Raise Driver Pay

Maybe you and others should have read all this before you went to a CDL mill . Don't judge the industry by megacarriers that hire desperate wannabes .
The points you made don't apply to many of us . We don't work 70+ hours . We aren't on call 24/7 .
You rant on about food expense . You don't buy groceries at home ? You pay for showers ? O.K. , I understand that . You don't run enough miles to get enough free showers with every 50 gallon fuel purchase .
Why don't you get an appropriate wage ? Supply and demand . CDL mills supply thousands of wannabes willing to work for any wage because "Any job is better than no job "
Megacarriers are what they are . CDL mills are what they are . Wannabes are what they are and nothing's gonna change unless there is a huge improvement in the economy and wannabes can go back to the job they lost .

 

There you go, saved me all that typing. VERY WELL SAID.

 

The economy is alot of it. Rising fuel costs. Companies are cutting each others throats lowering rate cost to drum up business. All these moves make them find ways to lower their operating costs to survive anymore. Unfortunately, drivers pay is getting dragged into the equation. I remember when dispatchers would handle about 30 drivers each. Now they make them handle up to 100 drivers. We ain't the only ones suffering.

But you do figure hours worked versus pay, you are making peanuts. The way they twist per diem around is another problem many don't realize what's going on.

One is better off with a long haul company with 1000 mile plus trips.

 

He was dreaming, and woke up with a wet right hand.

 

Yeah ol CR when they die they will have a special section roped
off in hell just 4 them

 

I think they are comfortable, the only thing that seems out of place is the shifter. It feels like it is a little too far back, I find myself keeping my right arm behind the rest of my body when it comes to shifting. If that makes any sense.

 

Boy that's true....I did 72K at Linde this year on 5 days a week..But, I think the reason we have trouble finding drivers is..The word is out on the constant over-micromanagement. Tried to suggest that to some people in upper management, but of course they don't want to hear it. Linde is just over doing it way too much..I'm looking around myself..

 

You consider 40 grand a good paying job? Are you insane?

Think about this; An OTR driver spends weeks at a time away from home, is limited to "driving" 70 hours in an 8 day period and you think 40 grand is "fair???"

Drivers deal with every possible form of bad weather, truck routes, detours, restricted routes, differing laws across the country, and terrible motorists, EVERY day. Factor in surly shippers, receivers, + locals that don't want you OR your big truck in their town or on their property and you have a prime example of why drivers quit this industry.

Try paying these guys 20 bucks an hour (to start) for that 70 hours of work per week, company paid benefits, and get them home regularly and then you can say got a decent paying job.

For those that are earning less than 52 grand a year you are being taken advantage of. For those that are making at least 60 grand a year you are doing all right. For those making 70 or more congrats you have found the truly GOOD paying jobs.

 

You really need to get away from that OTR weeks away from home 70 hour a week mindset .
Most of my runs are 2 or 3 days . I have regular customers that are good to deal with . I don't consider myself a minority .

 

Not a mindset my friend just my perception of the current situation.

Today we have scores of new drivers just starting out and although they may not spend a month away from home at a time I am sure they routinely spend 2 weeks away from home at a time. Some will get regional type jobs at lower pay scales through the mega carriers which locks them into those "low paying" jobs just so they can get home on a regular basis.

I too have a job where I get home every weekend and once in a while during the week.
I have had this job for over 10 years now and normally bounce between 68 and 70 per year.

When I started driving for JB Hunt back in February of 1992 I was routinely gone 4 weeks at a time. The longest I was out was 6 weeks. A large part of the problem was I lived in Maine.

As an OTR driver I was making around 50 grand a year.


I have moved to central Pa and have been paid more money and had more home time ever since.

For anyone interested; After I moved to Pa I started making over 60 grand a year with JB Hunt, running regional, home every weekend and a couple nights per week back in 1995 thru 1996.

JB Hunt was a stepping stone and was used as such.