where do I really stand? Are there better jobs?

I believe the following open deck companies would hire out of your area. They would provide better pay and could potentially get you home every weekend. I would suggest contacting Keim, Melton, Tennant (Orion, IL), BTI (Des Moines, IA), TMC, Decker (Ft Dodge), Hunt (Omaha). I don't know their home time policies, but all should provide a much higher take home. All of these companies also take safety seriously, so you should have better equipment.

Good luck.

 

Or you could do trash hauling. Or scrap metal if its around. Home every night and maybe a decent paycheck. I hear trash is so/so , but its steady business.

 

The solid waste part of trucking is good.... Like said above most of the time your either home everyday or every other day... The pay is usually by the hour and the rate per hour is really good.. The smell kind of sucks but over time you get used to it.. There will NEVER be a shortage of trash/recycling/food waste/scrap metal.. So the job is pretty much always going to be there..

I don't mind what I do.. I work the the government and make good money but even the contractors we have that haul our garbage are making I think about $22-25/hr plus benefits... They are unionized.. They are not government workers we as city works don't haul the garbage we only haul the recyclable materials.. So the garbage is contracted to a company and they haul it.. These guys do 2 runs a day and are home everyday (14hrs a day or less).. When we used to ship from Toronto to Michigan they would be home every other day still doing 2 loads a day...

It's a good gig

 

Not like he is putting in hours anywhere near those if he is home on weekends. But, very valid point on hourly rate.

 

Just curious...OP, did you do anything with the information you were presented?

 

I run flatbed in Or and Wa, am home EVERY nite and dint work on the weekend( unless I'm turning a wrench). I mke about 2500 to 3000 a week. So there is better work out there. You just have to figure out what you want to do, then go do it. Start with local companies, and if there aren't any look at regional runs. Out 2 and back 2. Good luck.

 

Topeka/KC is a great place for jobs, you don't have to look far. Waste paper, insulation, railyards, general freight, yard hostler jobs.. Topeka's got a lot of warehouses on the north side- might get a good paying job in a wahehouse?

Good Luck- let us know how it turns out!