Pennies on the mile for over the road?

We pulled 64 hours once at 8 something a hour back in 1998 maybe. Pay check came out to around 370 plus net after our deductions. (Which is usually more for the state and some for fed tax on purpose, our state is notoriously expensive on the tax bill if you make more than 16700K per year, as long you can keep at 18000 or less you can bypass the ever increasing taxes and break even. Anything more then add increased deductions until break even) I think the razorback concrete company pays 14.50 in Jonesboro for that work now. In 1998 the top man in Searcy was only paid 12.60 something because the city fathers forbade inflationary payroll in those days. You as a general rule as a hourly worker are not allowed to rake in something outrageous like 15-30 a hour. What would happen is that the prices inflate to keep up with you as the locals profiteer and it will go out of control at that point.

Running that front end loader from CAT the 936 model was a great deal of fun. It's not work (It's really precise and careful work) and at the same time it's work. Feed it, fuel it, grease it, hunt leaks etc. Do dental work with a three inch air driven bolt hammer and so on. If I was to get into one today I need about 5 minutes to settle in and we are off. Where is that rock and sand? with that kind of work you don't need to pay very much. And I would consider myself lucky.

At the same time you can be trapped in a job you hate absolutely black. Why continue? You are only going to hurt yourself or someone sooner or later. Starting probably with your family. If there is NO job you want in the area, move. But not before you got hired.

 

Sadly, yes there are a lot who work for pennies.

 

Yes , many OTR companies pay poorly. However 2500 miles a week is lik 49 hours ( AT MOST ) for a dry van .
Many local jobs require lots of lifting or manual labor .


The money is in the things people cant or wont do . Flatbed - Oversize - Reefer - Tanker - Livestock - Canada - Hazmat

 

It takes a few years to make good money! But I love what I do! And make good money!

 

Everyone has to start somewhere. What blows my mind these days is how many people who think they can just step into any industry and just deserve the top rate for being there. They don't have to prove their value to the company or their skills/talents.

2500+ guaranteed miles per week is not something you turn your nose up at. Consistent miles is what makes a driver money, not a higher rate. You can go to X company and get 40 cpm and run 2500 a week, or go to Y company at 50 cpm and get 1500 a week. What pays more?

If driving is something you enjoy, those 11-13 hours won't feel like "work".

 

I did not you was supposed to get paid. I just do it for the respect and glory!

 

It's a cruel game

 

One of the justifications for this is that most of the work we do is with our butts in a nice comfy chair staring out a window at great scenery and that this justifies the wage since the job isn't really all that hard... just time consuming.

Ya it's a load of crap, but plenty of people are still doing it so that's what you get.

 

Agreed. I'd rather have a bad day sitting in traffic, listening to my XM radio and sippin on a big gulp with the AC cranking, than a good day roofing or pouring asphalt in Houston in August. And by NO means am I putting down the guys that do that work, just not my cup of tea. They're tougher than I am. Just my $.02