How many times have you switched jobs

7 years driving now and with my 2nd company and it's a good one.

 

drivers can get blamed for everything unless you garner a reputation of standing up for yourself and being a very “matter-of-fact kind of guy“. And this is something I tell new drivers you absolutely have to learn how to do in this industry. I’ve learned early on in trucking that if you let people step on you in this industry, they’re going to do it 100% of the time. Even nice people will do it. Dispatchers being another example. “Oh the driver was late he overslept“. No you gave me a mathematically impossible load to run and I told you about it but you said run it anyhow. Lol I’ve been through that story I don’t know how many times. I always tell my dispatchers if a load is mathematically possible I’ll run it. I’ll give it my best shot. If it’s not? I’m gonna throw it in your face each and every time. So do your math before you push the send button.

 

still fairly new(4 yrs) and I've been through 3.
first was OTR. was getting terrible miles to the point my average paycheck was $800. not worth staying out a month for that
second had absolute garbage trucks. had 3 tractor break downs and 4 major trailer problems all within 2 weeks of being there. also was a dirty, physical job. my highest check was $700.
third was alright. I just didn't like that we only had Sunday off. no flexibility for days off. I did that for 2 years and got burnt out trying to make 1 day off work. no time to do anything.
Been at current job for 6months now and I'm already eye balling something else. I'm going to keep hopping until something sticks. there is no reason to stay miserable at a job out of a sense of loyalty.

 

The heck with that noise. That’s old school scheduling, “you get one day off for every seven days out“. They need to get up to speed. Most trucking companies are now offering some pretty serious flexibility with days off. Rule of thumb now should be at least a 7/2 ratio. What’s the point of spending a week living in a truck half a day to get home and half a day to get back when you only got one day off? That’s no life at all. When trucking companies operate this way I hope they go out of business and I hope everybody quits that works for them. It’s terrible. It’s modern day slavery. End of story.

 

Kwik Trip is advertising store delivery drivers that are 4 days on 2 off. That's an extra 2 weeks off for the year. Plus 2 weeks vacation.

 

What kept you at a mega for that long?

 

probably got too comfortable. I imagine that's the only reason anyone would stay at a mega starter company for that long. hopefully being there that long they're making big bucks

 

My dad worked for one company for 40 some years as a driver.

Me? 20 or so in 30 some. I have been an O-O leased to landstar for the last 5, so 19 in 25 or so. 2 of them were for 3 year stints, and 1 for 2 years. So now Im down to 16 in 18 or so years. One of them was 1 day. One (or 2) were a week. One was 3 weeks....

I dont tolerate B.S. or being lied to.

 

Been at the same place for almost eight years now. Prior to 2015, five different places between 2005 and 2015. Thinking about making the jump to fuel hauling though, so I'm being cautious about which place to jump to next to keep the number low.