Isn't your business profitable enough to compete with the big boys? Yes? Then why do you care what they do? Prime has a bunch of people on the payroll, from the train dept, sales, safety, road assist, logs, dispatch, mechanics, recruiting, building maintenance, etc just to name a few. Whereas the independent owner operator has only one person, him/herself. So I find it very very hard to believe that an independent cant be or work towards becoming very profitable (six figure net kinda profitable) in this market. I for one think its an absolute gift from god above to be in a industry with such an employment shortage!!!! Would anyone rather be in an industry with no work? Well guess what when the employment shortages come lots of good things happen like wages going up. Hell we(prime) have a first year company driver that's going to break sixty grand this year, that's just me talking only about the people I know. Go find another profession where you can do that your first year, and not owe a college $40, 000 in student loans. Again the driver shortage a, godsend imo. Then with an employment shortage also comes some bad things like employers making it easier to get in the door, but so what the good outweighs the bad anyway. We still have lots of unemployed in our country and when they're unemployed people complain, "they're living on my tax dollars and sitting on their ##s", etc etc. You make it easier for for them to get jobs and people still complain. I say give them jobs, and make it easier from them to get jobs, there's still going to be a driver shortage, automatics don't make the true hard part of trucking go away. I know most drivers would love to tell everyone how this is skilled labor not everyone can do it blah blah blah at the end of the day auto or manual its driving that's it and that's all it ever was. Automatics aren't going to make us be perceived by the public any differently in fact most people have no idea that the manuals aren't synchronized anyway. So how is shifting manual going to make us seem more "professional"? Which me brings back to real hard part of this job and that's being gone all the time gone from the family, the wife, the kids, and no auto can ever change that, or make it easier. So I say make it easier for them to get in the door but it won't make it easier for them to stay. But that's why we get paid good isn't it, no one wants to be gone all the time so they pay good out here. Not because we have some special skill, get real! Also if autos help my bottom line then I embrace them, because when you help my bottom line that's less time I have to spend away from home and the people I care about and that's what really matters.
I understand how significant a 1 mpg increase is to the bottom line, so I'm honestly curious why Prime has chosen to use 10 speeds in all their trucks … any thoughts?
Ok well if you read any of my post then you would have seen I do not have a problem with Autos. I simply believe it is another way for big carriers to get unqualified people a CDL.. You obviously are fairly new to the business considering you are referencing leasing and anyone knows that the lease program in the Industry is at about a 98% failure rate so referencing it as though it is something good again shows your lack of experience. BTW Prime has 1 of the worst lease programs of the major carriers but that's another conversation. The hard part of this job is not being GONE. That is an inconvenience which you chose when you applied. The hard part is operating an80,000 lb vehicle believing that being away from home is the hard part of this career choice.... You also obviously have no knowledge of what this industry used to be.. Finally the fact that you say manuals or autos IT IS JUST DRIVING... Shows your inexperience and ignorance and proves my exact point. Companies like Prime do not care who they give a CDL to. In fact you confirm that very thing.. It makes you more professional when you actually had to have a skill to acquire a license as the industry once was.. You contradict yourself in say make it easier for them to get in the door it wont make it easier to stay. Again it was my opinion and I believe it to be true. You are entitled to your opinion. SO AS MY VERY FIRST LINE SAID. I have no problems with Automatics and believe they will be an asset to drivers and carriers..
BTW when you ask if my business profitable enough to compete with the BIG BOYS.... Makes No sense.. But my business did very well.. You assume I would be a lease operator and I am not nor would I ever be.. If I wanted to just give away money I have far better places to give it than leasing a truck.. Finally if you are an Independent Contractor ( as you call it) Then really you work for Prime you just are making there truck payment for them..
You ask name another career that a first year employee can make 60 grand? Iron worker, Electrician, Welder, Heavy Equipment Operator, Sales Person Technology, Advertising Sales Person, Lawyer, Police Officer ( Chicago) Firemen ( Chicago) Crane Operator, EMT I can go on but I think you get the point. But as you @nofreetime believe Its just driving it's not that hard.. I will agree with 1 thing you say You do not have any special skill.. You obviously do not put any value on this industry or being a driver ( because you are no where near a professional) You and Prime are a great match. You do not value being a driver and Prime does not value you as a driver either..
No I think your assuming that I lease my equipment, I hold paper. If carrier's can give some people job I'm not afraid of competition but doesn't sound like you aren't. And I said 1st year jobs that can pay sixty grand, without owing $40, 000 in student loans. Police academy cost money, emt/fire rescue training does as well, I don't believe that any 1st year sales person without education will make 60k, heavy equipment training cost money. The masonry crafts you listed require people to work their way for example an electrician has to get a journeymans license and work for 10-14/hr in the meantime. Also those professions don't offer people the opportunity to make six figures like this does one if you work at it.
First-year apprentices in the Denver Joint Electrical Apprenticeship Training Committee's 3-year Residential Wireman program earned between $12.29 and $12. 77 per hour, which was between 51 percent and 53 percent of a journeyman's wages, a long ways from $60,000.00 as a 1st year apprentice. 1st year welder would be in the same $ bracket
I do not assume anything about you cause I do not know you. Just like you do not know me. However your wrong they send you to the police academy no schooling needed. Heavy equipment does not cost money for training and you do not have to be union to be an electrician. So you do not have any idea what you are talking about so we shall agree to disagree have a great day. I know 50 sales people who make well over 6 figures and they all have nothing more than a high school diploma...
