new driver turnover rate

the job can only be what you make of it. im going to agree with people needing work getting their license through one of these schools or mills. not relizing what they are getting into. they go to orientation get their license have all kinds of deductions taken out work their arse off for weeks for nothing with trainers that in my opinion teach none of the important things. firing for no legitiment reason. why cause some other poor soul will fall prey to the samething.

 

^This!

I was dumb and believed in the driver shortage before I got into trucking.. then I learned about how I had to spend 2 hours to load or unload at almost EVERY single customer.

If shippers/receivers/carriers were really concerned about a shortage of drivers, they'd be working the existing drivers more efficiently and making everything Drop & Hook. It's FAR more efficient to have an hourly yard driver move loaded/unloaded trailers around than to waste a driver's hours waiting at the dock. The fact that live loads/unloads even exist just shows that theres slack in the system.

 

i agree most people just run into it blind then come back here and whine about it. I have no sympathy for those guys....this forum is here FOR A REASON! they need to learn how to read.




American Trucker

 

11/10/2010

 

and to fine out if i would like to go over the road i can't.. even tho i have ben driving for 9 years.. with class B got my Class A 2 years ago with Pepsi.. i looked in to J B hunt and was told all i have is class B exp because i don't bump docks seeing i was a side bay driver.. but now that i drive bulk/transport with Pepsi. with a 48 footer i don't know if thy will look at it as class A exp our not.. i don't understand how come you need to go to school to go over the road.. hell i can bump up to 7 to 14 docks a day.. hrs a day 5 days a week..

 

I'll make that trade with you provided I get your military pension.

You might only make $8.25/hr at the C-store but many OTR drivers make less than that if you divide their paycheck amount by all the hours they are committed to being in/around the truck responsible for the load.

And they are often away from family and friends for 4-6 weeks at a time. Have plans with the family? Hotels booked, promises made? You're at the mercy of 20-something load planners and fleet managers to get you home. Often times you're scheduled to be home at such and such a date and you find yourself waiting for your truck to be repaired or for them to find you a load and your 1500 miles away. "Sorry bout that, maybe we can get you home next week."

And turnover? I can beat yours. I had 4 different fleet managers in the span of 3 months once.

 

.............Same job different truck............

 

I hear ya. I drove class B for 17 years in very hectic dangerous situations under extreme time pressure making anywhere from 75-125 deliveries per day. 17 years without a preventable. Didn't amount to a hill of beans when I upgraded to the Class A.

I suppose without bumping docks they figure you don't have the needed backing skills and would rather have you acquire those skills with someone else's equipment. And working five 12 hr days is unlikely to impress anyone in trucking. Many of us are flirting with the 14 hr limit 5-6 days a week.

 

zaptear i wouldnt trade pepsi for jb hunt.arent u union with pepsi?

 

Add Nasty Truck Drivers to that list..OTR trucking isn't what it used to be..
There were pleeenty of miles to be gotten from around 1994 when i started up to 2006..3000+ miles a week with good hometime..Then all of sudden you're getting 2000-2300 mile a week on 2-3 weeks out..

"Your 1st 6 months of OTR trucking is an adventure..After that, it ain't nothing but hard work" Quoted by a driver over the CB a few years ago..