Driver Shortage !!!!!!

He's only saying that because it's true.

OK...So the "average driver" makes crappy money at the big bottom feeder carriers.
There are plenty of drivers making a pretty decent living at those same carriers, So how do we explain that?
What's the difference between the guy that makes a good living at a carrier and the guy that just can't seem to make it?

I can guarantee you that the guy that "can't seem to make it" is probably the same guy that "can't seem to make it" anywhere and just doesn't seem to get the fact that in order for a person to make a good living they have to participate in the process on a little higher level than just showing up and doing the minimum required to not get fired.

Generally these things that I highlited are exactly what's required to rise to the top of the potential earning power of any job.

Too many people these days immediately place themselves in an adversarial relationship with the company as soon as they start working there and then can't seem to figure out why they have trouble getting the miles/money that they need to make it

It is usually not in the interest of a carrier to "screw" a good driver and cause him to leave...However, The definition of a "good driver" is subjective.
Most drivers think that they are "good drivers" when in fact many of them aren't worth a ####! These self proclaimed "good drivers" will cost the company money unecessarily on a daily basis because of the "It's not my truck" attitude that is so prevalent in this business.
The miles are usually out ther but the miles that are out there are usually given to the best driver available and the "less desirable" drivers are relegated to the task of picking up the leftovers.

Because of the fact that we are out here everyday watching these morons repeatedly do stupid crap that costs companies thousands of dollars.

I used to have 3 trucks...Do you know why I now only have 1 truck?

I got sick of the constant expenses that "good drivers" generate in the form of damage to the trucks, trailers & customer relations. I paid my drivers top dollar and let them run the truck like it was their own and yet I would get reports that a driver was selling fuel or equipment because they "ran out of money" or some other such nonsense.

I had drivers show up at customers and cause so many problems with "attitude" that I was told to "Never send that driver back here"...Guess what?
That driver would be terminated instantly upon his return to the yard and then...I would hear the stories about how he would tell anybody that would listen that I "screwed him" and "fired him for no reason".

So I decided to can the drivers and sell the other trucks because as the old saying goes....Drivers are the worst thing about the trucking industry!

Sorry....That dog don't hunt either!

We have a situation in the world these days of people having a sense of "being entitled' to whatever they want/need...The "work ethic" seems to be an antiquated idea that has no place in this modern day "me first" society.
You pay most of these clowns by the hour and you'll be broke in a matter of weeks because they'll just stand around taking their time at everything because "Hey, I don't care how long it takes, I'm paid by the hour."

Be honest....We've all heard those words many times!

Really?

I've seen very little evidence of that.

If a driver tends to drive like an ###....Paying him by the hour will not cure that he will just be an hourly paid ###.

The "old days of seeing the country" never really existed! This has always been a tough job and has always been very competitve...Even though it's a bit more competitive these days.
You wanna see the country?
Buy your own truck and then you'll have the option of doing what you want to when you're parked somewhere.

It isn't easy! It never has been! Why does everyone these days seem to think that they're entitled to have things without busting their ### to get them?
You want your kids to be well educated and well behaved? You have to paticipate wholeheartedly in that process!
You want a nice house with a white picket fence? You have to go out and bust your ### to "earn it"!

Guys like myself and GMan have paid our dues! We set goals and sacraficed and worked ###### hard to get to where we are today!
Nobody handed us anything!

Some people are just not "goal oriented" and don't posess the drive or discipline to get to where others can....That's just life!
Nobody owes you or anyone else anything. If you want it, Go get it...If you can't figure out how to get it then in my opinion, You don't want it bad enough!

Time are tough!
Times were tough when I started too! People have always lived paycheck to paycheck...That's how my dad lived!
I didn't want to be that way when I entered the work force so I set goals early and took the risks required to either get to where I wanted to be or fail and start over.

Attitudes such as ours don't give drivers the image of being lazy, filthy, lowlife, slobs...Drivers being lazy, filthy, lowlife, slobs do that!

