The trucking Industry

keepntruckin · Jan 2, 2012

tinman4265 said: ↑

I agree with many of the statements on this thread. Having said that I am a driver I worked as a FM for two years or so. During my time as a fleet manager or driver manager I learnd so much.. You may have fifty drivers on your board and out of those fifity you will have 8-10 decent drivers and maybe 1-2 exceptional drivers..By thati mean drivers that care, drivers that want to do the right thing for thier Co. and the customers.. The rest do things intentionally to make your job even harder than it already is. It's difficult to be pleasant or respectfull to a good driver when u just got off the phone with a moron that has aged you two years in a five min. conversation. When I talk to my FM now after being in his shoes I take that into consideration when he sounds a little rude or frustrated and I dont take it personally..I'm not saying all DM are good either, no mater where u go there will be good and bad employees. The trucking industry just seems to be the catch all where most of the bottom feeders and up at. I dont know what the solution to the problem is but I know what the problem is. Its the 10% of the drivers that are on the extreme end of the spectrum that we see out here every day that Dont shower, crap in a bags and throw it out in a parking lot..Throw piss bottles out on the exit ramps. Go into customers with bad additudes and leave the rest of us hard working family oriented guys and gals that acually care, to deal with the customers and driver managers that these animals have been in contact with before us. We have to somehow get our house in order before we try to change the industry as long as drivers have this bad stereotype nothing will change..
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One of the points I was trying to make,, you have been on both sides of the spectum,, and know how both work,,what both go through,, most of your office personnel DO NOT and could give a rats arse about what the ACTUAL money maker of the company goes through.

RickG · Jan 2, 2012

keepntruckin said: ↑

Actually I'm not with any company,,I'm an O/O and could care less about those CDL mills and think they should be shut down,,LOOK at the quality of the drivers they produce.(They are the ones that will be cutting your throats) because they are forced into it. On a scale of 1-10?,, I'd rate most at about 4,,and that's AFTER they've driven for about 5 years,,lol

I also haven't a need to whine about the cheap freight issues,, mostly because I REFUSE to take cheap freight,,I know how to say,,no thank-you, I also know how to tell the idiot pushy brokers good-day and hang up.
Yes, I work off of the mymembersedge load board, BUT I don't sit,, and I don't take cheap freight, I may run alot at night while most are cozy in the sleeper at a truck stop,, but,, THEY pay for it.

I hear alot from brokers,, "but that's all we have in the load",, well,, then get someone else to haul it.
Later they will call back,, "ok, I'll give you the amount you asked for".

I know going to Fl, Tx, and the NE,, you can get in,, but hard to get out,,SOOOO they pay me for my way out.
And if I should decide to take a load out that's less than average (not cheap freight though),, then I've made a little more than anticipated.

But this is getting by the real ISSUE isn't it.
All the company drivers as well as most O/O's are still struggling,, them and their families suffer,,all so some pencil pricks can play GODS with the lives of drivers.

"THE BUCK STOPS HERE"
"SAY NO TO CHEAP FREIGHT"
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You make pretty good points except I disagree with all the company drivers struggling .

keepntruckin · Jan 2, 2012

Ok, very valid point "RickG",, but the majority of the company drivers do,, whether they have realized it yet or not. Some may say "well I make great money"( ok,,how much more would you have made if companies weren't treating you like a bottom feeder?)

Some may say " well I'm single, so my family life doesn't suffer,, go ahead , keep me out for 6 wks at a time. Reality,, ALL have family in some faction or other,, maybe a would be family if he were'nt on the road making money for the company,, or even some good freinds lost.

What about the great insurance most boast about,, does it REALLY cover you any your families?,, can you ACTUALLY get the time off to use it?

There are SOOOOO many ISSUES that need resolved to make it worth while to put yours and others live on the line daily,, just to bring those goodies for all those inconsiderate consumers and those 4 wheelers who always think they can get in front of you,,(you have to stop for them) and the list goees on and on,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

RickG · Jan 2, 2012

keepntruckin said: ↑

Ok, very valid point "RickG",, but the majority of the company drivers do,, whether they have realized it yet or not. Some may say "well I make great money"( ok,,how much more would you have made if companies weren't treating you like a bottom feeder?)

Some may say " well I'm single, so my family life doesn't suffer,, go ahead , keep me out for 6 wks at a time. Reality,, ALL have family in some faction or other,, maybe a would be family if he were'nt on the road making money for the company,, or even some good freinds lost.

