The Right Answer

unions suck and it will destroy the industry, eliminating most small operations and owner/operators.

The bs with OT will limit the driver's work to 40 hours, no company will want to put the extra money into a driver who is there already when they can hire someone to work another 40 hours and not cost them more money in the long run.

Drivers in the 60s and 70s worked a hell of a lot harder and made less money but had more value to their money. This idea that today's drivers work hard is such a joke, just the fact that a driver doesn't have to leave the cab for days because it has air condition and heat when those even in the 80s lacked them.

The real problem is this - all the problems that many think are caused by politicians or some other people, are the fault of everyone in this industry.

 

I worked for a union trucking company one time. Bunch of crybabies including the office workers and terminal manager.

 

I was a Teamster for a while, along with membership in 2 other unions. They were pretty much the same. "Do your job, file no grievances, pay your dues, and we'll get along fine".
The unions protect the good worker, who does their job. They also protect the lazy ### ones, who deserve to be fired. And they make sure union mamagement is well compensated.

 

Nope to the unionization. And, I prefer percentage pay over hourly. I’ve never driven for a company for cpm, but don’t believe I would like it. I can’t believe how lazy some drivers are getting! They act like a 70 hour week is drop dead awful, and I will tell you it isn’t! My record work week, (not driving) was 104 hours, and didn’t near kill me. Not saying I’d do it every week for 6 months straight, but if my boys ever want to work for me, they will learn to work! I detest lazy cry babies! Some drivers act like they aren’t making enough, but then they park the truck at the terminal and refuse to drive it “because the APU wasn’t working!” My truck doesn’t even have an APU, and while I have no doubt they might be nice, my truck has over 2 million miles on it without “needing” one. So long as I stay outa NYC! Or a clearance light is out on the trailer and they are too lazy or brain dead to change it. I’m all for shutting down fleece purchase scams, I have done some 1099 hauling before though, and that is 100% a case by case situation. Worked excellent for me. As far as working less and making more years ago, I call BS. Driving a truck with no A/C, no power steering, no air ride, solid mounted seats, 250-300 hp, and a 2 stick tranny (not to be confused with Bruce Jenner) it was no cake walk back then. Drivers made more because they could, the art of putting 18-20 hours into a “legal” log book was how they made money. It was MORE work for them, not less.

 

It’s always rate per mile. Not for all time spent out, according to this amazing elog that is your timesheet

 

Like clockwork the simping for worse working conditions and less money rears it's ugly head.

Whatever, you can't fix stupid. Go ahead, work your 100 hour weeks in your 200hp R model Mack with no A/C for pennies. When you're on your deathbed you'll look back at your life and deep down you know you'll regret having missed out on life and spent it working with barely anything to show for it.

You're wife will have spent her time getting smashed by the neighbor while you were gone, you'll have never raised or seen your kids grow up, your body and health will be in the gutter from the job, and at best you might have paid off a double wide trailer for your efforts which will be lost in the divorce when your wife lawyers up with your money.

 

The best outcome is one where each driver picks the conditions of employment according to what he values and not what YOU value. If nothing else, that seems the most American option.
If we wanted to live under a king or General Secretary of the Communist Party we had the opportunity and decided not to do things that way.

 

Except the workers dont have the power to vote with their feet when nearly every company is the same.

 

Each driver has the power when they are CHOOSING where to work. Some drivers throw away that power by incorrectly deciding "there's no difference between trucking companies". After they get hired they decide truck driving isn't enough responsibility and they decide to promote themselves to General Manager.

If drivers ignore their job search responsibility they get what they get and they shouldn't complain. The job isn't your job. It belongs to the company. You wouldn't give decision-making power over your home to your invited house guests. They company has rules before you got hired, you volunteered to work under those rules when you took the job. You also agreed the company can change rules/policies and the company has a piece of paper with your signature to prove it. You don't get to decide for all other drivers how they should work. Have a strong of an opinion as you can afford about the conditions YOU want to work under. That's all you get to control. It's the definition of fair.