The trucking industry propaganda continues

The industry is pushing hard to turn the occupation into a minimum wage job. Why? Because Wall Street is hell bent on the original Walmart concept, which is offer cheap prices at the expense of the workers.

 

Nailed it bro, in Canada, its literally become a "slave wage job" IE come do it for next to free, and in 5-10 years we will sign your Permanent Resident Card (Green Card). If you crash or refuse loads before that, enjoy your flight home.

Glad I made the decision to move, to a stable food grade reefer company, that isn't corporate run. The last couple have been some of the biggest in Canada, and the "LEAN sigma six" ######## is beyond belief.

 

Mountains of money.

We were in a one million plus restaurant situation in those days in part of the family. Whats really amazing was that we were little fish. Big fish mr big stuff Hank across the street had a mark IV paid for. Those cars were worth more than UK Rolls in those days. #### near 10,000 mid 70's money.

What killed that place was the new I-95 built late 50's early 60's Poof no more customers. Time to relocate.

 

Of course... Union's mean rules upon rules... sometimes, rules that are completely detrimental to running down the road... but its all paid nonsense. People do not get into the industry to follow rules.. in the late 80's, Trucking became the adult equivalent to running away to join the circus.. it was sold as "no rules, no bosses, just "whoop whoop truck it up" Party's in the back row... And we wonder why the industry ended up like this? For decades the drivers willingly did illegal and idiotic things to get loads of junk delivered all over the country like they were feeding starving nuns and orphans out on the prairie somewhere. They did so because they loved feeling like Mother Theresa... Of course it was all kabuki theater for idiots... They were pretending that they were being forced to do it.. and management got to sit on their duffs and not work hard at all to make anything legal.. then came the ELD's... and like farmers who were paid for decades to NOT grow crops.. when they were forced into growing crops.. they realized that they had no idea how to do it. Now Trucking faces the same issues. For decades they were supposed to be working within some legal hours of service and get their customers served... Now, they have discovered that they simply cannot get the free rides that they used to get by the Mother Theresa's out there.

 

So, you're saying that the money is good so long as you are supporting only yourself and are happy living a very modest lifestyle. Can't really disagree with that. The point myself and others are making is that a driver wages used to be at a level that a guy could provide nicely for a family (my father-in-law is a retired driver... and my wife and her brothers had it pretty darn good growing up) ... but this is all obvious and not really worth rehashing. However, your claim that driver turnover would be the same even if the average pay was $100K (about double the current average, and about what it would be had wages kept pace with inflation) is ridiculous. Cheeleaders for big trucking interests, when lamenting the "driver shortage" always want to try to lay the blame on anything other than driver pay. Why is that? I have talked to hundreds of drivers about why they left a previous empoyer and the answer is almost always money related... the pay was not in line with the time and sacrifices the company expected. It's almost entirely about money... pay drivers fairly for everything they do and turnover will go down. Need proof? Look at the segments of the trucking industry where turnover is lowest... Compare the pay there with the rest of the industry... Which pays better?

 

That's just a political talking point. It was designed to give you a boogy man, to take your mind off the real problem or solution.

 

in addition to deregulation, get trucker to turn ANTI UNION. Yup deregulate them so they fight each other for cheap scrap loads. Then turn them against the one place that keeps them united, and thier pay up 5o the days standards.

 

On my last day with ATS I had a difficulty receiving a relatively tiny advance against the pending payday a few days into the future. I resolved after a few phone calls and so forth that ATS was not interested in resolving the money issue. And that was that.

I told them thats unfortunate, this driver is done and that is THAT.

The resulting fallout cost alot more than the tiny amount I was requesting relatively speaking. They are happy to ship a oodles of dollar complete suspension to me by air cargo into Chicago for my precious trailer that failed it's airride once. But god help them if they had to cut a 150 dollar check to a driver against about 400 dollars pay for the previous workweek. Oh no.

And people wonder why drivers move on. They say it takes a few dollars to make the world keep going around without trouble. and thats really true in this industry. Its tragic actually.

What I should have done in my end was quit long before that day. The money situation was in a slow burn with insufficient wages of that time each week.

 

Ok.....how about this: instead of saying much claim is ridiculous, why don't you ask me why I say that? Why dont you pick my brain? The reason why I say that isn't purely about money. You have to see the society for what it is. First off, the money made in trucking is way more than most new drivers have ever seen on a paycheck. Second, the thing in my mind that makes drivers quit, even more so than money, is the lifestyle. Many of these new drivers never knew of the days you're talking about. I dont even know of those days. I'm 36 with 11 years in. The money has stayed pretty much in the same tax bracket with marginal increases. So OTR drivers who have entered the industry in the last ten years really dont know about the "good ole days." People quit when they miss the first holiday, first child's birthday, anniversary etc. The first time a company dont get them home when requested, its over. The loneliness factor, the psychological aspects of trucking in my mind is what causes people to quit. Many drivers quit trucking for lesser paying jobs either in trucking or out, just to be at home more, not miss anything. Many local paying jobs arent great paying either, contrary to popular belief.....the good ones are few and far between, but you'll hear guys say, "at least I sleep in my own bed." I won't all the way say your point isn't true. I will say the psychological aspects of it contribute to it as well

 

If your not making a living wage and saving money at your job then what will you do for retirement. Work till your 112?