How relative is age discrimination in the trucking industry

What is OTR???
"they made some allowances for my past---" ????
Where you a trucker before jnb1110?

OTR: Over the road which means out on the road for 3 or 4 weeks, or seeing home rarely as opposed to being home every night.

I had some issues 3 DUI's, drunk in publics, a couple of misdemeaners and a felony from way back in the mid 70's which they let slide. I was a trucker in the 80's and 90's then went into sheet metal. Came back to trucking after I got laid off sheet metal in early 2009.

 

Hello Wildbill, Jimbo60, ironhand, Skunk Truck 2590, sw1241:


At present, companies’ are hiring for "exact matches" as to what you did before. Further there are very very few jobs out there, literally. No cross-over’s into different field. For example moving from Automotive to Medical Sales. Additionally, the auto industry is "dead". Most dealers are all piled in with Red Ink. They have mortgaged their own homes to keep the dealership alive. Further, the 5 interviews he has had all want 50 pay cut from what he made. Of which he is willing to take much less. But it seems to be once they figure out his age, he never hears back. He states that if I have to put up with that corporate BS, I'll go drive a truck. He is under the thought that truckers are left alone by superiors as long as they do the job. He doesn't know that most newbie truckers are away from home 3 weeks. Yikes!

Question for sw1241: How long were you with Ford? What year did they let you retire out at? Were you able to get your 30 years in for full pension? What parts depot were you out of? Where you union protected? White Collars are not.

In the field every year since 2002 "voluntary" release (packages) have happened. Or so that is what Ford calls them. IE: they transfer you to NY<NY and your home is in Boston. Don't want to move family. Then an opening occurs in Boston of the exact title you are doing in NY>NY. Ford tells you "that opening is for a Newbie from Detroit", you can't have it. Employee finally gives up as they are working and living in NY <NY for 5 days a week every week. No family around. This is what they call "voluntary release" and take package (offer money to get you to quit). In our case hubby was willing to move wherever as his file showed and we would stay behind. We did this year’s back as he worked out of the NY<NY office and we stayed in Boston. Henceforth, last Feb. 2009 he was laid off. Further, they have combed the company to remove any employee in 50's and 60's. We actually have seen help wanted ads placed for his same job along with 70 or so other openings. Hell, in Ford Credit they laid off 40's, 50's and 60's and 60percent of their workforce.


At this stage in his life he has a bad taste in his mouth for Corporate America! He feels he more than did his job and made many scarifies. IE: selling "dog cars and trucks (including some fireball vehicles as all manufacturers have)" to dealers and more than meeting corporate goals. He could sell you a PINK f-150 and you would walk away from the deal feeling great.

He needs to read this board and see what you all go through.

He looks at it if unemployment will pay for it I’ll have it as a back up. As we will have 2 kids of ours bleeding financially for college monies this fall. Not wanting to touch other money.
Thanks to all for your replys and thoughts, much appreciated!
Sincerely,
Melody

 

This post is why most newb's don't make it a year. Most have no clue as to what it takes. Your husband can drive truck if he wants it bad enough but, going into this as a back up is a sure sign of a rough road ahead.

 

This section of your post really stands out.

As far as truckers being left alone by their superiors well....... most trucks have satelite tracking and communication so the company is pretty much over your shoulder all of the time. Micro management is pretty much a fact of life for most drivers today. The local comapny that I work for doesn't have Qualcomm satelite but, every truck has a company cell phone keyed to the truck number so..... if dispatch wants to talk to you they will and, they do.

As to being gone for three weeks that's optimistic.

Here's what will happen to him as a newbie; First he can get his license training either through a company, a private school or, maybe a community college (the best and least expensiive route for training but, not available every where also, the most time consuming ie. longest course of study). If he goes through a company or private school he can look forward to spending $2k-$5k for the program.

After schooling he will be with a trainer for a minimum of three weeks, the average length of training is about four weeks and some companies extend it out to eight weeks. During his training time it is very unlikely that he will be home at all.

When his training is complete, most companies will have him go through an upgrade procedure that takes a day or two (think of it like a graduation) to qualify as a company driver. This probably will happen at a terminal somewhere quite a ways from home.

Once he completes the upgrade he is assigned a truck (this can take a couple of days). Once he recieves the truck he has to inspect it and get any issues like mechanical problems fixed. So he can figure that on average completing his upgrade, getting his truck assigned and, getting it road worthy will take about a week, maybe longer. Remember he probably has still not been home.

Next they will send him and his truck to his home terminal but, he will have to pull a load or two to get there. This could take another week or two.

So 6-10 weeks after he hired on, he gets home. Now he gets (on average) one day at home for every week out. Some companies don't always count training time as time out, only his dispatched time after upgrading. Don't count on him having 6-10 days off, more like 3-5 maximum. Then right back out for 3-4 weeks. Then another 3-4 days of home time. Which won't always be on schedule, he could be two or three days late getting home.

After all of this he'll probably make between $600-$750 per week for his first year (btw- while he is training it will be about $350.00 +/-) so...... after taxes, insurance etc ...... he will have to take road expenses out of his net (about $150.00 per week) so he ends up putting about $400-$500 in the bank and, most weeks he'll work 50-70 hours for that money.

