Con-Way Truckload Drivers: What's Your 20? (2014 edition)

That would be a question that Surfer Joe may/ may not want to answer. I personally think a driver should get paid for on duty hours even if it means fueling up the truck.

 

Over a period of time, it does add up. Think about the overall time you're on duty. Think about all of those times. You had to sit and wait, and sit and wait. It does add up. I think it's a wonderful idea. I think these big companies need to spread the wealth. After all, it's the drivers hard work they put in to make these big companies a lot of money.

 

I cannot speak for Joe, but I think a driver should get paid more per mile, and get paid to sleep, and get paid by the hub, instead of practical miles. We'll know practical miles is off I think it's less than 10%, if I am not mistaken. Factor in what Paul makes what he said, "57,000/ yr". That's 5,700 dollars he could have made if these companies will be less stingy with the way they're paying a driver. The old saying holds a lot of truth, " An honest day's worth of work. Is an honest day's pay". It's not about Communism, it's about getting paid for what you deserve. Why not go ahead and unionize the industry in general? It's working for the UPS drivers.

 

How is sleeping an honest days work? People complain about being away from home, well you decided to become and over the road truck driver what did you expect?

I have very little line 4 because I'd rather have more drive time. If I'm waiting to be loaded or unloaded then I sleep or read or watch tv, I don't ##### and moan about stuff I knew about before I took the job. I agree we should be paid more per mile or per load but when it comes down to it if you don't like the pay, don't do it.

I make more money trucking than I ever did before so maybe it's different for me, I dunno.

In this day and age with the technology we have there is no excuse that one doesn't know what they are getting to when getting into trucking. tons of information on the net.

 

I hear where you're coming from LowGear. I'm not sure how hard you guys work, but compared to what I make now, I was the one stealing from Con-Way. The work isn't hard work. Its stressful work. But unless you make it hard, its too easy.

 

Sleeping, would actually encourage the drivers out there that run paper logs an incentive to get their break in, as to oppose to fudging it by running illegally. In turn, it would make the roads much safer. It would definitely entice to run safer.

 

You are actually working to put fuel in the truck. The fuel doesn't go in by itself. It's your money. Why not get paid for it? You can go on and let these big companies find every way to not pay for work you do. Although, I detect hostility in your tone, because you're afraid it could put you in the radar, and get your miles lowered. Let's see them not having to pay you for fueling the truck, performing a pre and post trip inspection, sweeping out the trailer. That's right, you would rather work for free in that category, just as long as you stay below the radar. Whether you like what I have to say is irrelevant. The facts are you are performing work, and you are not getting paid for, and I am not sure you are aware of it, but it is against the law. If you want to lose that extra money is entirely up to you, but I would rather get paid for everything I do when it pertains to work. That's just me.

Oh yeah and being paid practical miles instead of by the hub. Someone is pocketing the extra miles you actually do travel. It's okay that these big companies rip you off, and take the money you actually drive. Irregardless if it's an owner operator, a team driver, or a company driver for that matter. Those trucks don't drive themselves. You actually put more miles on that truck than what the dispatch message says. To me, that's money I worked for, and not getting paid for, and that's against the law. These lawyers don't go after them, because you are helping them to be even richer, because they're getting paid all miles that truck is rolling. These lawyers aren't dumb at all. They know it's not a law "Yet". That's why they don't pursue unless you have numerous people complaining. Look st CR England, Swift, and a lot of these big companies are in lawsuits pending, because they're some drivers out there feel they're not getting paid for the work they do. Corporate greed goes on whether you want to accept or not.

 

You get that the money per mile, is for all of the work involved with the load? If you want a job where you're compensation is based on actual time worked, get a job paying per hour. Salary employees don't get paid for every specific thing they do. Who's going to pay owner operators to fuel their trucks? They understand better than anyone, that the pay for the load includes ALL of the work involved in that load.

 

Uhm…all those times I’ve waited, I waited off duty. If I would have waited on duty, I would have ran out of hours to drive or for on duty time not driving.

Actually, it’s like raising the minimum wage. The lucky people will benefit only temporarily until the additional cost of doing business gets passed along to the consumers, then everything will be back to square one. Except for the unlucky ones who inevitably will get laid off and the unfortunate marginal businesses that will also be forced to shut down because the increase in the costs of doing business forced them out of a job or out of business.

Trust me the economy and our livelihoods as well would do a heck of a lot better without the heavy hand of the federal government budding into our business. Indeed, if the federal government stopped subsidizing CDL training, for instance, wages in this industry would literally skyrocket, as the demand for qualified drivers would literally outstrip supply until overall wages increased to a point where driving jobs would attract prospective CDL drivers without the need for government subsidies.

It’s a two way street. The companies make money and at the same time they also provide good jobs and good benefits for the public at large. It’s a symbiotic relationship and it’s a heck of a lot better than drawing welfare, living off of food stamps, living in public housing, being dependent on public transportation, getting free Obama phones, and receiving free Obamacare that isn’t worth a crap.

Indeed, the virtues of Capitalism has lifted astronomically far more people out of poverty and into affluence than Socialism or any other form of Marxism that actually renders people into government dependence and generational poverty. I don’t know about you but living with dignity means a whole lot to me.

It doesn't matter what you think. Wages are a product of supply and demand. Governments cannot dictate or mandate the level of compensation without harming businesses or putting businesses out of business and the economy into the tank. Get the heavy hand of government out of the trucking industry, and wages and benefits would literally skyrocket.

Do you also believe that the federal government should mandate that fast food workers be paid $18.00/hour instead of minimum wage? What do you think would happen to the prices for hamburgers?