Don't believe the lies...

Why is the majority of almost every help wanted section in a newspaper people looking for CDL drivers if no shortage?...

 

Driver churn!

Truck drivers refusing to work for the mega carriers.

Drivers refusing to work for chump change.

You really aren't drinking that "driver shortage" kool-aid are ya?

 

there is a shortage of drivers that want to work for nothing,they need more drivers that LITERALLY pay to work,and are enthusiastic about working the maximum hours,and never need to be home as far as otr.

if its local work theyre prly offering 8-13$ /hr, possibly w/o benefits..alot of people cant do that long term,and definitely not if they want to support a family.

the reality is that the carriers are always searching for the bottom of the barrel, they are looking for that guy that that wont ask questions and just gets it done,will drive over hours,find ways around the scale, will drive w/ bald tires...

its driver turnover and as others have pointed out,churn.

 

Yes there is a shortage

Drivers have 3 catagories

0-2 years No shortage

2-7 years shortage

7 or more No shortage

That explains why newspapers are full on jobs for drivers.

Small companies that pay less have a hard time filling spots because they require 2 plus years for insurance reasons.

 

Wow, the O/P must work for a really bad company if it's like pulling teeth from an alligator to get miles, get paid and get home. I get all three, consistently, on a weekly basis and I work for the biggest "bottom feeder" of them all.

Rolling OTR, I had no problem making miles and pay. Only problem I had was getting home. But that didn't make any difference to me. I didn't have a reason to be any particular place at any particular time...with the exception of maybe three events each year. I have made every major event I requested for the past almost five years. This has been for Swift as a company driver, a tiny mom n pop for a few months, then Prime as a lease operator for nearly two years and now almost a year and a half back at Swift as a lease operator.

I am on a dedicated regional account now. I get home every week, run an average of 2,600 to 2,800 miles/week with some weeks as high as 3,000. My pay is averaging $1,100/week, plus 10cpm I put away before I get my check. Won't hear me complaining. At least, not until I have to hang chains to get to a delivery.

 

Don't become a trucker because you want easy work, lots of hometime, and mega pay. There is only one valid reason for becoming a truck driver- the love of it. If you don't love it, you won't make it.

And that whole pay to work thing is ridiculous. Some drivers love to claim you spend so much living on the road, you end up in the hole. Totally bogus. Yes, I spend a little more on food, and then there's the occasional shower I have to pay out of pocket for. But I have no rent payment, no utilities, no car payment, insurance, gas, etc, etc. The money I save on those things more than makes up for the additional costs of food and showers.

Bottom line- if you are trying to raise a family and you want to see your kids grow up, don't become a trucker. If you have no obligations, want to see more than the inside of a cubicle and save some dough while doing it, come on out here on the road. Sure, you'll run into some whiners and criers, but a lot of us love what we do.

 

Well if the company you drive for is so bad, you can always quit and go to Marten, I heard they are great to work for....

 

pepsi is haveing a hard time geting drivers for side bay work.. the pay is ok 15 a hr to start over time after 40 and thay work about 55 to 60hrs a week. we are about 4 drivers down. so i have to swing of bulk to help out on side bay.. till all full