$20/hr minimum

You will raise your rates when you can't take advantage of drivers anymore , and when you are desperate for "qualified" drivers who keep your insurance rates down..

There is going to be a shift in the tectonic plates here in the driving world. There will be a huge rift and the only way to fix it will be to pay driver more, and give them safe well maintained equipment to operate...

5 years from now ( 01-13-2018 ) look back at this thread and you will see. It's all happening now right now as we speak. That is why I have temp agencies, and carriers finding my resume on the net and calling me regularly. They weren't doing that 5 years ago.

There is a driver shortage, and the companies don't want to admit it. The managers don't like the fact that some driver make more than they do already. In some companies drivers are one of the highest paid groups..

The companies are doing their best to lure in the young, naive, or less fortunate so they can offer them "great" pay, and "new" trucks.. Let me tell you new most of the time the pay isn't great... It's a trick.. Companies don't want to hire experienced drivers because they won't put up with all the BS, broken truck, and low pay...

 

I sure hope so brother, I sure hope so.

 

I make $80/k a year driving trucks and my wife stays home and cooks, cleans, and packs my lunch. I'm home every day and have the weekends off. Do I work hard at work ? You bet I do. But is seems "most" companies are cheap, and fooling the driver into thinking they are worth less and skill less, but the driver puts his life on the line for the company every day, and keep the insurance rates down so they can stay in business.

 

Because the company cheated the guy out of the going rate for as long as possible, and he didn't find out until the guy he trained told him what he is getting paid.. People become comfortable and give up on asking for pay increases until they need one to survive or they need to find a new job to earn more.

Seniority has nothing to do with it.. It's all about what license you have and how many accidents/violations you have, nothing more. If you have the license required for that vehicle, and a clean record you are worth something.

Seniority goes out the window in 3-6 month. After that we are all equals...

 

biting my tongue to avoid losing a thread. But, again, all I see from you is ME ME ME ME ME, give ME ME ME more than I deserve so I don't have to work any harder than I want to.

In part because of pay, but more so because those coming up behind us have no work ethic, they expect and want everything given to them, they don't want to earn it. My nephew quit his job as a cop because he was disciplined following back to back allegations of police brutality. The Dept. froze his pay, and future advancement for 4 yrs, he cried that it was unfair and quit , I told him to his face he was an idiot. Yeah, that didn't go over well.

And a good chef will tell you it's not beneath him to wash dishes, mop the floor, or clean a sink to advance in the world, regardless of the pay.

Then become an O/O from the start and set your own wage. Guess what, my father spent 20 yrs working for someone else as an exterminator before he finally started his own business. He still had to work his way up, sure he brought a dozen of his former clients over to him when he started, but it didn't pay the bills for the first 4 yrs. He worked two jobs, yes, missing holidays and special events, he worked nights and weekends until the company could stand on it's own and he only had to work one job. He's now ready to sell the company and retire, but he had to work his way UP to that position.

And so, then what? Somehow those things make you worth more? Pay Attention, THEY ARE A PART OF THE JOB, IT COMES WITH THE TERRITORY. Just like the arguments and debates elsewhere on this forum about chaining. It's part of the job, if your not going to do it, then go drive a desk, work at McD's. No one said you have to work for the wage offered, if you don't like it go someplace else, if there is someone desperate enough for your skills they will pay you what your demanding, but don't expect it no matter what, and that is what the problem with the kids today. They want want want more than they deserve.

Um, starting wage for Colo. Dept. of Transportation is $36,000/yr, plus overtime, plus shift differential, plus state paid for insurance with a super low co-pay, and until recently a defined benefit retirement plan (which is grossly underfunded but that's another story). I know a 3rd year plow driver for CDOT, he makes $39,000/yr as a base salary, with shift differential and overtime, he made $50,000 last year, the majority of that from working 12hr shifts during the winter. Oh, and he drives a 2 yr old truck, most state owned plow trucks are replaced every 5 to 8 yrs.

Again, all part of the job.

Again, you have to work your way up to it.

Make as much as nurses? Driver, you need some time off. Let's see there are different classes of nurse, there is a RN, LPN, Trauma Nurse, Flight Nurse, Teaching Nurse, Training Nurse, etc., which one should we be making as money as? I know nurses who make 6 figures, work 4 days a week, and constantly are learning new things to stay ahead of the curve. If you want 6 figures as a driver, again, be an O/O for a bedbug company.

All these things you mentioned are part of the job and things you should take into consideration when deciding if this is the career you want. But there are also ways of dealing with them, and it's called working smart and working hard.

 

If you feel your skills and your money is so great, then why aren't you working for Wal-Mart's Private fleet? $75K to start, company paid bennies, 401K, ESOP, new trucks every 3 years, 4 days on 2 days off. Hell, you'd be the top driver there, easily making high 6 figures. BTW, I know some private fleet drivers with Wal-Mart making very nice 6 figure incomes, they had to work their up to that level, they weren't just handed that salary.

 

It's funny .. first an obivous "employer" says steering wheel holder"" to demean us "a monkey could do it", then another employer says "so what" it is part of the job...

Do you drivers see the disconnect between employers and drivers ?

It's the typical "they are always right" attitude.

When you work for them and you have an accident they will think of something after the fact that you should have done, and make a new rule, and then hold you accountable after the fact when in reality nobody thinks that perfect in real time under stress..

The table will turn... You will see... 5 years from now.. all drivers in the US will be making at least $20/hr no matter where they live and the good ones will all be making $27-$35/hr

Mark my words..

Why would you swear here on the forum ? You could quietly leave the conversation, but you are afraid some drivers might actually see the light and ask you for a raise

 

Look at this-

http://cdllife.com/2013/top-trucking-news/many-cdl-students-unsatisfied-with-swift-settlement/

Why was swift allegedly pushing driver thru ? Because they can't keep up with the demand, and they want cheap labor if you ask me.

 

http://www.gettrucking.com/Default.aspx

 

[h=2]Critical driver shortage hits trucking firms[/h]http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121105/BIZ13/311059928/1185/BIZ13