Truck Drivers Need To Wake Up!!!!

I posted something similar to this on another thread. Working for local companies LTL only for myself, Like UPS UPS/Freight, Conway, Fed/Ex, Holland, Roadway, ABF, and a few more, I know the Yellow Roadway deal, but You ONLY get these jobs, by starting at the Bottom, Yes You will be a Bottom Feeder, but, for a limited time, until you work your way up the SENIORITY LIST, (all caps). because it is the life line, in a Great company as I said. Once you establish Seniority, you will get a route one day, Then sit back and look at your paycheck, How`s a $100,000 a year sound, home every Day or Night providing shift. No weekends, Buy a $500,000 home, $37,000 P/U, Take very good care of your family, Have a great savings account, Ect...
Yes it can be done working for the above posted companies. But, if You can NOT maintain a PERFECT driving record. Need not apply. How many years you are driving, and HOW you conduct your self behind that wheel, Is Everything. You have to seek these companies, not hard to do. Just think about every moment behind that wheel, am I safe, No tickets, or accidents. Then when you apply at all these companies, the phones WILL ring, and doors will open. these jobs are not given, they are Earned.

 

To achieve $100,000 a year in my job would not involve logging anything like the legal limit (or doing it), and until I started working for my present company, I would have passed their vehicles without a second glance. I started working for them thinking, "Oh, well. I was looking for a job when I found this one. If it doesn't pan out, I could always go back OTR."

I have been asked by my boss to try and find more drivers, GOOD drivers who won't reflect badly on me when they hit the road and start dealing with OUR customers.

Sorry, but you are not going to find those lucrative positions without doing some sniffing around. Obviously they exist, but I wouldn't have had a clue where to find one until I landed one, purely by chance.

There is a downside. Maybe you don't like chaining up two axles in six inches of mud, and then throwing a steer chain on too, dealing with safety, safety, safety until you are convinced that everyone thinks you are stupid, being a couple hundred miles from the nearest blacktop, driving on "roads" that are going to be a bottomless swamp in a few weeks time, working in areas that could go to lethal concentrations of hydrogen sulfide at any second etc. etc.

 

I agree with what you are saying about Life is what you make it.....I totally agree, and I did make it what I wanted by moving to where I did. It is close to where I grew up and I still have several family members around the area. Just not much jobs or pay to choose from around here.

I don't expect to make CEO money without being CEO. I do agree with some of the other posts about needing to be a little more transparent. I think that the higher-ups do forget that it IS the drivers(and employees in general) that are making them all this money that pays for their cars and houses. I just feel that they forget that sometimes and take it for granted.

You didn't exactly post right back to me, but I read into it a little and picked out some things related to what I was saying. I just want to be able to make it "worth my time" to be away from my wife and kids and family. I love to drive, but want to be compensated for missing out on so much. But I also realize that "worth my time" number is different for every driver....JMHO.

 

I made the mid 30's working as a salaried recruiter when I did it. Ain't worth the headaches from the office BS.

 

No one is holding a gun to an employee's head! If the employee can better themself by moving on then I guess it's time to pack their bags.

Everyone seems to forget (or they are ignorant to the fact) that when someone built that company chances are there were monies borrowed with personal guarantees attached. Maybe the CEO went with out when times were tough. I'll bet the family went without him because of business more than once.

If you want to share in the profits do what ownership did/does and "get some skin in the game".

 

Members of the TCU, who work in dispatching, pull in $15 an hour starting, tops of $23.78 an hour. That's for both Freightrail, and Truck Dispatchers who're apart of it.

Load Planners who work both Trains, and Trucks. (like figuring out what goes on a train, and what goes on what trucks once it gets to destination) is $24 starting, tops at $30 an hour.

For the IUOE/Teamsters (Construction guys) Starting drivers pull in Apprentice Wages set per their trade. However, the Foreman is responsible (at least a Foreman I know personally who works the Equipment Operators and Truck Drivers on the site he works) for the load plans, dispatching, etc. etc.

First line Foreman makes 15% above Journey-level wage. Second line makes 20% above Journey-Level Wage. and the Top Foreman in charge of the entire operation pulls in 25% above Journey-Level Wage. Journey-level wage for joint IUOE and Teamster areas. (guys in charge of dealing with the Equipment Operators, Equipment Mechanics, and Truck Drivers) is based off of Equipment Operator Journeyman wage.

All said and done, highest wage (assuming the person is not in charge of cranes, etc. ) is 53.13 an hour. Which is the guy responsible for the entire operation all-together.

And this is union based wages. A Private Company, or a Corp, wouldn't pay that much for some guy pickin gloads and choosing what trucks go where.

At least not without being Gov/Union from what I'm understanding speaking with people, and looking at what they have going.

Military Contractors could easily pull off those wages though.

 

Right... Not that I would ever voice my opinon but I will on this topic..lol..


I'm taking a year out of the truck so I literally won't be driving unless I choose to do so and I'll still be making more than the "dispatchers" or white shirts as we call them.. I'm taking a 30-40K pay whack for 2011 and will still make more than the "dispatchers"..

 

I am getting 2.25-3.50 a mile, depending on what im pulling.

And it will suprise you all how im doing it.