Another should I......

$440.00 a week after all expenses is pretty good for a 3 month old rookie, you will not make as much or more at a factory job After expenses, I don't mean to be mean, but you were standing at that crossroad you brought up the day before your first day of truck driver training, now you have to turn around to get back there. You will have to gross $900.00-$1000.00 at that factory job to break even to where you are at now(that's $25.00 an hour). This life style isn't for everyone and there is no shame in that, if you are not cut out for this then just man up and say so, don't try to blame it on low wages(does not apply to you) or crap equipment(again does not apply to you) you are a rookie and will not start at the top of the pay scale and your first truck will not be brand new. Those are privileges to be earned, not rights that you are entitled to.( I don't think they are going to start you as CEO at that factory are they?) And again if I sound harsh I don't mean to be, I know a couple of guys that have been working for Swift for 4 years or more "waiting for something better to come along" and are making a pretty good living while they wait, but they have been there 4 years not 4 months. Again if I hurt any ones feeling I am sorry, that was not my intension, if this job isn't for you then just say so and move on.

 

Most of those local freight companies you can apply online and some will give you time to obtain your endorsements ,but I would definitely call them and ask to speak to the safety guy. If you have a Ups freight or Fedex freight in your area I would apply to them also because both of them offer a lot more in the way of oppurtunities in different fields besides driving.

 

You don't need to take time off to find another gig.

You probably wouldn't like an employer who would hire you with 90 days of experience. The rule of thumb in trucking is, suck it up for at least your first year no matter where you are.

90 days and only 1 incident? You better sit tight. Any incident, regardless of fault, and statistically the odds skyrocket you'll be involved in another within a year. Carriers and insurers will give you 1 (ONE) free pass.

 

If you can afford to buy your contract with Swift out why didn't you check into local companies right away? Where I live at I don't have local LTL companies to choose from. I'm in a rural area and would wind up going OTR or regional if I do go to school. Also I agree you're not figuring your income right. You'll have taxes at any job along with insurance and you'll still need to eat and have gas for your car to go back and forth to work. I don't understand why you can't get at least bi weekly home time in Chicago though??
Two tanker companies that take new grads that you probably should have looked at with your location are Schneider and Superior Carriers if you want to do OTR tanker or regional.

 

all your problems are 1st year blues
don't be short sighted
after 18 months I got a job at $.42
out 8 days home 2

 

All I understood from these postings here are : don't ask for the money, ask for more work. The veterans should not ask for better money but they can advise others (the beginners)to work for less. After all this mess, can we still complain about the trucking industry payment or the price per mile for a load?! I don't think so.
Doesn't matter if you are a rookie or not, as long as you are working well and your work makes profit. By the way, if those trucks from Swift are 150000 $ a piece, I'm Donald Duck. They are taking the risk ... the driver doesn't take any risk ??? At all? What about not seeing your kids growing up, your wife missing your support, your parents who are ready to give a hand and a leg just to see you from time to time??? What about enduring extremely cold or heat? What about being forced to eat once a day or sleeping only 3-4 hours by night? All these are done only by the rookies ??? Guys, quit smoking, it's affecting your brains. Learn to sell yourself, cause the other side is a master of sales art. Let me tell you something. No matter how much your going down, always there is someone who is willing to work for less then you do. Following your ideas we may end up working for a yogurt a week.

"In all honesty, they have been great and my only issue is the pay". With other words, I'm in a good health, the only issue I have is I got cancer. But the doctor is so kind to me. Well, the bottom line is : you are going to die. Anyway!

 

I think this is what gets me, you don't give up a thing. you have to do some stuff just because that is the way life is and giving up time to gain experience which you can't do sitting around the house or having a 9 to 5 job. If your goal is local ltl, then great, work toward that but no matter what, learn how this industry works and how to make real money in it.

First stop thinking inside a box, you can get 12 volt fridges and coolers, that work well. I know the reasoning behind the no inverter rule many companies have, they have dumb drivers who do stupid things so it is simpler just to say no.

Many of us have no problems having a good meal and clean up ... please ... you live and work on the road, it isn't a Michelin star restaurant you are driving. You have time on the weekends it seems to prep a weeks worth of meals, you have 10 hours of down time and 30 minutes of break time, plan it out.

You need to learn time management and how to route yourself. If you are coming in to a truck stop with 15 minutes left on the clock, then there is an issue with your planning the load.

I understand that but you have to read what I am going to say a couple times.

You are in a small little part of a great big industry. These companies move bulk and not everything that is moved can be considered that bulk. There are a lot of reasons why they pay lower wages, one of them is what is called a revolving door, they take people with no experience, train them and if they mess up they toss then out, otherwise they are used until they leave of prove themselves better to move up.

I have to add this, I think you are a great example of the revolving door and if you stick with it and get through your first year, don't become a person who promotes this as a profession you can make big bucks, tell the truth, fight the revolving door.

WHAT?!?

You don't sleep in your truck?

 

hes at home right now.....

 

Am I missing something.... Does swift have benefits also? .... I don't work for swift, but there are truck drivers that have for years... I bet most busboys have great health insurance, 401ks, vacation, ect. , ect. , ect. built right in their package also. In all respect... travel while you can and get paid for it young one... things usually change later... I bet a few of your friends envy you... especially if they are already parents.

 

i think CRST has a local daily home thing. you work the rails and its 3 month experience. try it