The six-figure club.

Using UPS pay rates from 1986, on a 40 hour week a NEW driver should be making $1,700. On a 60 hour week they should make $2,900 - not counting benefits.

No matter how you slice it, we're earning less than the guys doing the same job 30 years ago.

 

On the other hand - traffic volume was less and the HOS were different. It's not harder or easier, it's just different.

 

Definitely different. I just needed to show 8 hours off a day. And while traffic volumes, both truck and cars, were noticeably less, the infrastructure on a whole was less developed.

 

Oh I'm not arguing that at all. I think I said on another post we'll never be paid what we're truly worth. Got cussed out and called lazy by the old timers.

 

There’s no real true way to properly evaluate it because much of it depends on your own personal beliefs and agenda. For some being out on the road away from home alone in this lifestyle is priceless. They probably do it for free. The pay is just a bonus. For others, they view it as a great sacrifice. Selling your soul out in a way. I kind of fall somewhere in the middle I think. Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing the right thing being away and alone most of my life when I probably got maybe a good 20 years left. Is this really what I wanna do type of thing But those decent weekly paychecks keep me rollin. I don’t ask for much, but if and when I do (aka a vacation, time off, etc) if I’m fed malarkey I might revaluate. Paychecks and money will come and go, your time on this planet and your time with your family does not. It’s here, then in a flash it’s gone. How do you wanna live your life? now that’s real inflation! lol

 

How strange! I'm certain that must be a coincidence...

 

Do you believe trucking is an addiction? I ask this because there are times when I'M nowhere near the truck but all I think about is being on the road. Like I'll be off, and I'll get bored and just call Central for a load.

 

Less addiction, more Stockholm syndrome.

 

Good point lol

 

Yeah, that’s definitely a real thing. I call it the three day itch. Once I’ve been home going into that third day. I typically want to get back out on the road. Even if I have stuff that I need to get done at home. Lol, but it’s a good thing to have, trust me. Think about what OTR work would be like if you were absolutely dreading going back out.