Want to stay broke? Work for Conway!

Yeah I understand that.. I've worked here for 10 years. I drove otr for about a year and a half before I started here and it's just an entirely different game. The best way I can explain it is that in 2012 I spent less time working at Freight per week than I did in say 2002 not getting paid for company directed tasks - waiting on loads, tarping, and free empty miles but made about 20k more at Freight.

The difference between an otr and ltl job is really staggering when you do the numbers. By no means is my job perfect but it's pretty hard to beat. It can just take some time to build seniority for runs..

 

What staggers me is the cost to individuals and to the industry. Mega 'starter' carriers feed on the CDL mills, where would-be drivers--guys and gals--push all their chips into the middle in hopes of a better life. Many end up with ruined CDLs, broken hopes...

Bills past due and physically, mentally exhausted, permanently burned out.

We need a better path from initial commercial license to the good jobs, which are out here to be had. A couple hundred bucks a day (or more) is what heavy duty should pay--and does! Not at the mega 'starter' carriers, though. Sure, maybe they spotlight some dedicated-lane drivers with good runs. But the prevailing truth is low wages, sleep & exercise deprivation and long hours. We need disclosure in recruiting.

What we don't need is more driver bashing that claims you just failed to weld that left door shut. Believe this, we are the backbone of the country. To lay waste to the new drivers coming on each year is nothing less than a national shame and stain.

Has no one noticed TTR's story on its main page that trucking wages actually dipped almost 10%??? The mega 'starter' carriers actually GAINED from this Great Recession because of the relatively low entrance barrier to a new CDL and claims of 'big money' in trucking. Just reels 'em in year after year.

 

Quote: "I did not have to learn their system because I declined the offer to go to orientation, and did not put myself into that position. I know how to do my job, as my last years 1099 of $193,868 shows. I never said that nobody makes it at Con-Way solo. In fact, I said that "some seem to like it". I just did not feel like it was the right fit for me without having access to their team freight; thus, for me, I did not feel like it would be the right company for me to go solo."

Dang dog, making that much money last year, I don't think I would be looking for work ANYWHERE else.........

 

Ok, so did you quit already? Be careful with what this pricks put on your DAC. Even if you hit a coyote and it cracked your headlight they will classify that as a "DOT reportable accident" as if you rear ended a school bus and every child ended up dead. An accident is only DOT reportable if one of the vehicles had to be towed or someone had to be taken in an ambulance.

Honestly dude, you live in the northeast, that's no region to be doing OTR from. LTL companies pay top dollar in that area. Try YRC, NEMF, ODFL, UPSF, FedEx Freight, A. Duie Pyle, Saia, ABF, Estes... although I would suggest Old Dominion. Odie is probably the most stable of them all. Just stay clear of Central and R+L. Maybe even try New Century if they are close to you, I don't know much about them but their pay is a bit low.

 

All you guys are talking about LTL's like they're god's gift to truckers. I'm glad you like LTL -- its a tough & important job, but it isn't for everyone. It certainly isn't for me. The day I graduated catholic school I vowed I'd never wear a uniform again. And I couldn't stand driving the same roads day in and day out. I get stir crazy just being in Texas for a week, and Texas is a big ### state. I love OTR trucking. I could make (& have made) a lot more money elsewhere, but I'm happier here. I don't have a boss looking over my shoulder. I don't have to share office space with swingline-hording coworkers listening to their radios at a reasonable volume. I'm not expected to attend office parties, or participate in secret ####### santa. I don't have to commute to work. My office often has the best corner views you can imagine. And I get paid to kick back in an easy chair all day while seeing this beautiful continent.

