Shortages and capacity trouble in the bulk industry.

CSA scores, driving record, employment history, not having the proper endorsements get a lot of people's applications trashed.

You see it every day on here, someone will post who has had 2 or 3 jobs in a year's time. It's pretty expensive to train a new driver and most tanker companies aren't going to invest the time and money on a guy who is probably going to go chase greener pastures in 6 months.

 

I'll throw a twist in here....first I'm a big advocate of more for the driver. 80k for a co. hand would be a good start. Problem is ( based on 2012 numbers ) there's no money left. According to Modern Bulk Transporter the avg. tanker unit grossed around 220k. From which they gave the driver about 25%. Just where the other 150k goes I can't say. I just bought a fleet tractor with all records and they spent about $4800 a year in maint. My current ratio is under 60% Carriers claim an OR of 95% +/- with fuel haulers grossing near 270k and ratios of 88%.

I can only assume there is great deal of waste and stranded costs in carrier operations. Too many pot bellied middle managers hanging around IMO. Whatever it is it's eating up all the cash so there's none for the driver, a cost they can control, vs tractor prices, fuel, parts etc.

Let me also throw in there are groups like Staymetrics that for a fee will tell a carrier why you left or if your at risk for leaving........interesting how they will hire a group to tell them why your leaving instead of asking you.........

Also in the mind of a carrier, they believe most of you leave because of a lack of miles..........a study group told them that...so they believe it. Truth be known miles drive pay so yes you want miles to get more pay....not to run more miles.

JMO

 

Don't forget fuel taxes highway use tax profit for the truck owner money set aside for unexpected repairs paying dispatchers mechanics accountants. It all adds up in the end.

 

+1 on all that.

When I was at work, I often got the feeling, "their's just no money in this business" not here where I am that I can get at it anyway.

My best year was 2005. My pay went down by 20,000.

It got so that l was embarrassed to be at work 168 hours a week for such a pitifully small amount of pay.

Let me make myself clearer than mud.

Driving a Tractor Trailer is serious business. Transporting (dangerous) Chemicals is serious business. Requiring multiple multiple skill sets, beyond the substantial skills required for driving.

Company trucks are speed governed, they are attached to electronic logs. There is no way I can "work harder" or more efficiently or something.

I'm not sure raising pay 4 cents a mile is a solution.

I would feel more respected if I got payed for all the "work" I did at chemical plants and tank washes and terminals and at my truck.

I would love to buy a truck (and I can pay cash for a new one). But at abt 1.50mi. That doesn't add-up ether.

I think they will soon get around to raising the minimum wage to 10.10hr.
I could be a Walmart greeter & go home every day & have a life.
What financial incentive exists to go out there & live in a Truck & take-on all that responsibility 168 hours a week, for weeks & weeks & weeks at a time.

I respect that some Drivers love to live in a Truck.

I hate to sound like complainer.

I've been working for a living & paying my own way since I was 15.

I quit my job in mid December.

Wondering what to do next.

 

I was recently offered a job with a well known company. Private fleet. Transporting some of the most dangerous stuff on earth.

They had some trouble navigating their email system, getting to me.

After that got done.

I go to an interview. The management shows up over 30min late.

(they tell me I'm gonna make 75k yr)

They send me a formal offer of employment, it had almost zero resemblance to the advertisements.
(19 cents mi for driving & 10.25hr for other work).

Can anyone guess what I told them ?

Then they sent me a letter asking why, and a questionnaire about the process.

Who wants to know what I told them then ?

 

When all is said and done, it comes down to only one thing. Supply and demand. So long as schools can furnish the carriers a new driver in less than a month, and they have a waiting list of applicants, there is no need for the companies to make a better job offer. A lot of these "new hires " do not belong behind the wheel , but in desperation seek a job.
Given time, the job of driving a truck will get slightly better, but in order to find a good job driving, the driver must put his time in, and then find a company that requires more than just a steering wheel holder , and appreciates them.

 

I would love to know what you told them..

 

You were Dishonest, Disrespectful, and Stupid. "if an applicant behaved like that, would you want to work with them?"

They asked me...I felt "compelled" to help them out.

LOL.