Is It Really WHorth It?

I agree with post#2,its worth it if you have the right company.Right now im sitting here in orientation waiting for the next speaker here at Hill Brothers and this 4 days have been a blast.I also talked to many drivers and not one has a bad thing to say about the company.This carrier gives drivers the miles and have alot of drop and hook.I also met my dispatcher,a real nice guy and cute too,lol.But companies are out there,just have to look and get the opinions from drivers with that company.The worse the rep the worse the company is.

 

This a job that is proof that you get out of it what you put into it .
If you are not willing to do what needs to happen to get the job done then you need to go find a time clock to punch.

NOBODY in trucking cares about you, your needs, or your wants .
It is all about what they can get out of you plain and simple .

They have no power over you anymore than I do so stop giving them the power.
Hold your company to the same standards they hold you to.
Your company works for you just like you work for them.
If they cant do their job fire them like they would you .

If they can't keep you moving then find some that will .
If they lie to you then find someone that won't .
If they cheat you then find someone that won't

Not ALL trucking companies are liars cheaters and soulless scumbags .
Allot are but it is your job to weed out the bad and find the good .
Here's a hint the really good ones don't advertise in truck stop rags.
Really good ones don't have crybaby drivers on the C.B. telling the world how they hate trucking .

If you want a really good job in trucking you have to get off your butt and prove you worth their time and money to let you work for them .
Good companies don't need or want the guy that is average or bellow.
They want the driver that is out to be the best for themselves and their company.

Is it worth it you ask and my answer is yes it is .

I take pride in being able to go out and run 4 million miles and not have a single dent scratch or wreck in 33 years.
I can look you in the eye and tell you am not an average driver.
I will never be an average driver because I love what I do.
I am proud to be able to do what the average driver cannot do and that is do my job with no drama of any kind .


Good luck in whatever you decide to do .
If trucking is not making you happy then for your sake and everyone else's PLEASE go find something that will make you happy life is to short to hate your job.

 

Kudo's on that record!.................. great post right there^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Did the same thing an accident free career , not quite as many as you but still around 3 million or so safe miles. It takes dedication , patience , the ability to listen closely , you must always be pro-active...if you're re-active it's way too late!

 

I am getting stuck with too many brokers calling me on my loads and not enough carriers. I don't want to pay the brokers, but I was told by another trucker on here that they have the best rates. I could not convince him that as a direct shipper I am paying more than a broker. If a broker covers my load, I pay the broker, he takes whatever he wants and passes on the remainder to the driver. Not Fair! Where can I find a trucker? I am a small company with budget limits and can not pay what the BIG GUYS can. I can not pay $5600 to go from OH to WA. We would be out of business. I am starting to feel that the industry is trying to put itself out of business. I guess intermodal may be my future. Less money to the trucks...

 

I quit driving for about a year and realized I was working harder at an assembly line and making $1000 dollars a month less than when I was trucking. I mean would you rather have a boss standing over your shoulder all the time or work at Wal-mart 32 hrs week for minimum wage.I went back to trucking even though were regulated still feels more free than having to get along with several people every day and stay in a building.Trucking gets in your blood I guess. JMO

 

I don't think there is a blanket answer which can be applied to everyone. My ten years weren't spent as an OTR driver, except for a small portion of that time, so my experiences aren't going to be the same, and even two OTR drivers aren't necessarily going to have the same experiences.
I've met some interesting people, it's taken me to some interesting places (e.g., South Africa), it's allowed me some rather unique experiences (e.g., NOLA in the aftermath of Katrina... wouldn't tout it as a good thing, per se, but definitely an experience), it's kept me employed for three years in a city generally touted as being lacking in the job market (Colorado Springs), and I think it helps in my current job, as I feel I understand the life of a truck driver and the things they deal with better than the mechanics who don't have that experience under their belt.
So, all in all, I won't say it was the ideal ticket to happiness, zen (whatever that is), or anything else, but, for me, I'd say it's been worthwhile. There just came a point where it was time to move on, and maybe that's the case for you. That's going to be for you to choose.

 

Direct--where are you? where are you tryin to ship to? what kind of product?
Put it out there--might just get some takers--let us know

 

I ship out of Cleveland, OH and move my product to all 48 contiguous states plus one customer in Canada. I have a few dedicated carriers I have worked with for a couple years now, but would love to have more. The load is bottled juice, palletized and shrink wrapped, CLEAN. I only ship to distributors, NO GROCERY STORES. I try to be as flexible as possible to make it easier and better for the drivers. I am married to a driver... I do have rates set but everything is negotiable. That is another thing I find troubling. Doesn't anyone negotiate anymore? I can not get a driver the rate he needs if he hangs up on me...

 

Marmon, that was awesome. I almost got misty-eyed.

 

LOL well I do tend to get a little wound up when these new breeders start whining and crying that no one will be nice to me !!!

The first thing they need to do is start teaching these drivers is that you EARN EVERYTHING in trucking not one single thing is given to you .

If they would ....never mind I will go for hours LOL

I better hide my pulpit before I start going on like a old time fire and brimstone preacher !!!

If I hurt any new breeders feelings all I can say is good now do something to be better !