Glad I moved over to Poly Trucking

"But a lifestyle? Maybe for some but I don't think it is the norm for most in the industry. I am sure that if they could make the same money and be home every night they would do it."

When you sleep in your truck for rest, take showers and eat in truck stops, and are away from home many nights in a row...it becomes a lifestyle. You are correct that if drivers could make the same money being home every night they do driving OTR they would. The issues are varied as to why they don't. i.e. Driving long haul OTR is what they WANT TO DO; maybe the opportunities to make said money is not available in their area; etc..

BTW, I would love to be paid for all the time I spend in this truck while away from home. How do you suggest that be done? By the hour? Won't work. Why? Because the hourly wage would only match what we would make on an annual basis.

How about like WalMart? So much per mile, so much per drop/hook, so much for a stop, so much for sleeping in your truck(although I'm not sure they still do that)? Guess what, at the end of the year a driver would still only make what they would on an annual basis if paid by the mile. Why? Because the OTR company bean counters would figure the breakdown in this type of pay to make it match what the average driver in their company makes being paid on mileage.

How about we force the OTR companies pay a standard wage per hour that can be passed on to the shipper? Do you realy want to pay the increase in the cost of living this would cause?

I prefer letting the free market take care of itself. The problem is the LOW INFORMATION work. For whatever reasons people blindly sign up to work for bad companies (transportation industry and otherwise). If this didn't happen it might just be possible only good employers would exist. Then again, life could be fair and I would be your King.

 

Deleted double post.

 

Sounds like someone doesn't understand the meaning of the word lifestyle. A job of any kind is part of one's lifestyle. We can try and keep many things about our jobs in their place but at the end of the day it's always part of our lifestyle. I would love to be home more. However, local driving isn't something for me. Not just the money either. Many other factors are involved. I will probably do it again some day when being OTR isn't best fit for me anymore. I'm glad we still have choices. I want to be clear that I believe everyone should focus on what fits them best and not on what someone says is better. I also truly hope each person is getting to make the most out of what they do. Also hope they somehow get to enjoy it as much as they can. Good hunting out there and Good Luck in finding something that fits each of you. Take care!

 

Well ####. Been a very long 7 days trying to get 5 drops knocked out. Spent the first two visiting my mom so not bad but the apt time setting was gawd awful and I had to deal with 2 targets and 3 wal-marts. But managed to get them all done and rolled 6 miles down the road toward my home and the #### drive shaft drops. So here I sit on the side of I-95 awaiting a tow and hopefully a quick fix of the drive shaft, from what I can tell looks like a bolt broke so maybe nothing too serious to get fixed in a timely manner.

 

Esta no bueno. Will pray you are quickly on the road again.

Just unloaded in Hermiston,OR & will spend the night at next receiver in Tacoma.

 

Bah, the International shop didn't have one of the pieces so they had to have it sent from Baltimore of course. Supposed to arrive tomorrow and hoping to be out of Fayetteville tomorrow afternoon. Tried to see if Poly would reimburse for rental car for one day home and back to here which was less than the price of the hotel I am sitting in but got word that they don't reimburse for car rentals so making the most of it I suppose. Chinese delivery should be knocking on my door at any time

Hoping you get out of the NW unscathed JD, take care up there bro.

 

Lifestyle? Please! Driving affords me the lifestyle that I have. Living in a truck is not a lifestyle for the majority. Just ask them.

 

Since you are a local driver, just how do you know what most of us OTR drives think? I live in this truck while away from home like most others do. I think I should know. Maybe you should ask me.

As stated before, we are glad you've found a good local gig. However, we tire quickly of your condescending posts.

 

Yeah he's got a good local job. Nothing condescending about his post. If you have a good otr gig, post the numbers. Tell the rest of us why we should apply to work at Poly. I see you get paid for all miles driven. That's the way it should be. But do you give up time at a shipper or receiver? Do you get paid for all of your on duty time?

I personally feel that the otr trucker should be paid a lot more than I get as a local driver! With all of the sacrifices they have to make. It's just not right!

 

I believe he did post (post 1103 ill help you out) the the numbers including hourly pay, stop pay etc that he did if you would have read instead of assuming. Everyone here post their experiences just to show how things are at poly. I don't recall anyone here begging for people to apply.