OK I'm fed up with the BS and the back and forth.

sharp.dressed.man · Sep 7, 2013

A lot of posts here make it more complicated than it is. It's really very simple: The more money you are putting in your pocket at the end of the week the more highly you think of the industry. For the most part the posts made by company drivers here can be split into two categories: Those that are getting paid well and those that ain't.

Decide which category you want to fall in to and then do what you have to do to get there.

TruckerPete1990 · Sep 7, 2013

yea they have me out for 2moro morning oh well ill get a 34hour in got to find somthing to do lol had nothing planed for today!

pattyj · Sep 7, 2013

Tell me how many starter companies keep new drivers moving at a consistant pace?Trucking is the lowest paid career there is as to why the high turnover rate.If I looked at only the money side to trucking when I first started I wouldn't be driving trk now.You have to look at all the pros and all the cons to trucking then decide.But get the getting rich out of your head.I have yet to meet a rich driver,especially the new drivers.Like the veterans have said to this poster,SUCK IT UP.Youre going to either like this profession or hate it,there's no in between.Some don't make it in trucking for other reasons,not home enough,dont like their dispatcher,dont like where they get sent to.Many reasons why ppl don't succeed.Yes recruiters lie but a lot of is applicants don't ask the right questions because they didn't think about it and find out while there at the company either during orientation or on the road.The bottom line is you have to have thick skin. no complaining ect.Theres a lot more then money to succeed in trucking.

sharp.dressed.man said: ↑

A lot of posts here make it more complicated than it is. It's really very simple: The more money you are putting in your pocket at the end of the week the more highly you think of the industry. For the most part the posts made by company drivers here can be split into two categories: Those that are getting paid well and those that ain't.

Decide which category you want to fall in to and then do what you have to do to get there.
Click to expand...

born&raisedintheusa · Sep 7, 2013

pattyj said: ↑

Tell me how many starter companies keep new drivers moving at a consistant pace?Trucking is the lowest paid career there is as to why the high turnover rate.If I looked at only the money side to trucking when I first started I wouldn't be driving trk now.You have to look at all the pros and all the cons to trucking then decide.But get the getting rich out of your head.I have yet to meet a rich driver,especially the new drivers.Like the veterans have said to this poster,SUCK IT UP.Youre going to either like this profession or hate it,there's no in between.Some don't make it in trucking for other reasons,not home enough,dont like their dispatcher,dont like where they get sent to.Many reasons why ppl don't succeed.Yes recruiters lie but a lot of is applicants don't ask the right questions because they didn't think about it and find out while there at the company either during orientation or on the road.The bottom line is you have to have thick skin. no complaining ect.Theres a lot more then money to succeed in trucking.
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Providing that I am NOT mistaken, Tyson Foods keeps their drivers moving at a constant pace, even with the waiting times at many of their plants and destinations. Their lowest rate per mile, AFTER their initial training and orientation is over is 39 cents a mile with an average of 2600 miles per week.

39 cents X 2600 miles a week = $1,014.00 aweek
$1,014.00 a week X 52 weeks = $52,728.00 a year
$52,728.00 a year divided by 12 months = $4,394.00 a month

Many drivers working for Tyson Foods will NOT earn this much, Many will EXCEED these amounts, including some of the newer drivers. This is based on previous posts by various truck drivers who drive for Tyson Foods.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

Hammer166 · Sep 7, 2013

If you notice, Paddlefoot, these quotes are all from old experienced guys. And they get it. Listen to their wisdom.

Trucking is what you make it. And it can make be very satisfying, if you can find your niche. That takes work, a good record, and a good head. You'll do fine!

BTW, I'm not old like these other dinosaurs. I'm still quite young!

transam pete said: ↑

well we don't know what you think it will be
so how could we know if your expectations are unrealistic

It is like the rest of life what you make of it
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Tonythetruckerdude said: ↑

!st off .....Let me thank you for your service and your sacrifice Paddlefoot. Nam era for me. There is little more to add than what has already been posted on the in's and out's , the up's and downs' of trucking. My advice to you is finish your training , you said you were at a private school , so your choices will be a little wider , than if you were at a company school. Try and get all of the endorsements you can , get your pass-port , your TWIC , this will enable you to have an even wider choice of positions.

Trucking can and will be very, demanding, very frustrating , very dangerous , at times...but it can also be very rewarding , very profitable , and most of all , a career that you can retire from and still be a fairly healthy person , as long as you make the correct decisions.

