Your Opinion Counts - Calling all OTR Class A Drivers

-Late model well maintained equipment. With plenty of storage.

-A realistic pay scale. Not capping out at 40 cpm. And paid the miles it takes to run the load. Not movers guide.

-Honesty

-Realistic home time policy's. Home a weekend every other week is fine. If you do not get me to the house when expected then pay me extra to stay out, or at least ask first and make it an option. I will stay out longer for the right runs.

-Pay detention after 2 hours, every time. Shippers refusing to pay is a poor excuse, this should be in the contract.

-Layover pay of at least 100 dollars a day. We are paid to run freight, if we are sitting due to things beyond our control then we should be fairly compensated.

-Finish all background checks before we go to orientation. There is no reason any driver should ever be sent home from orientation after quitting the last job to come you your company. Only offer the job when you know 100% you can hire that person.

-Major holidays at home, or pay extra to stay out.

 

Where do I look for work?,.....I start with my business agent,..

What do I look for in a company?,....Strong Teamster Presence and a good contract,...

What incentives and perks?,.....A strong Union Contract,....

What motivates me?,....The best driver wages in the industry,....

What other things can you address?,.....I would imagine you see a theme here,....

 

All company drivers who have experienced the horrors of working for large trucking companies, would love to have a union job.

However, the reality is that union jobs are not available to everyone.

To the OP:

1) Paid for every hour you sit with no limit.

2) NEVER work for a company that doesn't have APU's. That disregard for driver welfare will permeate the entire company.

3) Two days per week off.

4) Experienced drivers know that a company who has to rely on recruiters is bad news. They are unable to attract and retain drivers.

Unfortunately, most young drivers have already been soured by working for big bottom feeders and nothing you say to them will restore their trust.

craigslist

Good luck

 

They can be available if you start Union organizing drives at the large otr companies,.....

 

• Where do you look for your CDL Class A Driver OTR and Local job opportunities? (i.e. standard local newspapers, websites, word of mouth, employee referrals).

Companies that don't advertise. This means lower driver turnover rates which in turn means their drivers are happy working there. Stay away from the mega-carriers! Any company that doesn't hire students or is recommended by a trucking school.

• What are some things you look for in a company that you would like to work for?

Good pay, talk to their drivers and see what's really going on there, decent equipment, personal needs like maybe pets, hometime issues, insurance etc...small to medium size companies that don't overload their dispatchers with too many drivers. I also call companies and see how long they put me on hold for.

• What incentives/perks would you like to have?

Sign on bonuses are nice. Safety bonuses, and kind of bonuses. If you are doing a good job, to be recognized or at the very least thanked for it. Pay for downtime and also instant per diem, for like food and hotel and taxi.

• Considering some locations are tough to drive in, what motivates you to take on that run, yet keeping yourself safe on the road?

I don't sweat the tough conditions, but when I call and tell you I need to shut it down I don't want to be hassled for it or if I am sick I don't need to go to a hospital to prove it! If the load we get is crappy that's fine but maybe chip us a little extra for doing it for you and not complaining. Also back to back crap especially when you are an O/O really makes us upset! While you are away from home for long periods of time you really want to make the best of it and when you start to get back to back crap loads it is like you are out there for nothing. (just trying to put a little perspective on it)

• What other things should I address??

I believe it should be a requirement for everyone single person at the company to have to ride with a trainer or driver for at least one week! I really think this would be a great benefit to the entire flow of the company. So many office people really have NO CLUE as to what we go through out there and it really frustrates drivers. I believe there would be many other benefits from this too. I want to back up Chromedome too, it is so unfair to bring drivers to orientation and then send them home because of something on their mvr, or dac or background. The only reasons a driver should be sent home from this point is a positive drug test or a failed road test. There is ABSOLUTELY no reason you can not take care of everything before they get to orientation! If they are sent home the recruiter should pay for their time and to get them back home. So many of these drivers make the orientation journey on their last dime and you literally kill them and their families when you do this! What is the reason for this? Because lying recruiters get paid for every head that they bring into orientation!!!! BULL****!!!! Knock it off! That is one of the main reasons I always recommend new drivers stay away from these mega companies! Treat people right, even though they are dirty, stinky truckers!

 

Mention the word UNION at a big company, you're fired. Some of them tell you that right off the bat. I started out with a big training company (they have orange trucks). That was one of the first things the trainers told us. On the QT of course, so any allegation of that would certainly be denied by management. Just like they deny abusing workers, etc.,

Funny how some of the most overworked and under-payed people hate the idea of a union. Never understood it. You hear that in trucking a lot, though.

I wonder how much O/O's hate unions now that all the imported drivers and unregulated broker practices have driven freight rates down to chicken feed in many places.

 

how do u make a new post insted of a blog???

 

Oh, for the love of Pete, here we go again.... *rolls eyes and quietly leaves the room*

 

nevermind folks i got it

 

I would add one thing to the above.

Get me home on time when I need to be home! If I only have 3 days at home, I have them planned to the minute with honey dos and appointments. Don't screw with my home time!
Be honest. Don't tell me I will be home more often than is realistic.