so who makes it in this industry??

Naaaah, they just gave her more cuz she's a girl!

 

I agree with Rick, who has been around this industry for 30 years, I don't hate trucking I hate what has happened to this industry, and thanks to some of those bottom feeding carriers I have lost good paying loads over the years.

 

My LAST co-driver was a whiny, crying, complaining, lazy FEMALE. That insisted on keeping the cab of the truck at a comfortable 100 plus degrees at all times.

In 5 years, she had never chained a truck. Even though she had consistently parked the truck.

And spent the better part of 4 hours (one day) complaining to me about my chaining the truck...and the noise keeping her awake.

Matter of fact she complained about the noise of the truck and road, ALL the time.

But then again....she LOVED our company and found no faults with it. Although she did complain that she never made any money while driving solo.

Every coin has 2 sides.

 

I am glad that I idn't know any better when I started. I didn't know that I had to go with one of those bottom feeders, that with no experience no good small company would hire me.
It is a good thing didn't know that, because I applied to only small companies and one hired me. I guess they didn't know the rules either.

We are all our own self-made truckers. We are not at the mercy of a horrible industry and bad companies. We are at the mercy of ourselves. It is the self fulfilling prophecy in action.

The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behaviour which makes the original false conception come 'true'
When Roxanna falsely believes that her marriage will fail and fears such failure will occur that it actually causes the marriage to fail.

The reverse is also true, when a rookie like me believes that with hard work and a good work ethic I will succeed, it happens. Because I don't blieve the company I work for is bad and taking advantage of me, I work hard and am grateful to have the job, the end result, my prophesy is fulfilled, I work hard and my company treats me well.

I on the other hand, I believe the industry sucks, companies will treat me like crap, I do so much for nothing, well guess what, the prophesy gets fulfilled. Not because it was ever true in the first place, but because my work exhibited my beliefs, and the end result is the company treating me the way I expected them to.

So take some ownership and quit making excuses or blamming the companies and industry.
It is your canvas, the picture you paint is what you are going to be looking at.

 

Yup, that is because most of these new drivers and wannabes don't have the first clue about the trucking industy, they just listen to what the big CDL mills tell them, the CDL mills tell them they can never get a decent local job without OTR experience and that is just not true.

My first trucking job was as a trailer spotter before I even had a CDL, look in the local papers for these kinds of jobs and you may be able to move your way up to a driver. My first trucking job after I got a CDL was a very well paying local job, local meaning I was home everyday, but I would run up to 400 miles a night, and did have to do a lot of heavy lifting but it was good exercise and it payed well. You won't find these jobs unless you get out and knock on some doors, most of these kinds of jobs are not advertised. I have never worked for a big carrier and I have never had a trucking job that forced me to be out weeks at a time, I have never run more than a week unless it was my choice to run more.

 

Heady stuff, that is, Lav! I'm feeling in a mood to "dim the lights, breathe deeply and slowly, in-out, in-out, go to my happy place and just "be". Naaah, screw that, I'm gettin' a beer!! Cheers..

 

I explained that to you already.
126 lbs more pay load less cost load.
Then ad in the fact that I can work hard without whining and complianing.
You also need to factor in fueled saved not idling due to hot flashes.
Cost savings from homemade cookies and snacks vs truck stop junk.
less eye irritation.
Smell better.
and so on....

 

Oh yeah, if you're "all that".....why can't you do a simple, little task like, say,........GETTING THE RIGHT #### NUTTER BUTTERS!!!!!!?????

 

Not true. I believe much of the industry sucks. I've worked with 2 excellent companies in the past 4 years. And will continue to work at my current job for as long as I am able.

DO NOT mistake experience with "belief". You have what sounds to be a good job. Yet it does not even represent .0001% of the industry.

YOU can believe what you want. But bottom feeders DO exist.

Looking back through many of the "positive" post. You eventually see the poster go negative, after completely ignoring the advise of experienced drivers who they believed didn't want them in the industry.

You're entire "belief" is based on one job, ramblings on the CB (if you listen at all), the drivers you associate with, and a few within this forum.

Let me show you the OTHER end of this cartoon. Did you know the guy you drive for, pulls a load of freight for less than 1/100th what UPS gets ??

When you figure that one out.... I'll give you an "atta boy".

 

The bottom feeders are everywhere. Local AND OTR. If you look though you can find almost anything. My first driving job, other than TA who told me to lease or leave, is hauling petroleum. Some will say I have no business there but they would be wrong. I am quite safe and possibly too cautious if that's possible.

If you are a newbie AND have the ability to make life work for you, keep your head up and keep looking. I hope you can avoid the big 3 (Werner, Swift, Schneider) since they damage the ability of others to earn by undercutting rates and chewing up drivers.