how common is it to not have benefits in this industry??

Not much money in this racket anymore, that is why. Good benefits used to be the norm, but the costs of everything has skyrocketed while rates have not done much in 30+ years. I always carried a Catastrophic insurance plan and paid cash on the road if I became ill or injured. Now, seeing as I'm over thirty, I can no longer legally purchase one of these plans. I'm a vet, so back to the VA and I still pay cash at the doctors, MY doctor. I am eagerly waiting for these new health associations to fire up, I want my old $70 a month Cat Plan back.

 

As far as the trucking industry goes, pretty well union outfits are the only ones remaining that offer any real "benefits" over and above your base pay.

And even they are whittling those benefits down, so assume that sometime in the future, trucking in general will actually be the worst job to have, compared to other industries.

It is what it is... And they wonder why more people don't want to do this job?

 

That is what I see up here in Michigan, Detroit area. The union guys have benefits, along with a few medium sized outfits. The benefits are expensive though, and I know more than a few Teamsters that have lost well over half of their pensions. Not good. Then we have the equipment, not the greatest, some down right dangerous.

I'm an O/O, I'm out here for the money, not the benefits. Problem is, since Ocare, affordable insurance is nowhere to be found. I just priced out a plan, $970 a month, $12,000 deductible, and 60/40 co-pay. That is not insurance, that is theft. I was recently divorced, wife had the insurance. Now, it is back to the VA, I cannot afford to just give $12,000 + a year away. That would be financially stupid.

Oh, I agree, trucking is no longer fun, and it is not an occupation I would recommend.

 

I'm from North of the border, so our healthcare system is a little different, so it would be difficult for me to comment on that aspect of costs relative...

However, it still gets paid one way or the other, with higher taxes.

Trucking is a terrible industry, as far as profit margins... I am an O/O also, but a town clown. Funny thing is, I don't even have to warn people away from this industry... They figure that out all on their own!

 

this is too funny. i had actually gone and applied to a job a few years ago. apparently the owner of the company started out as an o/o where he had nothing regarding benefits, vacations and such. as a result, the guy interviewing me (not the owner) said that since the owner started out with no such things, he didn't feel he should offer them as well.

when i went there, he had a building, a garage, an office staff, and several trucks and trailers.

i thought to myself during the interview, just because he suffered with nothing as an o/o, why should he make his employees suffer, if he wants good quality drivers?

well, i pulled back my resume, AND my application from the guy interviewing me and thanked HIM for wasting MY TIME, MY GAS, to go to a worthless job offer..

so for me, anytime a job is online or where ever else, and the ad reads something like, "benefits available or offered"...WATCH OUT, YOU MAY BE PAYING for everything.

if in the ad it says BC/BS, vacations, extra stop pay, etc, then you apply, all others can kiss mine (or your's ) grits..