What about the great insurance most boast about,, does it REALLY cover you any your families?,, can you ACTUALLY get the time off to use it?

There are SOOOOO many ISSUES that need resolved to make it worth while to put yours and others live on the line daily,, just to bring those goodies for all those inconsiderate consumers and those 4 wheelers who always think they can get in front of you,,(you have to stop for them) and the list goees on and on,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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Sounds like you are still talking about OTR drivers . My terminal has had the same accounts for over 15 years , many have had the same driver on those accounts 5 or 10 years . We deliver chemicals , not Chinese imported junk . We have dedicated runs and do most restarts at home .
Health insurance is an issue , especially with a smaller company with older drivers because they have minimal turnover . I think that is a problem in any industry .

keepntruckin · Jan 2, 2012

RickG said: ↑

Sounds like you are still talking about OTR drivers . My terminal has had the same accounts for over 15 years , many have had the same driver on those accounts 5 or 10 years . We deliver chemicals , not Chinese imported junk . We have dedicated runs and do most restarts at home .
Health insurance is an issue , especially with a smaller company with older drivers because they have minimal turnover . I think that is a problem in any industry .
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Yes , I was mainly speaking of OTR drivers as those are the ones targeted mostly by the trucking industry,, If I could have gotten a cushy job working for a local company @ lets say even $15 hr,, I'd jump on it and I'd stay 5- 10 years myself.BUT,,most can't find those cushy jobs,, so they are stuck dealing with the bottom feeder scum companies out there.

AND alot of the smaller local companies know what it's like to be on the road, as most started out on the road themselves and will treat the employees with the respect they deserve and need.

sevenmph · Jan 2, 2012

tinman4265 said: ↑

I agree with many of the statements on this thread. Having said that I am a driver I worked as a FM for two years or so. During my time as a fleet manager or driver manager I learnd so much.. You may have fifty drivers on your board and out of those fifity you will have 8-10 decent drivers and maybe 1-2 exceptional drivers..By thati mean drivers that care, drivers that want to do the right thing for thier Co. and the customers.. The rest do things intentionally to make your job even harder than it already is. It's difficult to be pleasant or respectfull to a good driver when u just got off the phone with a moron that has aged you two years in a five min. conversation. When I talk to my FM now after being in his shoes I take that into consideration when he sounds a little rude or frustrated and I dont take it personally..I'm not saying all DM are good either, no mater where u go there will be good and bad employees. The trucking industry just seems to be the catch all where most of the bottom feeders and up at. I dont know what the solution to the problem is but I know what the problem is. Its the 10% of the drivers that are on the extreme end of the spectrum that we see out here every day that Dont shower, crap in a bags and throw it out in a parking lot..Throw piss bottles out on the exit ramps. Go into customers with bad additudes and leave the rest of us hard working family oriented guys and gals that acually care, to deal with the customers and driver managers that these animals have been in contact with before us. We have to somehow get our house in order before we try to change the industry as long as drivers have this bad stereotype nothing will change..
Click to expand...

Well I disagree with the part about it being hard to be respectful to a good driver when you just got off the phone with a moron. It's part of the job. When the dm calls me after a 4 wheeler just cut me off and did a brake check, its my job to shake it off and treat them with the respect our relationship calls for. I'm a good driver and I do my job well. I treat my dm with respect and in a professional manner. I expect the same.

fulgrwnmn · Jan 2, 2012

I agree Melpro, I have found a great gig on CL, it's local mostly class B, even though I have my A, I'm home every night, no 34 hr w/ends, off fri around 4pm and start back up mon at 6am, pay is better than most otr I've had, plus no dispatchers, or truck stops or waiting forever at a shipper, I get paid for EVERYTHING I do, as it hourly, the benies are very good also, there out there, you just have to look for them and present yourself correct.
Your quote is exactly how I feel also, mind if I use it?

melpromud · Jan 2, 2012

fulgrwnmn said: ↑

I agree Melpro, I have found a great gig on CL, it's local mostly class B, even though I have my A, I'm home every night, no 34 hr w/ends, off fri around 4pm and start back up mon at 6am, pay is better than most otr I've had, plus no dispatchers, or truck stops or waiting forever at a shipper, I get paid for EVERYTHING I do, as it hourly, the benies are very good also, there out there, you just have to look for them and present yourself correct.
Your quote is exactly how I feel also, mind if I use it?
Click to expand...

go for it.

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