You will soon be faced with the task of putting yourself into the job market...not too easy these days , but think of it like this...I'm a professional , I've received my training , and now I'm ready to proceed to the next level. There are lots and , lots of really good places that will hire you with little or no experience....don't listen to those that tell you otherwise. They are out there...But , you must be prepared to put some effort into finding them.....Now before I go any further let me tell you this , I'm "old school"...IMO , if you want something bad enough , you must go after it...it won't fall out of the sky and land in your lap....Spend some time researching trucking companies in the area you live in , do this in around a 25 to 50 mile radius of your home....don't just research the companies that will hire rookies/students/new drivers...look at all of them...ignore the "we require at least 2 years experience signs"...once you have picked -out a few prospects..get into your vehicle and go apply IN PERSON.....go in dressed neat , trimmed high and tight , looking like you have the utmost respect for yourself.

Lots of folks think that you can just sit behind a computer screen and find a good job...instead of going out and talking to folks. They think the ones that run ad's in the paper's and on TV , and other places are the only places to go , especially if you're
a rookie....Well , that'll be their little secret OK....the jobs that are really good , rewarding , safe , with good pay , good benefits , good retirement , the jobs with good equipment , with people that treat you like a human instead of a machine , jobs that have all of the the things that you mentioned in your post above DON'T ADVERTISE for help....they don't need to. That is why you only find them in 2 ways...1. you have a friend/family member working there and will open the door for you..2. you do just like I posted before-hand , spend sometime talking to them, go to the terminals and see the equipment , how well the place is kept up , is the building neat and organized etc.

Ask them about pay/benefits , ask them about retirement vehicles they offer (401k/profit-sharing) , ask them about home-time , ask them about how you will be compensated for break-downs, delays , layovers , ask them about all these things , and also ask them what they do to retain drivers....ask them how long their drivers have been working there...one of the best indicators of a really good job is longevity...if they have a majority of their drivers with over 10 years or longer with them, you can bet its a decent place to work...folks ...especially truck drivers don't hang around in one place unless it's worth their time.

Now all this aside..you may go and talk , and talk, and apply , and apply at a hundred places....and get told no you have no experience...but if you let yourself settle for the ones I spoke about before...the ones that only hire rookies..the mega carriers..the bottom of the barrel folks...you will then set yourself up for the scenario that you are so afraid of..go and look , talk to the folks at terminal...not recruiters....but safety directors , drivers walking in and out of the place...you wanted an honest opinion of what you're getting into ..that's mine...trucking is a wonderful career...I spent most of my adult life doing it..33 years at one company...it's hard , it's frustrating...but If I had to do it again I wouldn't change a thing....Just and "Old Fart's take on your post..Good LUCK to you..wherever you wind-up.....and once again...THANKS.....T
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'olhand said: ↑

Paddlefoot-
let's be serious here for a minute-
First--You JUST spent 8 years in the Military(and Thank You-BTW)do you really think there is going to be ANYTHING out here-you are not prepared to handle? This biz is a WALK in the park compared to what you have just been through....
Second--just like anything else(especially the service)things get easier as you get use to/adapt to them--YOU will NOT start out on top--BUT--you will make your way
Third--While the first couple of years MAY not be ideal--they are a means to an end---You get some experience under your belt--you learn the ropes--you understand how to do this job correctly--then YOU start to look around for a better position--whatever that may be
Fourth--A crappy trainer?--Did you get a nice warm fuzzy feeling from your DI?--Really think there is a trainer out there that can compare to first couple weeks in boot?(LMAO)Not to mention--you most likely will have more than 1minute to eat and shower! nothing YOU can't handle
And last--(but not least)Losing your family etc---really think a family(wife etc) that stood BY you thru deployments etc..isn't gonna handle you being gone a little bit as YOU prepare for a career to take better care of and provide for them?
Don't let it get to you----IF this is something YOU really want to do--you'll be fine--and just like everything else---talk it all w/a grain of salt--some people just like to whine and complain--and IMHO--for everyone on here and out in the world--who are pissin and moanin about how bad it is--there are a hundred more jus goin about there biz--and taken it as it comes
just my $.02
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TripleSix said: ↑

You see the little fitness informercials on TV, advertising a piece of equipment or a workout. They show the absolutely beautiful people smiling during a workout. The make it sound so great and so easy. You can't fail! You will have a fabulous butt!

The truth is, most fail. Why? In order for a workout to be effective, it requires extremely strenuous WORK. What's your WORK OUT without the WORK? You're just OUT. So you join a gym, and shock the system. Feel crippled and sore the next day. Even had to ask the wife to help you wipe, because you couldn't straighten your arms. Most never want this to happen again, so they opt to do a fruity workout. They never achieve their fitness goal because fruity workouts don't work.

You run into some guys in the gym that push you. They spot you. They yell at you not to give up. You like hanging out with these guys. You won't see the difference, but suddenly, the wife can't keep her hands off of you. She's always rubbing your chest and arms. Wow, isn't that encouraging? Anyways, within a year, your strong as a bull, feel fantastic, confident and better than ever.

