The Post Kevin Knight Doesn't want you to read.

I drove 147,000 miles in 2010 and got a 2011 Pete 387 on New Years Eve. Trucking suits me just fine.

Not disputing you at all. I just want to point out that all of this "whining and bellyaching" is preventing good drivers from wasting their time at a junk carrier like Knight. Idiots expect a driver to be okay with 7000 miles a month while constantly hearing "no freight going home, call me after the weekend."

Just our little way of kicking those MF'ers in the balls and making them hold our beer while we kiss their girlfriend.

 

There is really no point in trying to get a point across to people who are probably Knight recruiters. My own feeling is that we just ignore these idiots and keep on with posting the truth about Knight.

The fact is, that there are a certain number of people who are just not bright enough to learn from the misfortune and mistakes of other people. These "dim bulbs" are what the Knight type companies of our industry count on. It is the only way they are able to not only survive, but to thrive.

As long as there are folks who are willing to work for next to nothing there are going to be companies who will take advantage of that. I for one, don't lose any sleep over it.

 

Skibum, you are correct that from our perspective as drivers we helped these companies grow and succeed. But in the boardroom and shareholders meetings it doesn't mean anything. They all know there are new applicants lined up to take the 26c per mile job. I don't want to piss on anyones parade or the job they do but in the big picture drivers are consumables, not assets. The glossy advertisements for trucking jobs are created by marketing departments targeting a small group of dreamers and that lasts about 6-12 months and then another group of dreamers takes their place. Mega haulers will always treat drivers this way because they have no reason to change but the motivated drivers usually find a smaller company where drivers have a name and a voice.

 

I did want to add that I do know drivers that are happy at the mega carriers and make it work for themselves. So, different strokes for different folks.

 

It will continue to be this way as long as there are people willing to fill the seats. The companies don't care. Why should they? people are lined up around the block waiting to get in. So sad.

Drive safe

 

The biggest problem in this country is there are too many lazy bums who want a check for no work. Whatever happened to honest days work for honest day pay. Also referring to egypt they have the will to tell the govt where to go unlike here where people whine about conditions but when asked if they want to do anything about it, they say I don't have time!!

 

But what all these Ivy League suits with their M.BA's fail to realize is just how badly these short runs burnout their drivers!

Their "business model" tells them that hauling 7 loads of 400 miles each at $1.55/mile is more profitable than hauling 1 load of 2800 miles at $1.50/mile - which it is.

What their "business model" doesn't tell them is how fatigued the driver gets having to spend a couple of hours unloading, another couple hours reloading, then seven or so hours driving those 400 miles. Their "business model" doesn't tell them that an average driver can run 2800 miles in about 4-1/2 days, take a 34-hour reset, and deliver the load with beaucoup hours available - which maximizes the driver's productivity. Their "business model" doesn't tell them how stressed the driver becomes wondering if they're going to have a decent paycheck this week, because their miles aren't where they think they should be.

And then all these "whiz kids" sit in their corporate boardroom, scratch their noggin's, and wonder why they have such difficulty recruiting and retaining drivers...

 

Kevin Knight was in Washington DC pushing for elogs not that long ago.

Came across some rather good news, miles are down. West Coast trucks are avg 1482 miles a week, East Coast 1647 and Central was 1471.

 

WOW! Where do I sign???
Let's see...live in an unheated, unairconditioned tin can for 6-8 weeks at a time, work 2 1/2-3 days a week, sit the rest of the week and make an average gross pay of $500 a week!!!

I don't think so!!!