 

There are jobs available in most areas. It may not be the ideal job, but there are still jobs. Things are difficult. There will always be ups and downs to life. It is part of the learning process. It isn't my attitude that keeps the image of drivers as a lowlife slob. It is the lowlife slobs that are part of this business. As I stated before, I don't have a poor image of most drivers, but I see more and more who have a poor work ethic, bad manners and are generally discourteous. This is an honorable profession. I would like to see some of those get out of the business. We used to help one another and were courteous. Everyone has financial difficulties from time to time. Some of us save for rainy day. If you are earning $30-35,000 and living from paycheck to paycheck then you are spending too much money. It would do you more good to learn how to manage your money. Some people who work on minimum wage will save a little something out of every paycheck. Others can earn $1 million a year and still be broke. And before you tell me that you cannot save anything on minimum wage, I have worked on minimum wage and still managed to save something out of every paycheck.

 

Things have been difficult for all of us the last 2 1/2 years. Things will always be difficult at times. That is why you prepare for the hard times. If you have a CDL, good driving record and CSA score, then you should have NO trouble finding a job. There have been a lot of people who have had to make a career change. They have had to do it even prior to this last recession. Remember the IT bust? Sometimes life throws us curves. We need to learn how to deal with whatever comes our way. Startup businesses have a high failure rate. According to some statistics 9 our of every 10 startups fail. Starting a business is NO guarantee of success. Like everything else in life, you need to prepare before sticking your neck out. If you want to go to school, there are grants available. You can also save your money and take one class at a time until you complete your degree. It is now possible to obtain your degree online. I have noticed a number of people doing just that while on the road. They do their assignments when they take their breaks. There are also other things that pay well that you can do which doesn't require a degree. Find something that you enjoy and make a plan to achieve your goal. You sound as though you feel you are in a rut with no way out. There is always a way out. You need to sit down and think about what you want to do with your life. Maybe it is driving, perhaps it is something entirely different. Some of the most successful people in our history have failed repeatedly. Abe Lincoln and JC Penny are a couple who come to mind. You may have set backs, but you will NEVER really fail until you give up. I never said that getting a truck was easy. But, if that is what you want to do, then you need to find a way to get it. And I don't mean by a lease purchase. Not everyone should buy a truck. Not everyone is a good manager or good when it comes to running a business. I have known a lot of successful drivers. Just because you don't own a truck or own the company doesn't mean that you cannot be successful. And I have not been hiding under a rock. I have been fighting to keep my business running and making a profit under the most challenging times that I have witnessed during my time on this planet. I have survived many ups and downs in my life and am still here. I didn't survive by hiding under a rock.

 

How about if we agree to disagree then- I don't want this thread shut down as I think it's very important and you both make good points. We are all entitled to our opinions.

 

thanks all there is some fine reading here, im going to shut up and say nothing.

 

Well one of the biggest issues today & not completely trucking is that too many people want to sit on their arse and collect a paycheck. There never has been and never will a problem with someone who works hard day in & day to earn a well deserved paycheck to support themselves and/or their families. This country as a whole has just flat out gotten the lazy attitude. Yes a lot of us today don't make what we would like to make but that's just a result of economics these days. In my opinion if you work hard to achieve your goals you will appreiciate what you will have a lot more than someone who won't work for a living and is handed everything in life.

 

There is NO driver shortage!

There is NO shortage of driving jobs!

HOWEVER, there IS a shortage of GOOD drivers,
AND
a definite shortage of GOOD DRIVING JOBS!!!

Let's be honest.
The OTR job sucks!

The demands of the job, long boring days, extended time from friends and family, crappy food choices, no real exercise, constant stress, lack of sleep, irregular sleep schedule, no predictable pay, uncooperative shippers/recievers, reckless 4 wheelers, etc...

FOR ME, IT JUST WASN'T WORTH THE WAGES I WAS BEING PAID!!!


For every good day, I had a week of crappy days.

For every good paycheck, I had a month of crappy checks!

My Grandfather had a saying: "Life is like a CRAP sandwich, THE MORE BREAD you have, THE LESS CRAP you have to taste!"

If I were paid better, I would have put up with alot more crap!!!

Doesn't matter to me anymore. I get paid by the hour now. I've been paid CPM, percentage, salary, commission, and hourly. I prefer hourly!!!

At least I get paid FOR EVERY SINGLE THING I DO!!!

I also know what I am making, I dont have to monitor my employer and double check every paycheck to make sure he didn't screw me. I dont feel like I am being taken advantage of by working for free, or being asked, expected, or required to work beyond the legal limits or the limits of my endurance. I also work more safely, take my time and actually do a real pretrip every day, (Don't tell me you do, because I know better!). I don't feel rushed, I don't take stupid chances. Most importantly, I don't feel STRESS!!!

WHY???

