Why turnover is so high

Exactly. I have a message waiting on my phone right now, and I won't even look at it until Friday, the day I told them I would be ready to go.

"No" is a wonderful word.

 

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner! This is a myth that the trucking companies love.

 

True, Companies that keep you out more than 7 days are just inefficient and unorganized. They 'USE' the driver to make up for their lack of planning.

 

I would say the bigger question here is why do you work for a company like that. They don't pay well I will say that anyone drives for less than .40 cents a mile is a fool. If you work for a company that keep you out 3 to 6 weeks at a time don't know how to plan their freight.

Trucking will never change as long as there are drivers willing to drink the Kool-Aid. Believing that the only way to make money is to stay gone for weeks at a time. But it amazes me the most is the drivers are willing to go work for $.30 a mile and then complying they're not making any money. As long as drivers are willing to work for these companies for slave labor wages and stay gone out for weeks at a time. The company has no reason to change their operations. Why should they I don't have to plan freight lines to get guys home. I will treat them just like a piece of machinery and they keep coming back for more.

 

Question for you sewerman: as a new driver, what sort of mileage pay should I be willing to accept?

I am getting examples like this:

Example 1. - 10,000 MILES PER MONTHFirst 180 days .29 X 10,000 (per month) = $17,400 total 6 months6 months- 1 year .31 X 10,000 (per month) = $18,600 total 6 monthsFull bonus 1 year .04 X 10,000 (per month) = $4,800Plus stop pay and loading/unloading payExample 2. - 11,000 MILES PER MONTHFirst 180 days .29 X 11,000 (per month) = $19,140 total 6 months6 months- 1 year .31 X 11,000 (per month) = $20,460 total 6 monthsFull bonus 1 year .04 X 11,000 (per month) = $5,280Plus stop pay and loading/unloading pay I respect that you have 35 years in this business, so I am asking you what you consider is a fair amount for a new driver with no experience? Thanks in advance!

 

most of the old crusties remember it differently then reality
to me the truth is there are 2 few able or willing to make the sacrifice
that experiences garners them to move to the better higher paying job

personally i have never had a job where i was home daily so no big deal to me
but thank gawd others have better priorities

 

I am in the same shoes you are and I have seen comments about being a fool to take low mileage pay and as much as I agree that I would love to get paid more, but where do us newbies go? It is easy to call someone a fool to take low pay, but it is more constructive to provide advice with some substance that helps point you in the better and right direction. If I could find that company paying a driver with NO experience big mileage pay, I would send them a filled out application, but unfortunately no luck. There are over 400,000 trucking jobs needing filled, but it seems that the average mileage for a new driver is around .30/mile. I am, by no means, trying to burn down bridges or disrespect the seasoned and experienced drivers, but a finger pointing me into the right direction to make more per mile would be great.

I am very much expecting to take it in the rear the first year WRT to home-time and low pay to obtain my OTR experience. I am retired Navy, so being gone is a common practice in my house and adapting to the unexpected is normal for me. I have been working and researching to attempt to select the right company for my situation, but I do realize that there are pros and cons to every position (trucking or not) you select to work.

I have learned so much in my surfing these trucking forums and will keep searching for answers and asking for advice.

Micah
"Chief"

 

I will say none of the above. First you have to think outside the box and by that I mean is no freight boxes. I've always been an open deck guy yes you'll have to do some physical work but you can make money. If you just want to sit on your butt it's not the job for you.

Just off the top of my head I would suggest looking at maverick don't quote me but I do believe they start students off at $.35 and at the end of one year it be at 40. That's who I drive for great equipment, good home time easy to work with. I'm at the top of the pay scale and so far this year with tarp pay , fuel bonus, etc. I am at $.54 per mile for the year.

My second choice would be roehl out of Marshfield Wisconsin. My one son works for them they have a nice pension plan, decent equipment and in October they supposed to have a new pay scale based on how you run you have to check with them for the details. But according to my son top scale will be $.48 per mile so realistically you would be at $.42-$.45.

My third choice would be PGT your paid percentage but overall you would average out around $.45-$.50 per mile. Decent equipment I used to work for them years ago have a few friends that are still working over there.

And there are more flatbed companies that pay decent. You'll need to do your homework and check around and find out which company would be the best fit for you individually. A trucking company is like a wife you need to find one that can put up with you and you can also put up with them.

Just my two cents. I wish you the best.

 

Appreciate the recommendations, it helps to at least get some recommendations instead of an empty response with nothing directing you on where to go. I looked at MAVERICK myself, but I am outside of the higher area. I have been told that in the FLAT BED world, sometimes taking a percentage of the gross worth of the goods haul is better for the newer drivers. Is this true?

 

6 two one half a dozen to the other. It all depends on how much deadhead you do. What percentage you are getting and what the rates are. In my opinion most of your better companies whether your pay is percentage or mileage at the end of the year you will make about the same.

Being in South Carolina you can also check Boyd trucking.