Hourly pay for loaded miles only... Is this legal?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by sexystuff911, Aug 7, 2014.

  1. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    It's a "play" on pay. With aggregates, the truck is paid by the hour/by the load/by the trip. As an example, you load 25 ton of gravel at the quarry, it delivers 15 miles to the job site, and pays the truck $350 to do so. Most aggregate haulers will then pay the driver about 25% of the $350. So if it takes 2 hours to do a "round", the driver just made $43.75/hr. If it takes him 3 hrs for the "round" he's making less per hr, right ? This is done this way so the contractor isn't getting screwed if the truck is tied up in traffic or the driver goofs off. So, basically, the driver is getting paid while loaded only. Also, drivers aren't paid to and from the job sites. If the job pays hourly, then that's a different situation.

    Many pay a flat rate per load, so that encourages the driver to hustle, to get more loads. I would bet the driver getting $17/hr only while loaded, the truck is making it's $$$ by the load and the company is "playing" with her pay by doing it this way.

    Brokers and truck companies do this all the time. You, the drivers gets .40 per mile but the load is calculated at a flat rate, like $1800 for instance. Actual miles are 1000, but your company says its 970 and pays you for 970 miles.
     
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  3. Tam_Tam

    Tam_Tam Light Load Member

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    Okay. This makes sense ^^ I'm wondering how this always repeats in this work. Labor laws don't say "these laws apply to everyone but truck drivers" so.... As a group are we just eating these losses all the time, and not ever standing up for ourselves? That sends a message that it's okay to owners so I really would like to see this girl's friend take a wage claim with overtime to the end.
    I'm sure a high percentage of us has had somebody rip us off.
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2014
  4. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Most jobs, it's spelled out when you hire on, you just need to understand what you're getting into. Look at the various types of jobs out there. The most common, hourly. Or, hourly plus commission (on sales). Or, total commission. Consider real estate sales, which is total commission, but, the salesperson "rents" a desk from the brokers office. Like a beautician who rents a "chair" from the shop owner, so the shop owner gets some of the cut. Food servers really get screwed, a low hourly wage "plus tips". And the tips are taxed, even if they don't make that amount. Now-a-days, they share the tips with the other servers and bus boys.

    Truck drivers do a lot of free work, like fueling, paperwork, trailer drop etc.
     
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  5. Tam_Tam

    Tam_Tam Light Load Member

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    Yes, I see your point.
     
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