All the while he will have to deal with waiting at shippers, waiting at consignees, breakdowns, bad weather, traffic, living in a space that is not much bigger than the average closet and, many other things.

I am not trying to discourage you here and, I know what the employment situation is right now but, remember in my earlier post how I mentioned that some 90% of new drivers won't make it a year?

Ultimately he will have to make the decision but if he's looking at this as a relatively hassle free way to make a living..........

Don't just read this board either. Look at Rip Off Report and Pissed Consumer too. Pick any trucking company that hires students put them into Google with the word "complaint" and read away.

Good luck.

.................. Jim

 

Now thats calling it like it is.

 

Husband has seen the car and truck numbers go south since 2001. Dealerships sold, shrink and fold. The "good" dealerships are the ones that really take care of their own. Few of those. As for my husbands end with the dealerships it was take and I'll give you what is hot. After 6 states and 100's of dealers he has built a strong relationship with best in there class of dealers.

I really think he would be shocked after he read all the posts above. Meanwhile he continues to put stuff out via cover letters and resumes.

There was just an article today on MSNBC how now there are fathers with "MASTERS DEGREES" driving trucks. This goes to show you how are really bad things are regarding unemployment. We are set on all the benefits as he pulled the cord on his retirement pension. However, with 2 kids in college it can break the bank. One at Northeastern, our retired US Army Ranger and on will be at Brandeis in fall of this year.

My husband is just so feed up with what potential employers put you through. CYCO tests, 4 interviews, demand to know what you made before, and the lists goes on. Sadly, his industry is dead. And corporate america stinks right now.

He knew about the rador on the rigs. Just as in cars almost all have black boxes to "protect Manf" against lawsuits by drivers. More times than not it goes in Manf. favor.

Your industry is now in the lead along with rail. Transports must move for the spx and dow to move. Transports fall underneath dow and spx market goes bye bye. That is just one such indicator for stated markets.

yesterday I checked and trucking industry was at 69 percent which is good.

Sorry, can't show links as my hand will be slapped, must follow rules.
Sincerely,
Melody

 

Trucking is one industry that doesn't discriminate against age. Many have made it a second career.

You can breathe, still have your health with in the guidelines, you can drive.

 

I took a buyout package in mar. 08. I had 30 yrs at Ford, although I was laid off for a total of 8 yrs. out of the 30. I found a driving job back in the mid eighties hauling cars for a while. The money I made hauling cars was very good at that time, and I don't think it can be matched today. Pay has decended continually in the trucking industry and I don't see it getting any better any time soon. When I initially started looking at other careers I too looked at transportation for the same reasons you stated. I went and renewed my CDL and had a pre hire from TMC and was already to go, and at the last minute I had a change of heart. Then Ford sweetened the deal and I had a hard time turning it down. I filled out an online app with two different railroads and quite to my surprise I received interviews with both. I was hired by CSX and went to work for them as I took my buyout. I never even had a day off between jobs.I was laid off from CSX at the begining of 09 due to slow freight. I just received a call back notice about a week ago and I am contemplating going back to CSX or perhaps give driving a shot. The problem I'm having with driving is the pay, to put it frankly it sucks. You will not make enough to put two children through college that are already in college. Your husband will be lucky to make enough just to pay for nessecities around the house much less pay for two college educations. The problem with the rails is that you give up all free time, on call 24/7 and can not be more than two hours away from your terminal due to the 2hr call rule. The money and benefits are a little better with rail, but he will have to sacrifice most of the lifestyle he is used to. For those leaving the Auto industry it can be quite an ordeal to come to grips with. Most of the good paying jobs are gone and with so many people out of work it makes it very difficult to even find a job that pays half of what an Auto job paid. I got out with a full retirement and I am very appreciative of that fact, but these days one has to wonder if the pension will last as long as the person had origanaly planned on. Good luck with your search, it can be done, but it will not be an easy transition to make both emotionaly and financialy.
Don't give up, if you stay persistant it will happen.

 

Most people outside of the insdustry are when they are confronted with the reality

.... and there are folks from every walk of life doing it too. Me thinks that that example is a bit of media sensationalism ...... after all there are PhDs working at Barnes & Noble too.

Just wait until he has to jump through all of the new hire hoops at a trucking company

It's more than just that. It is the company's way of commuicating with (via in-cab keyboard) and, constantly tracking their drivers on a 24/7 basis. Including various performance factors such as MPG, idle time, engine speeds and, braking techniques.

Which is all well and fine... however, trucking is a part of "Corporate America" and as such the compensation rates are very much an inverse pyramid with drivers on the bottom. Master's Degree or not.

Based on the information you've presented; two kids headed off to good universities and another person that you are helping financially, and your husbands employment history. I think that we can safely conclude that you folks wold find it difficult at best to survive on a driver's salary.

From my background it's challenging. I've just recently returned to driving after several years away from it. Coming back into the industry in a position that is somewhat better than most rookies get, I'm still working for about 50&#37; of what I was making three years ago.

good luck with whatever you decide.


................. Jim