Is there seniority?

Seniority or Señority as it more commonly known as is still alive and well in trucking...but only with Harbor trucks, trash trucks, belly dumps, super-tens...in California anyways.

 

Seniority only counts when it done at one company. Most grads have the same seniority as the 5 year vet driver....that just started with their company. Or even worse. They are thought of as an equal to the 20 year vet, who got out of trucking for 2 years, then returned. 2 years off will wipe most if not ALL your experience out, for pay scale and insurance/hiring purposes..

I driven more miles than most at my terminal. However, I am not a "senior" driver. The insurance industry has seen to that. By basing their assessments of "current" experience. Anything you've done that is older than 10 years...isn't for squat.

Take a year off?? Back at square one, or square two at the very best.

Many of the younger drivers show a certain amount of respect for my experience. I do everything I can to accommodate them when they have questions, or simply need some help.

But we have a few hot shoes (less than a year), that know it all. And will tell you so.

 

You ain't kiddin'. My school was full of know-it-all kids who ran their mouths when they should have been using their ears. Come to think of it they're probably still there.

On the other hand, one of my instructors was/is only 28 years old All the others were old hands and definitely didn't take any carp.

 

Truer words were never spoken.....I started having health issues a few years ago and started selling out,but I continue running at least a few times a month for a friend of mine and sometimes more just to stay current.There are ways around it ,but the older I get the less aggravation I'm willing to go through so this is easier overall....I guess

 

With the OTR companies, I highly doubt there's much seniority coming into play. So many things come into play it's ridiculous and the only thing seniority gains you is leaniency. I'm in Jacksonville right now and they've got a load heading up to Wisconsin stuck on me after I deliver this load. Does my 7 months get me the good load? I doubt that. Does being dependable, doing everything I can to satisfy the customers, staying out several weeks at a time, having hours available, and being in the right place at the right time? I'd guess yes.

 

Seniority is likely to get you a few more vacation days, just about anywhere. And perhaps a little more money. And it may keep you moving when newer guys are being laid off. And it may get you a little bit better tractor.

But it all depends on the company you work for.

 

The only thing seniority got me at my last job was let go, after a driver has about 10 years in there the company usually starts looking hard to find a reason to fire him.
They don't want to pay higher wages, vacation, ect.
I watched them get 6 or 8 guys while I was there and expected it when I got my papers.
Needless to say I don't trust any employer anymore.

 

What was the reason they gave you for letting you go?

 

I asked my boss that and he said, "I don't know, I just don't know"
He looked like he was ready to throw up, all he really said was that when he got to work his boss told to go fire "Walleye" (that isn't my real name) so he left the office for the day, came in and wham done deal. Like I said I new it was coming, most who work there understand how things work there. It is what it is.
In hindsight it is a blessing, I think anyway. The only place I will try to get seniority now is working for myself, and if I have to fire myself I'm sure I'll see that coming to..........

 

My old man prepped us kids young in life for dealing with employers.He would say "There's without a doubt gonna be a frigging on a job site,make sure you get yours first and be the one doing it,not taking it".He was a Union tradesman most of his life and he would also say that the only sure bet on a job was the 2 hour show up time that they owed you when you got there,everything else was just a gamble.

I've never had an employer I trusted in the least (and that includes times I worked for myself.lol) because I've ran to many jobs and know the backroom deals and how they play off the bottom of the deck when they want to.Save your money is the best advice I can give to anybody and that way they can't hurt you when they let you go.I've never lost a job that I couldn't get another one and I've never left a company that I missed.BTW...feel free to call me a job hopper....It's better than a lot of other things I've been called.