Thoughts on this article about trucking slowdown?

Maybe this time you won't ignore me, how many trucks do you have?

 

It’s slowed down. A year ago we were nonstop running. Now all of a sudden I’m doing 700-1000 deadheads to get to loads. Thankfully as a trainer I get a lot of the best loads. I hear grumbling from solo’s. Not a chorus of complaints, but a murmur. And since we’re a starter company people leave for the greener grass. My previous students who did leave say it’s the same at other large carriers.

I’ll leave politics out of this, but I’m not surprised...nothing lasts forever.

 

Regardless of, your average job doesnt pay enough to live on, much less raise a family. That's what I mean by "squat."

 

The average job pays fine. Not service jobs, but average factory jobs. If people would stop buying overpriced goods that they "just gotta have", they'd have more money.

 

Mmmmm you know, I'll just bow out. I stand by my observations, but today ain't the day.

 

Everybody died?
The average full time does pay enough to live on, just not enough for those that think they should start off at the top, One of the huge problems is folks love to live above their means and have somehow come to the conclusion that they are owed a living as good as a ceo even if they are cashier at burger king.

The poorest of the poor here in the US, would be considered rich in many countries..

 

The poorest of the poor in the US don't live in other countries. They live in the US where the cost of living is high.

 

You are right, and they manage to have possessions (many of them) that actual poor people do not even know exist.

 

Remember the housing bubble? That happened because everyone believed that, as Americans, they 'deserved' a house (and a new car, AND a boat, AND an $800 phone, etc, etc). There were plenty of lenders at that time who agreed.
As it turns out, $16/hr won't pay for all of that all at the same time. Never mind the fact people didn't understand the difference between 'fixed' and 'adjustable'.
The American dream requires effort and sacrifice. People today don't want to do either one.

 

My wife's best friend is getting married next month. Combined her and the groom make under $80k. She alone has over $40k in personal debt (buys clothes mostly).
The wedding is going to have 200 people, it's gonna be in some kind of fancy country club, her dress costs $5k and she flew from Detroit to New York four times to try it on. I can't even imagine how much the whole thing is going to cost.
It just blows my mind how debt driven this country is