Trucking is sort of the same way. The lightweight, easy, cushy job where you don't have to think and know anything doesn't pay much, and the people at Moron Trucking treat you like a necessary evil (that's not always a bad thing). The people around you are mentally lazy, good for nothing, and unhappy, and they want you to join them. Look carefully, though and you will see the Cool Kids. They hit it hard core. They spot each other, they encourage each other. They will invite you to run with them, and within a year in trucking, you will be where you want to be. Just be sure to remember the woman at home. Learn how to be a really good listener. If she can't get that emotional support from you, she will get it from someone else...whether you are local or OTR.
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klkruger said: ↑

Yes, take everything you read with a grain of salt. I'm continuously astonished by how many on this board say "trucking sucks" or "all companies are the same" - or something along those lines - and then I look to the left and see the poster has been a driver for one year, or less.

For me (and several others here) trucking has provided a good life. Everyone has to start somewhere and trucking is not much different than other industries in that the beginning gig is not always the best. One simply gets the necessary experience to move on to something better.

Trucking is a career. If you are going to be one of those (well represented on this board) that adds up all the hours they're away from home and then divides this into their pay, and then whines endlessly about how little they're making, it's not the career for you.

I knew early on what I wouldn't like - flatbed and tankers and doubles/triples - so I haven't done any of that. Just not my thing. Others like any or all of that. YMMV - but it is not necessary to get all endorsements and try it all if there's something unappealing to you.

Trucking can be hard on relationships. No doubt about that, especially in the beginning year or two. It is not, however, impossible to find companies with dedicated runs (not my thing either but, again, YMMV) that will cycle you out and back every week (often with a little home time during the week as well) that pay $50-60K. I recently had offers from a couple companies for just this sort of thing (Schneider and Knight). Whether runs like this would be available to a new driver I don't know, but they're out there.

Trucking is very varied. Though some companies might be quite similar, the oft-repeated phrase that trucking companies are all the same is absolutely not true. If you pursue this career, have a head on your shoulders, and listen and learn, you can find - or develop for yourself - a position that suits you. I have for over two decades - and there are many others like me.
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Tonythetruckerdude · Sep 7, 2013

{quote...Hammer166} BTW, I'm not old like these other dinosaurs. I'm still quite young!{quote}

Uh... I guess I'm gonna have to change my user name to T-REX....so I'll be in "Compliance" ...good one Hammer166

flyboynme · Sep 7, 2013

Paddlefoot said: ↑

Hello,

Honestly everyone.... I'm scared, I don't know what I'm getting into, and I don't want another recap of joining the Military and finding out it's nothing (and I mean NOTHING) what I thought it would be!!!
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I totally understand how you are feeling. My husband just started driving this year. You are looking for someone to tell you what it's really like, I will do that. I went with him the past 7 weeks and experienced it for myself. I documented everything that happened to us, and from those notes, I wrote the first entry to my blog here ... and hope to add to it as time goes on. For the record, we love trucking for a lot of reasons. We hope to be in this industry until we retire. And thanks for your service to our country!

I hope this link sends you to the right place ...

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=5854

Hammer166 · Sep 7, 2013

Tonythetruckerdude said: ↑

{quote...Hammer166} BTW, I'm not old like these other dinosaurs. I'm still quite young!{quote}

Uh... I guess I'm gonna have to change my user name to T-REX....so I'll be in "Compliance" ...good one Hammer166
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Tonyttd, I just noticed your "Crusty" appellation! Awesome!

Tonythetruckerdude · Sep 7, 2013

Hammer166 said: ↑

Tonyttd, I just noticed your "Crusty" appellation! Awesome!
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Yep, actually I'm sitting a ground blind with my trusty cross-bow as we speak Hammer166... LOL...bow season opener was today in NC...Just watching and waiting and using the phone to post....waiting on a nice one to be willing to help an "Old Fart"....oops "dinosaur" , fill his freezer up......... wish me luck! Check out my profile under the pics..some decent kills on there..at least to me they were.

pattyj · Sep 7, 2013

Ive heard that they are a good place to work driver wise..Most of their driving is at night and heres the best part,THEY HAVE FAST TRUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

mje said: ↑

Providing that I am NOT mistaken, Tyson Foods keeps their drivers moving at a constant pace, even with the waiting times at many of their plants and destinations. Their lowest rate per mile, AFTER their initial training and orientation is over is 39 cents a mile with an average of 2600 miles per week.

39 cents X 2600 miles a week = $1,014.00 aweek
$1,014.00 a week X 52 weeks = $52,728.00 a year
$52,728.00 a year divided by 12 months = $4,394.00 a month

Many drivers working for Tyson Foods will NOT earn this much, Many will EXCEED these amounts, including some of the newer drivers. This is based on previous posts by various truck drivers who drive for Tyson Foods.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!
Click to expand...

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