-friday and I get my own truck and trailer .Only problem is i’m having a heck of a time leaving where i’m at now because besides the low pay the up and down work loads I have it good . In recession times I don’t think any driver is really safe unless maybe you have 15-20 years in with a union shop or decent ltl company and you’re at the top of seniority list . Have to remember in bad times people will stop eating out and will only buy what they really need to survive .I can even see MB And ltl companies get real slow . Being the new guy on the bottom at a union shop or seniority based company could be bad with the recession that everyones predicting because you will be the first to be laid off . biggest problem with living in Canada is what ever happens in the usa has a huge effect on us here north of the boarder . I hope everyone’s wrong but all the know it alls are saying we’re headed for a real bad recession one we haven’t seen in years . I would be real cautious making a move in the next year or so you don’t want to end up being laid off with no work . I would try to get into something that no matter what happens you will still have a job ei hauling fuel ,garbage or groceries

 

Talking about the trades , I had a buddy work for a plumbing company while he was doing his apprenticeship. He got totally screwed over because the company never registered him with the college of trades . So he goes to humber to finish his last years of schooling before he can take the final test to become licensed and finds out he can’t take the test because the company he worked for never registered him or put in his hrs because you need so many before you can be licensed. worse part is that Doug ford got rid of the collage of trades so when he was dealing with them to figure out what he had to do he got the run around. college of trades would say because ford got rid of us it’s the ministry who you need to talk to and the ministry would say u need to deal with the college of trades . He got so feed up he got out of plumbing and went into heavy equipment and now works for water marker installing water softeners and what not . Lesson learned double check if in the trades your boss actually registered you

 

YEP! this happens a lot. To take it even a step further, make sure your foreman is filling out your "Blue Book" every month, and you take it into the trades office to have your file "updated" at least quarterly. When Concept Electric went under in Calgary (The Biggest Electrical Contractor in Alberta) ALOT of guys didn't get their blue books back from the office OR the ####### foreman, once they knew the company was dead, simply tore up/burned the blue book of anyone they didn't like.

I've even heard stories of companies, making up fake Trade Enrollment letters, and filling out blue books with BS. Then when it's time to go to school, people find out they were never registered.

 

No harm not knowing what you want do, I'm 52 and still wonder if I have sorted it. Have always worked for myself after tapping 20 and have done all right for the dumb arse I was at school. Also you have one life, so if you want to work 5 months and take 1 off, more power to you brother. I was always taking unpaid leave as an apprentice tradie, and you will not die wishing you spent more time at work, I promise you. Its being happy with less is the trick.

Jump ship for sure, as others have said life is too short for whinging unhappy people at work. Just understand when you jump it may take a few attempts to land on the green patch. Expect that and don't let it put you off, especially as the economy may get choppy for a spell. You will get used or cheated most likely, but its all life experiences which go into working out what you like, want, and willing to pursue. Embrace change, don't fear it, or fight it; just treat it with respect.

 

Unions are a joke. Paying for the privilege of working. They should have disappeared 60 years ago.

Work a year, maybe 2 if you're lucky. First sign of trouble, goodbye everyone with less than 5 years seniority.

Now you have a choice, take up temp work and scrape by, hoping they call you back before the layoff becomes permanent or just move on.

 

While this slow down is happening, go back to school and get a trade. Your a young guy. Get your electrical ticket, do your apprenticeship. Get a van and a sign and go make $100k+ every year.
I kick my ### for not doing it when I was your age. Worked for an electrical company and was suppose to challenge the test and didnt do it. I still know more than most electricians, but no red seal.
Trucking is a dying industry.