Fair to assume the driver shortage is real?

Not me, sir. Though there are days I wish I had enough people to be able to send someone out for grub while everything gets covered. Some days the only chance I get to grab a bite to eat is if I get to roll out and grab or drop a load. I'm in the grey area between driver and office monkey, cause I do both. Some days I stay in the office all day and learn, others I'm in the truck from when I wake up until I finally shut down for bed time at the end of the day, just like a regular truck driver without knocking down all the miles. Load here, bring back to the yard, grab that, drop it, rinse and repeat.

Heck, even if I had the staff I'd be the one going out to grab the grub cause I'm the apprentice!

 

im sure your hard work is appreciated..Sounds like you are doing plenty.
but yet?
its the middle of the day on a Friday and you have time to be on this website?..Hmm?

 

I work a very limited area for the company, under another load planner who has a much bigger area. All my trucks are set for the weekend, all my loads are covered, and I found a couple for my boss to get other drivers home for the weekend. Got most of my work today done yesterday, actually. Today was mainly paperwork, payoffs to the O/O's we broker for in the area, and watching for emergencies (of which there were none around here, thank God!)

 

I had a humongous emergency today.

I was at my local grocery store and they had to brands of chili. Both with out beans. I could not choose which brand to buy. This one, or that one. This one or that one.


So I walked out





I bought BOTH brands.



Now I have to find time to eat 2 cans of chili.

 

I fail to see the emergency. But then, I am not your plumber!

 

problem is. and you said it in your reply. brsims . drivers who have not been otr in a few years get turned away? why? if you have otr experience and drive locally you are discounted by the otr industry as a driver. WHY? because you haven't had to shower at truck stops?

 

Since the oil fields have slowed on drilling, there are more flat beds looking for freight, driving prices down. Again supply and demand. I am glad there are companies that try hard to keep their promises to the drivers they hire, but so long as their are people who will haul the freight for less than your company will, the rates will not come up, and driver pay will not come up.

That is the big picture.

 

According to the insurance monkeys, studies have shown that if a driver has been out of the truck for six months or more they have forgotten what the big round thingie in front of them is for and are therefore a great danger to other motorists (and the insurance company's bottom line).

I, for one, would like to see the conditions set for these (obviously biased) studies. But when I asked, the insurance monkey screamed at me and threw his poo. A banana was not enough of a bribe, I guess. Next time I will try TWO bananas.

 

I drove for 18 years and-I had been out almost 12 years,took a week refresher course....pumpkin hired me-went through 2week orientation.
Just like riding a bike...except elogs,59 mph truck(ouch),csa points, please don't ask about the pay Wow how times have changed.

 

59?

I didn't think the pay for SNBC was all that bad in the short time I worked there (long story) I make LESS now with the company I'm with