Ok< Here's The Deal...

Howdy James!
Welcome to the forums as a poster.

Your suggestion that Sweeze try lookin' into haulin' grain sounds good on the surface, and might be a good way to getcher drivin' foot in the door in Nebraska, but if you notice, Sweeze is in the Pacific Northwest --"West" being the key word here.

I live on the left coast also, and have found that many such drivin' jobs as you've suggested are goin' to those folks who only take the jobs NO American wants -- like drivin' construction and farm Big trucks. We have been invaded by our neighbors south of the border -- who will not only take those jobs FROM Americans, but they'll do the jobs for far less pay than an American NEEDS to make ends meet.

Americans are shunned in favor of the cheaper labor, and a woman, unfortunately, can expect to be ignored all together. I reckon they figure why hire ONE driver when they can hire TWO drivers for the same price -- as those two drivers they DO hire, send much of their paycheck "home" to Mexico, which only worsens OUR economy -- as the employer continues to reap higher profits as a result.

I've heard it said that Life Ain't Always Fair.
Seems the same now holds true for the Big truck truckin'industry. American WannaBees and NewBees -- need not apply.

 

Let's look at this another way... Why is Swift putting drivers with 3 months experience on high value loads in the first place ?

 

Please enlighten me regarding "High Value" loads. How are they defined, what are the rules and regulations governing them, how "frequent" are they??

A question from a Maybe = one just tryin' to learn.

Thanks

 

Kinda makes one go
Hmmmmmmmmmmm ----
don't it.

 

I was local and delivered gasoline and diesel. So I guess you like having fuel?? Only kidding. I perfered local and being home with my family. I considered my job a step up from what I (me) ever did OTR because of the pay and benefits. I liked OTR but I didn't like being away while my son was growing up. I also didn't like not getting paid for all my time.

Some people love that type of work and I would never criticize them for doing it. However some JOBS or Companies are better than others no matter how you look at them but you can never say one type of driving is better than the other.

 

Excellent question JuniperSage.

Brickman gave some good examples, as he usually does -----
Here are a few more:

Cigarettes
Electronics
Adult beverages
Designer clothes
Motorcycles
Gaming devices (Slot Machines)
Firearms
Government loads.
Explosives
Auto parts
Chemicals (especially those used to manufacture illegal drugs)
Prescription drugs


And, in Mexico --- shoes.
There have been so many truckloads of shoes hi-jacked, that now they ship left shoes separately
from the right shoes -- on separate Big trucks.
It's twue!
It's twue!

How frequently a Big truck truck driver get these loads depends.
Generally, with the larger truckin' companies, a driver may seldom see High-Value loads.
However -------

If y'all have plans to be movin' on up in the Big truck truckin' industry, companies that specialize in Hi-Val commodities will see a steady diet of big-buck loads.
That was the gig I found.
Pad-wrap was VERY common, ergo, I always had at LEAST 150 -- 200 furniture pads in the belly box of the trailer. Along with 150, or more, motorcycle straps and 3/4 inch plywood and load bars to erect a full decking.

A full load of Harleys or Dugattis and a driver could get hurt by someone wanting them.

Also, I'd be SUPER careful with ANY Haz-Mat load.
Not so much because of fear of theft, but the EPA might frown on such a load being parked in a neighborhood.

 

Not to mention, at four bucks a gallon, a load of fuel is easy money and even easier to unload -- into storage tanks.

$4 X 10,000 gallons = ..... well, y'all do the math.