What is important to you

Consistent miles (pay doesn't matter if I'm not working), well-maintained equipment (preventative maintenance leading to low downtime) and a focus on making drivers happy (regular customers on regular routes, weekly hometime).

 

Consistent hometime I will agree with, and as I do have a little family benefits are a major factor too. Everything else could be there and rosey but if you're givin 1/2 of it back to pay medical you're not coming out so hot. Retirement plans are always nice too. Great thread idea @hillbilly11 this should (hopefully) make people think about where they're going. Or where they're at even.

 

1. Freight. The more diverse the freight, the more diverse the trailers needed to pull the freight. Some companies haul sticks and bricks. I dont haul sticks, bricks, or anything that's used in the construction of a house or a building. I want to pull the building.

2. Handholding. Companies now are hiring extra office staff to hold drivers' hands. Big mistake. How am I supposed to play football with you holding my hand? Imagine if an NFL football game went the way that trucking has. QB snaps the ball, but has to wait for the offensive coordinator to make a decision. QB is going to get flattened. Either trust me to do the job or tell me to walk. The less handholding, the better the company.

3. Pay. If you're not making a grand a week minimum, somethings wrong. Fix what's wrong. No driver at that company makes a grand a week? If the top drivers, who normally average 1.5-2x average dont themselves average a grand a week, congradulations! You have actually found the bottom of the bottomless pit. It get's no lower from where you are. There's actually a good thing about being at the bottom of the bottomless pit. You can only go up.

 

2 or 3 year old equipment? What does that have to do with anything? I'll take my 17 year old truck over most any 2 or 3 year old truck.

Mileage pay? That's ok with sticks and bricks hauling. Aim your sights a bit higher.

 

I don't understand the newer truck mentality (unless it's a glider). A well-maintained truck from the 1980's with 4-5 million miles on it will outrun anything made today. They were made back when trucks were built to make money... not built to make mechanics money.

 

Isn't hauling hay better?

 

Yeah, barely pay for your fuel.

 

Really? Why's that?

 

Aren't the rates on hay in the toilet?