The "REAL" waiting times.

you only log 15minutes on line 4 but the rest of that 6 hours is at the same location on line 2.....so how would EBOR's help?

And if we were to log line 4 the whole time then you WOULD be shooting yourself in the foot lol



American Trucker

 

oh and im pretty sure president Osama could care less how much we sit.



American Trucker

 

Eobrs would help in very specific circumstances. If a driver does not start his/her day at the customer, either due to other engagements that morning or lack of parking at the customer's location, being detained would keep that driver from driving a full 11 hours due to the 14 hour rule. This, in turn, would put pressure from dispatch and or drivers on the customer.

The real solution to this problem as well as obliterating nearly all objections to eobrs would be to institute an hourly pay system. You want to talk about taking it in the ###? Just think of the overtime that every otr driver misses out on. Why is a driver not given the same considerations as other workers?

 

Hourly with overtime? I wish

Nothing in this industry makes me more angry than our pay. Professional Drivers fall under the unskilled labor laws and that's where we're really getting hosed.

I just don't get the definition either. You must complete a school and training and we are regulated by the feds but we're unskilled.

We are so unskilled that if we get out of the industry for a period of time we must then go back to school to be refreshed on how unskilled we are.

 

It is the way it is so shipping cost can closely be regulated. If you pay by the mile, you know what the carrier is going to get and what the driver is going to get. That opens doors for the shipper and receivers to do what they want. If the carrier was still paid by the mile and the driver by the hour, the carrier stands losing profits or the consumer ends up paying more for goods. In other words, we're the escape goats of the system. Besides you can get detention pay.

You could look at it even further and if DOT is going to extend our work day with an inspection, they should be responsible for paying for our time. Wouldn't that be nice? Get pulled over, they hand you a ticket and you hand them a bill, lol. Mike Tyson would say that is ludicrous.

I don't see anything changing anytime soon. Look at waitresses. Long ago, they were making killer money with tips. The gov't stepped in then and said this isn't right, we're paying to much for meals. We'll amend the labor laws for them too so they make closer to peasant wages.

I knew what I was getting into when I got into this business. For me, being at the shipper, means I'm about to run my arse off. I'll gladly use the time for sleep. Being at the receiver usually means I just got done running my arse off. I'll gladly use the time for sleep. Make the best of the situation and it doesn't seem that bad.

2-3 months of truck training is hardly comparable to a 4 year college degree. We do get screwed on the docks. But when you are rolling you make $22-$23 an hour. That makes up for the free stuff we do. The key is to keep rolling. As long as you are making around $50k, I would be happy. I might even shovel camel dung for that.

 

Well now don't get me wrong I'm one of these that thinks we should be paid for sleeping. My beef is that I am making the same yearly as what I was 10 years ago.

10 years in a industry of being away from our families one would think you would make a bit more. I just hate being labeled as "unskilled labor".

Sure when I got in the industry I knew I would not be home every night. But can you honestly say you would of got in if someone told you that in 10 years you will still be making the same money?

I guess let me clarify my first 3 years were low with a bad company. But from my 4th year until now is 10 years and as I said I make the same now as I did 10 years ago.

Inflation has drove prices of everything up. Not to mention a dollar taco cost a dollar thirty if the taco bell is at a truck stop.

Yes I make around 50k a year but after this long of doing it with no problems.

Am I wrong for expecting more?

Am I wrong for not wanting to be classified in the "Unskilled Labor" category which allows places to not pay me for my time when they make a error or use my time?

 

Its market forces at work. If enough people are willing to do the job for x then there is no incentive for companies and shippers to pay more or give a crap about detention. I am not a big fan of govt. regulation but I do think since they are all about limiting and regulating a drivers work time then there should be a provision for detention pay as well including a clause that states the driver must be compensated. Since I pull a reefer they will probably do this and then exempt agricultural commodities!!!!

 

You got it right. The only problem is that truck drivers have been "bending the rule" and not showing those waiting time as on duty to allow them to drive more. thus allowing shipper and consignee to continue to hold drivers without getting hit financially.

If all truck drivers out there would be running 100% legal , the shippers would face a shortage of truck available to pick up their overnight loads. Forcing them to increase their rate to attract more companies or O/O's that would have refused to haul because of lack of detention pay or cheap rates.

They will then have 2 options.
1. Reduce detention time by being more efficient.
and/or
2. Pay drivers a Detention pay for each hours waiting to be loaded.

Both of them will benefit the drivers. But drivers still and will continue to bend those rules to work more and being paid less.

Market price is supply and demand driven , if the supply (i.e. drivers) bends the rules to be more available, then don't complain about rates being cheap.

my 2 cents.