BECAUSE I GET PAID BY THE HOUR!!!




In case you didn't read my profile, I have been driving for over 16 years!
Hardly a newbie.

 

I like OTR and feel that I am well paid for my time, but I don't put cheap freight on my truck. I have found some places that do have good food. I find that most shippers and consignee's treat me as well as I treat them. When I show them respect they reciprocate. Of course, I do try to be neat and not smell too bad when I come in to their shipping office. I do run across one who has had a bad day from time to time, but for the most part I am well received.

I enjoy driving. I have seen this country many times and still find something new that I may have missed. There is always something to enjoy in this great land of ours. Each state is a little different. I find it difficult to sleep more than 5 or 6 hours. It gives me a bad headache to sleep to much. With the extra time I can check my email and some of the trucking websites or check to see what freight is doing in a particular area. It gives me a little time to do some planning, have a few cups of coffee and perhaps a good omelet for breakfast. I have done some of my best thinking while driving. It is a good way to clear the cobwebs. I kind of like the solitude. Cell phones make it easy to stay in touch while on the road. I have several friends that I speak with several times a week.

There are hassles with every job. Life is pretty much what you make of it. You get what you put into it. I have always earned a good living in this business. I have a good education and many years experience running companies. I could do something else. I CHOOSE to do this. I have a good friend who ran other companies and he runs his own authority. He could have done something else. He CHOSE to buy a truck and run his own trucking company. He earns a good living and is home almost every weekend. In fact, lately it seems that he only works about 4 days a week and still earns a very good living. Another friend leases his truck to another carrier. He also manages to get home most weekends. He does very well and is happy with his chosen profession. He saved his money to pay down on his first truck and now drives a nice 379 Peterbilt. He grossed over $50,000 the first quarter to the truck. He grossed $176,000 last year. He was concerned about having to pay too much taxes this year. I would not be surprised if he does $200,000 this year. Not too bad. He works hard and enjoys life. Another friend has his Master's Degree and is a former college professor. We have been friends for many years. He prefers driving his own truck and running his authority to being in a classroom. He has had some difficult times, but still enjoys this business. In fact, he is one of the most passionate people about this business that I know in this industry. All of us enjoy the lifestyle of OTR. We all work hard and earn a decent living. Perhaps it is our attitude. When you have a positive attitude things seem to go a lot better. Everyone has a bad day every now and then. That is just the way it is with life. Things do not always run smoothly. There will be bumps along the way. When things don't go as planned you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and push forward.

 

It sucks for you Dave....But it doesn't suck for everyone, That's what you don't seem to get.
I love this work! I always have and I have always made very good money at it as well and there are many, many guys that like me, Make good money and love this work.

There again....It's your perception and experience that give you this opinion which you constantly try to talk everyone else into having.
Sorry it didn't work out for you but that has not been my perception or experience.

Good for you Dave....Seriously.

I get paid for every single thing I do as well Dave...I pay myself and my business makes money on top of that.
I would go completely insane if I ever had to work at an hourly job and sit at home every night watching TV and listening to the kids scream and the dog farting as he sleeps on the floor next to the couch.

Besides....I couldn't stand to take the pay cut.

Nor do many of us....

How do YOU know what I or any other responsible driver does or dosen't do?

Because YOU didn't do it?
You're assuming that everyone is as irresponsible as you used to be (and many are) but not all of us...Not by a long shot!

I don't get paid by the hour...I'd bet that I net 3 times what you do in taxable income after everything is paid, saved, repaired, maintained and done at the end of the year...Running over the road!
Yeah, I'm an O/O, I make a very good living and I completely enjoy my work!

If people choose to drive for a company, They can make good money as well. There are plenty of guys making $50,000, $75,000 and better driving company trucks but they're not the ones coming to this site and cryin' 'cause they couldn't make it as a "big time professional trucker" for whatever reason they come up with.

This work is not for everybody! If you are the right type for it and settle in with a company that gets to know your ways and knows what they can expect out of you consistantly, You'll probably make it out here and like me, enjoy your work and be successful at it.

If you are not the type for this job....It'll be a living hell for you every minute of every day.

I respect your choice to do what you do now because that's what you are cut out for.
But you ought to have some respect for those of us that are perfectly suited for this and are quite happy with the business that we are this successful at...Pay that respect by not making blanket statements that this work that we love and do so well sucks for everyone....Just because it sucks for you.

I know how long you have been out here....