From Company driver to L/P

You are out of touch. I'm getting my information right from the sources. What you are talking about is the engine age, which is different than whole company exemption. This relates to everyone not just those that have the older engines like us.
BTW Swift does not start out that high I know more than one driver that started this year and that is what they are being paid for long haul. I have seen the pay stubs. Hubby and I have been involved in this business for over 10 years. Know more people from ex to present drivers working many different companies plus OO. Have many driving friends in heavy haul, stepdeck, flatbed, tanker as well as dry van. Do not assume you think you know me deary, I am way older than you know.

If you had read this thread you would know hubby started with trucking back in the guards. Later he loaded them from the megas. Was a mechanic in guards and out for big rigs. Later private driver for OD for 5 years before he left them. I have driven with him talk to shippers and receivers plus planners and dispatchers and brokers. I spend most of my time researching and talking with those involved in trucking. Not just one person alone opinion in one area.

Anyway, today's ELD fiasco is .... Servers can't handle the load. Now this is not much of a surprise why. Because all the brand new companies that start ELD had no real idea what it would take to run these for so many drivers. Remember there is only 2 real company ELDs Peoplenet and Qualcomm. All other are new or not real been tested in full. Even the main two hard issues when they started although I don't remember a Peoplenet freeze up like many say what happened today. But yes even the main 2 had lots of growing pains. I do remember many hardware changes for Peoplenet. Many slow times too. As some might remember OD invested in Peoplenet and saved the company from closing. We have only dealt with Peoplenet in the past 7 years. Hubby started on paper logs and when OD bought Peoplenet there's was the first terminal to have them installed. Why because they were the Southern Break bulk and had most of the drivers back then. Oh, those first years were no fun with the glitches and upgrades.

So now we have all these new ones and Bluetooth is glitching and crashing. The companies under estimated the server needs. What a mess for sure. Wonder where this will go, if it makes some government officials think twice. Probably not as they don't care unless the pocketbooks get hit. That won't happen unless they invested in a company that makes them and ruling changes. Which would be nice but no. We're already hearing about 2018 changing the engine exemption. They want everyone on these no matter what and that's what there working on now.

 

I met hubby last night to get our girl. Rain all the way there at night no fun. Trip back was much easier but scary. There was one OO that needed to stop for the night, he was all over the road. I hope he did and he's safe.

Hubby now waiting on next load which should bring him home. Truck stops last night were full but not bursting full. Nor did I see trucks parked on ramps like last time. There were lots of trucks still on the road though which most I will assume we're on last loads. We only have a very few friends this year working the holidays. As many know hubby and I worked threw last two years on them. This will be our first off in 3 years.

Although I am not in truck this winter till I get last of farm settled. Last year when I was in truck things were much different. Weather was a bit worse at this time. We were changing dispatcher which we have done twice more since. So much has happened with truck and us. Looking forward to another year paying off truck with company. We will stay after that for a bit while we get funds all straight again.

This way is not for everyone but it has been working for us. Having to change way of thinking and working from Company driver to Owner Operator is a major thing. Company drivers have no real clue how whole system works. As they are dispatched and on regular routes. OO have much more involved and deal with alot more stuff. From picking your own route calculating your fuel useage and cost. Making sure you scale plus all equipment is legal and working and if not either getting it fixed or you fixing it so you are legal. Let's not forget all the paperwork and processing from EZpass to taxes and shipping papers making sure addresses and numbers are all correct. Then you have to deal with brokers and all that can and will not go right. Secret shipping which makes no sense but we have done it. That's where papers are sealed in some cases and you lack certain papers. Mostly stupid brokers thinking they are being smart on trash loads. LOL

I have to say one thing for sure. As a OO you do triple the amount of backing that an company driver does and into some very strange and difficult areas. We're in warehouse section again which is direct to customer from manufacture in many cases. Shipping goes to school , banks, dealerships, hotels, homes and many small businesses of different types. Plus lots of stores and other manufacturers. We have hauled for all the Mega trucking company in brokered freight. Loads have been as light as a few hundred pounds to maxed out amount. No overloaded though. Never the same twice which is fun and interesting but sometimes nerve racking.

As someone who use to run a supply business and placed many orders that I needed to fulfill customer needs. I have now full dealt with the other side of where it all starts and how it got to me way back when. It gives one a very unique perspective on the whole supply and demand that many never see fully but I have in full.

I wish everyone a safe trip home to your loved ones. May the Winter Solstice be good to you.

 

Very true Swift has merged. The .24 a mile is for team out of school and solo out of school. Also certain states have different pay rates. PA, CA, NY ect are higher. MO, TN ,KY AR ect are lower. This seems to apply to all Megas across the board from what we have heard and seen.

When hubby and I lived and worked in PA for OD his starting pay was higher than when we transfered to TN with OD. He took a $4 pay cut on his hourly. He was jocking then as well as loading on dock. For those that don't know the term jocking, it's moving the trailers around the yard and to and from the dock. He had only been with OD 3 months before we moved and transferred. Before that he was mechanic with Heartland Express and before that dock workers for 8 years with Overnight. He got hired at Overnight after his National Guard tour. Wow that was so long ago now.

So for those that only know there state, starting pay scale can be less or more depending on what state your in. But either was .24 cents a mile is a rip off. I think anything less that .45 a mile to start these days is cheap. But this is where research pays off and good records make a big difference.

Anyway, for those still working enjoy the money. I have been hearing about some good freight prices across the board for OO. Brokers begging and agreeing to higher prices. It might only be right now before Christmas. As we all know that freight slacks off alot after holidays.

Hubby is telling me truck stops are full. Last year at this time they were half empty at 8 pm.

 

Yes, it could overflow easily. We know many OO are off even some company drivers are off for their vacation at this time. Trick we did so we didn't have to work holidays. In many cases and it happened to us twice with OD if you were off but not on vacation time they would call you in day before the actual holiday to run. Then you would not be home for it.