Poor pay

Victor what changes are the drivers fighting ? Or are they in a spot more like they cant fight ?
I re read -- but it seems to me when you mention "normal" work life -home time --they are the very things that has made it (trucking) a better paying job for the average stiff willing to tough it out for a better wage.
New equipment --yes --but still a 10 year old truck very well maintained really shouldn't be a problem

 

[QUOTE="Hang - Man";3697227]Victor what changes are the drivers fighting ? Or are they in a spot more like they cant fight ?[/QUOTE]
All of them. If this thread gains traction, you will see it set upon by anti-government, anti-regulation types who will simply hurl insults and taunts and seek to interrupt the thread. Drivers can fight. 3 million truckers have a lot of clout. Not enough care. Not enough realize that putting in two work years to get the pay of one work year is not sustainable. The megas know that and aren't trying to hang on to drivers.

Recruit 'em, use 'em, abuse 'em, discard them.

It's like the argument for 'self-deportation'. Where pay is so low workers have to move on. For a while, they get so broke they can't. The megas base part of their business model on temporary workers. They don't care.

 

Oh i agree with you on what you said, low pay and the Mega's, but you cant take the tough part out of OTR trucking or the pay goes with it. if everyone could do it the incentive for paying anything of note would be gone. I am sure "automatic Transmissions" are a step toward that end.

 

Actually, the eventual change could come with 'hub system' where drivers go no further out than a day or half-day, link up with and swap trailers, return to base and head home for the night. I've said this elsewhere: Today, 'Just In Time' freight is king, drivers are pawns. The public does not know.

The public, if informed, would be outraged at the damage to quality of life and health drivers, backbone of the economy. If driver quality of life were on par with JIT freight, carriers would have to change their business model and end the 'disposable' driver practice.

 

Everything about this job all depends on perspective and expectations.

If you're coming into trucking from a $70,000 a year salary, or whatever, you have to keep in mind that you are making a complete career change, and will be starting at the bottom. And even then, reaching your former salary level if it was that high is a lofty goal in trucking.

I came to this industry from a taxi driving job. There were days that I would work 12 hours and literally not take home enough to even buy my dinner with. I lived off of the charity of my family and friends, who paid for the majority of the rent and bills on a tiny studio house that was on the verge of collapsing on itself. Finally, I got sick of it.

Coming from that perspective, I feel like I've won the lottery by becoming a trucker. I'm making more per week here than I used to make in a month. And while I came into this industry looking for a job, I've found a passion for something that I never knew I had.

And that's the real trick.

It's all about perspective. Those who get into this industry only for the money are going to be very unhappy. Since you're from the IT field, I am going to assume that you and I think similarly, because before I drove a taxi I had a multitude of IT related jobs. I am one of those people that always "runs the numbers" on things. And if you were to be 100% accurate, it does add up to pretty sorry wages calculating by the hour.

So why do we do it? Because we love it.

I may technically work 70 hours a week, but I don't feel that way. I spend my days driving, listening to music, audiobooks, and satellite radio. I talk to my friends and family on the phone. When I'm ready to stop and eat lunch, I don't have to look at a clock to see if my officially designated lunch time is here yet - I just stop and eat. No smoke breaks for me, I just do it when I want. When I'm done for the day, I just crawl back into my home and my bed. When I wake up the next morning, I choose when I want to wake up. All I have to do is make sure I pickup and deliver on time. I don't have a long commute to work in the morning... I'm already here! I get to pass through cities and states that I could never have managed on my own. And that's just the logistics side of it.

As for the personal side... I feel big, powerful, and important driving this truck. I know that I am contributing to something that is absolutely vital to this country's day to day survival. I'm part of a brotherhood that really does watch out for its own. I get to feel that warm sensation when a kid walks up and wants to see my truck and asks about my job. I love it when people tell me that being a truck driver sounds like fun. Cuz it is.

This is the most dangerous, stressful, and demanding job I have ever had - and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

To me, making $40,000 a year and being this happy is much better than making $70,000 a year and dreading waking up every morning. I think a lot of guys on here will agree with this... While we should be paid a lot more, overall I think most drivers here really love what they do.

It's all about perspective. If you love to drive, and have more than a passing interest in semi trucks, and either have a passion for this line of work or could develop one, then you're on the right path. If you are just looking for a high paying job to replace the one you had before, you're about to make a very serious mistake in your career choice.

There's an old quote that might shed some light on why truck drivers work for what may be considered as low wages:

"Find a job that you love, and you'll never work a day in your life."

 

I believe the "Hub system " may be part of the plan, but i think more so the ability of the "Mega's " to pull a check from the government and flood the market with tons of trucks being driven short term with disposable drivers that they have "No" intention of keeping (how would they get more money for training (the company ) if all the slots were filled and all the drivers happy.
Yes i feel they are using the government (maybe unbeknownst to them) to get rid of the independent O/O's once and for all.

 

Banning the DAC/HireRight system that allows megas to blackball drivers would be a start. Because drivers are disposable, and because the megas do not have a driver shortage, HireRight allows carriers to punish drivers who want to leave. O/Os raises a completely different issue. The least contentious and most active forum here is The Garage.

 

To many factors to even list go into the problem of "low wages". More drivers, less loads is a big one. But then ya also have the profit motive, everyone involved has to make a profit. Then ya have the consumer, who demand lower cost items. Then ya have stuff like the cost of fuel that no one in this country has control over. Taxes that go up and down at a whim. The devaluation of the dollar from printing too many. And last but not least you have inflation, which the Federal Reserve is responsible for.

Everything I just listed you all understand, I know ya do. Now...those fast food workers that were protesting yesterday, they don't.

On top of that stuff, our industry is a big one that gets more than its fair share of scrutiny from the government. Bad drivers are the cause. The other big problem is regulators coming into a new job decide they gotta make their mark in hopes of moving up the government ladder. If law makers didnt make laws...what would they do right?

It's all crap

 

Ozzy, the problem with low wages is low wages.

You're over thinking this thing.

 

alright, then lets pay McD's workers 15$ an hour