It's not all roses, but the trade-offs are worth it for me. It's fine if they aren't worth it for you, but Joe & Victor keep claiming 100 hour weeks for $500-600 -- that's just not the case if you work smart & hard. I'm at the bottom of Con-way seniority, and I'm pulling $1000/week fairly consistently. Again here are my first 6 months at con-way truckload:


[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD]Week[/TD]
[TD]Gross Pay[/TD]
[TD]Miles[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD]505.57[/TD]
[TD]348[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]1143.06[/TD]
[TD]2850[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]951.91[/TD]
[TD]2260[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]358.76[/TD]
[TD]892[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]1255.37[/TD]
[TD]3301[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]661.95[/TD]
[TD]1737[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]1159.58[/TD]
[TD]2709[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]551.13[/TD]
[TD]1345[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]1416.74[/TD]
[TD]2883[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]1347.46[/TD]
[TD]3118[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]1422.92[/TD]
[TD]3291[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]1309.78[/TD]
[TD]3054[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]1647.42[/TD]
[TD]3741[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]901.66[/TD]
[TD]2318[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]1258.39[/TD]
[TD]2961[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]95.99[/TD]
[TD]227[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]920.51[/TD]
[TD]2098[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]1508.74[/TD]
[TD]3377[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]1198.27[/TD]
[TD]2688[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]1357.54[/TD]
[TD]3052[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]1088.36[/TD]
[TD]2828[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]1425.85[/TD]
[TD]2486[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]1132.14[/TD]
[TD]2658[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]155[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]1222.76[/TD]
[TD]2358[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]1310.33[/TD]
[TD]3409[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]1275.74[/TD]
[TD]2822[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][TABLE]
[TR]
[TD]28582.93[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[TD]64811[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Gross Pay[/TD]
[TD]Miles[/TD]
[TD]Average CPM[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Average Weekly:[/TD]
[TD]$1,061.65[/TD]
[TD]2492[/TD]
[TD]0.426[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]



Week 0 was orientation (didn't get a truck until Saturday).
Week 3 had 3.5 days home time
Week 7 had 2 days home time
Week 15 had 5 days home time
Week 23 & into 24 had 8 days home time

My base bay is 37cpm, but the calculated average cpm includes layover, extra stop, hazmat, northeast, border crossing, holiday pay, safety bonuses, etc

If the coyote took out a headlight, the truck can not be legally operated on the highway, hence a dot reportable. I seem to be in the minority here, but I believe in owning up to your mistakes -- even when "bad luck" played a large part. You drove into something you should have been able to see within your stopping distance.

"Oh I came around a corner and it was there" "But it was just on the other side of a ridge" but but but -- whatever. If you hit it, you were driving too fast for your vision/attention/reaction time/skills. Period. With a capital P. Own it, learn from it, and move on. Don't just shrug it off like "#### happens." #### happens to people who shrug it off!

 

double yellow?? Who is this guy? : 0)

One of Bright One's first threads is well worth the read--if just for the co-drivers he went through in his first months as a brand-spanking-new driver at Covenant: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...956-doubleyellows-covenant-thrival-guide.html

Surfer Joe, I think we just got taken to the woodshed... for our own good, too, I'm sure. A sincere, well-meaning rap across our non-ecumenical knuckles. Lay yer hands out, Surfer Joe... Take the punishment that fits the crime... Since I have no personal knowledge of Con-way Truckload and double yellow does, I have to yield to his superior knowledge THIS TIME.

Well, once again. : 0)

On the other hand, if joseph1135 chimes back in again here with his worn out 'gotta learn... kid' I'll be back with bells on and horn tootin'. No amount of rah-rah offsets the underhanded way many mega carriers stack the deck against new drivers.

 

Excellent post double yellow. I've done it all in trucking and felt the same way years ago. Trucking has been very good to me. I wouldn't touch an ltl company years ago because none of them paid worth a crap (not even the unions) but since the early 2000's I was hearing .40 cpm and it started raising eyebrows. I waited until the pay was near .50 then made my move. Many ltl companies are just shy of .60 now . I know of one that will be looking at .70 cpm in a year or two. I know it's not always about the money but it sure is nice making a good living and knowing within 8 hours max (after fueling and lunch) I'll be headed home. It gets old doing the same thing every day and that's one of the reasons I took a short schedule. Ltl companies do have a thing called extraboard. It's just like running otr except theirs no loading and unloading and just terminal to terminal.