Have I lost touch with this industry?

Discussion in 'Car Hauler and Auto Carrier Trucking Forum' started by KANSAS TRANSIT, Apr 28, 2015.

  1. truckon

    truckon Swamp Thing

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    You have to have seen his trucks on the road, I see them fairly often.
     
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  3. Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

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    post 30 has pic
     
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  4. TruckDuo

    TruckDuo Road Train Member

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    Thanks Pete ! Somehow missed that.

    That actually looks fun. I'd want to do that.
     
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  5. rachi

    rachi Road Train Member

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    well ya, that true. But the places i worked at if you stayed out 4 months you would get 4 days off.
     
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  6. KANSAS TRANSIT

    KANSAS TRANSIT Road Train Member

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    Glasco,Ks.
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    All my guys were home almost two weeks last year for Christmas/New Years and 4 days for Thanksgiving alone, on top of that EVERONE had at least another 3 weeks off at some point through the year of their chosing, and NONE of this includes 34 hr resets at home or the occasional 3 day weekend at home.

    Most were away from home on average about 300 days, so that means they worked about 10 months out of the year, wish I ONLY worked 10 months out of last year!!!
     
  7. Cranky Yankee

    Cranky Yankee Cranky old ######

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    Stan you dont need to defend yourself
    so many poor drivers get stuck at megas thier whole career
    they think the whole industry is like that
    like you said only tiny little % really like what they do
     
  8. KANSAS TRANSIT

    KANSAS TRANSIT Road Train Member

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    Thanks CY, I guess that is the problem with some of these guys calling themselves "Truck Drivers" when really they are just workers that happen to drive trucks.

    Sorry if I offended anyone, it's just that old school habits and apparently definitions die hard.
     
  9. fortycalglock

    fortycalglock Road Train Member

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    I think this thread nails what you're trying to say. http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ns-from-new-drivers/279580-refusing-back.html
     
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  10. Brandson

    Brandson Medium Load Member

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    Ha! Good god... First off, that thread was just posing a question. Second, I'm sorry "newer" drivers aren't willing to be lifeless machines that will drive a truck months at a time and put up with whatever BS is thrown at them for little to no compensation. Why the hell should people want to work harder for the same or less money than the guy in the fuel island next to you that sat in his seat and drop and hooked today..? You want me to work harder? Pay me more. You want me to stay out a month at a time? Pay me more.

    I am not out here to make money for my employer. I don't give a crap what other drivers think of me. I'm not out here for the pride and glory and to learn the skills of the trade so that someday I can be a big ###### super trucker. I'm out here to make money, and it is balanced against effort and time away from home. You can laugh and whine about my efforts as much as you want. I do what I signed up to, and I'm doing the best I can for ME in the long run. That's probably the problem you have with us "newer" drivers, that we don't have decades of diesel exhaust clogging our brains and we're able to communicate with other drivers and get a better view of the industry and what to expect. I have things to do at home. I enjoy having free time. I enjoy time with my girlfriend and friends. If you love being over the road, and it actually works for you, you're lucky. I'm never going to believe that you're not crazy though.

    As to the OP, I have no problem with you or your company, I wish you luck. It sounds like you're offering a fair deal. If you haven't already, put more details into your help wanted advertisements and see if there are more/better places you could advertise. I will say that your last comment struck a nerve though, about your drivers only working 10 months a year. Only 300 days a year..? That's pretty standard for OTR. 6 days out, 1 home. That's exactly what you described, but with your long vacations that you mention, you've given the impression that you expect your drivers to stay out months compared to weeks. Assuming 1500 is for a full week out, I'll assume your driver's yearly is roughly 60,000. That is only enough to keep hardcore OTR drivers, which newer drivers are not attracted to doing. Anyone else, it will be a stepping stone. What I meant to point out here though, is when you said you wish you only had to work that much of the year. This is on the assumption that you work 5 days a week. A 5 day a week job is approximately 260 days a year. Even if you worked an extra day EVERY week, that's 310 days, as much as driver basically. Except you go home every night... I'd rather have the office job, but I hated college, lol.
     
  11. KANSAS TRANSIT

    KANSAS TRANSIT Road Train Member

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    Not trying to beat you up over this, BUT, if you think running a small business such as this is a 5 day a week home every nite job, I can only say I hope if you ever get the chance to start you own company you think long and hard about it, but what you have described is FAR, FAR from the truth.

    Who do you think stayed around to do payroll the off weeks? Who do you think came in on the holidays to cover for loads other guys had that dropped at the yard? End of year end of quarter taxes, paperwork, filings?

    Do you think that just because the drivers had two weeks off at Christmas/New Years that the office just shuts down like a light switch and then magically turns on and all loads just appear for all the trucks on the first day back?

    I usually work 7 days a week, in here at 6 am usually leave at 6 pm, if you think after 12 hours a day hearing people vent at you for stupid #### makes you want to go out and party every night, then there is truly something wrong with me.

    Weekends, yep, I get a break, usually in here at 7am on both sat. and sun. usually out on sat. around 3 pm and Sunday's I try to leave by noon. Now, all this is IF, just IF there are no issues with any loads, weather, truck breakdowns, driver emergencies, and about a hundred other things that can and do go wrong on a daily basis.

    I guess that is point, some of you guys with the "why should I do that attitude" NEVER give a second thought about what other people sacrifice in order for you to HAVE A JOB.

    Why do I do it? I truly love the industry, (or at least used to) and if you really like what you do, it isn't work, which brings me right back to my comment all those pages ago, most truck drivers out here today REALLY DON'T like to drive, they do it for a pay check, and THAT is the biggest difference.

    You see if you really enjoy what you do, you will always try and better yourself, (because you like what you do) if you are just there for a paycheck then why bother, right?
     
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