I'm baaaaaack!!!!!!!!

Hi Lazie, thanks for reading!

Sorry for not replying to your PM, something screwy with my phone or the site won't let me.

Just my two cents about your (real and quite valid) concerns:

The world of trucking has changed drastically since the 80s and 90s. Big Brother, like it or hate it, is watching partly because of our failure to organize and police ourselves and partly because of some bureaucrats and their need to justify their positions by passing legislation with their names on it, and we are easy targets (see first reason). Bottom line--the rules are here, the government oversight is in place, mandatory elogs are coming soon, and there's jack squat we can do about it. That means company drivers will never legally make the money they could 30 years ago, and soon it will be next to impossible to cheat.

But there are words of comfort!!

Equipment is more comfortable and easy to drive than it has ever been. More and more planners and dispatchers (especially in big companies) are getting the memo that they can't push drivers hard any more (even if they want to be pushed). Elogs mean no more time spent drawing little lines, doing math, trying to remember where you are (or were), writing legibly, being forced to log 15 minutes for a 5-minute pee or 7-minute fuel stop, no more fines for falsified logs because of an honest mistake having drawn a line 1/8th of an inch too far to the left, no more calls from Safety because you missed scanning or sending a log from a week ago, no more time redoing logs from five days ago because you messed up a recap and your 34 is no good...you get the picture.

For me, the transition to elogs was not that big a deal. I'm quite used to them now and am capable of turning in 3600 miles in 6 days. I make enough. I won't get rich driving a truck, but if I wanted to be a gazillionaire I'd take up one of those Away goons who keep propositioning me on their offer.

I guess I'm rambling, but the point I'm gradually wandering toward is that 1) It isn't going to go back to what it used to be, and 2) It ain't all that bad now. To quote the great American philosopher Billy Joel, "The good old days weren't always good and tomorrow's not as bad as it seems." I reckon I'm saying that every one of us needs to figure our his or her own terms when it comes to what kind of environment they are willing to work in, and what kind of money they need. I left a perfectly good big company to come here to Risinger, but this environment is all wrong for some people I know. I make more than enough money for me, but I know a guy who needs roughly twice what I make (he hauls Specialized). I know for sure you can make a lot more money driving than as a Walmart greeter. But the environment out here these days is very different than some of the old dogs who have been out of the game for a while are accustomed to.

Only you can decide if it is worth learning your way around the current system. If you were here with me, I'd buy you a drink and wish you the best of luck. As it stands, all I can say is I pray you can make the best decision for you and yours.

Now I've rambled and Phredd is telling me to shut up and wants his change for that two cents. I'm looking forward to seeing some thoughts from other people on where you are in your life. I'm rooting for you and I'm sure I'm not alone. We could use more people with some maturity and character out here on the road.

Good luck (but don't private message me because I can't reply--sorry!)

 

I can't reply to PM's!