Tiered of being robbed blind?

You've been at this long enough to know. It has been this way, forever. Won't change either.

I'd change it tomorrow, if I could get every trucker in the US to do the same.

But until a group represents us in Washington, as a whole. It won't change.

The ATA lobbies Washington for "status quo". Not for drivers. They have a fertile field to harvest from, the economy is down, and they're picking the fruit.

For every 1 driver that stands up, they have 20 waiting in line to take his place, if not 100. All because of this imaginary driver shortage they preach so much about.

Werner is still running ads, as is Schneider, Swift, and JB.

You have 3 choices. Work, quit, or get a Union job. Those are your choices, like them or not.

And it won't change within my lifetime or yours.

I was told I HAD to do something, right at Christmas. So I told them where their truck and load would be. My choice...not theirs, ever.

 

I wouldn't say you shouldn't be driving but I would say you should find a better company.

I get a minimum $860.00 per week. I work a 5 day work week, monday through friday and home every night (non union). Now some people will say that you can't compare otr to local. Why not? It seems to me that the driver who is gone for long periods of time, spends their own money to eat, sleep and shower, should be paid more than a local driver. I don't even bother to bring up the cost of benefits to an otr driver. Most companies really lag behind in this department. The otr driver gives up a lot of the things that local drivers get every day.

Something is really wrong here.

 

Good luck, Right now we are in a major economic recession and to have a job is better then sitting at home. I know I haven't been around for years, but what exactly do you expect? You are a trucker, not a doctor. If you want to get RICH then go back to school or open your own trucking company. If you are unhappy with your company go somewhere else. Not that its right, but you can be replaced with someone who they have to pay less. Its just the way things are right now.....unfortunatly.

 

Certianly a shining example of my points tendered within the thread.

Kindsoul, please don't take that personally. I've been there.

When all the cards are laying on the table. Someone WILL do the job.

20 years ago, I was that someone. Now? To hell with that, I'll go home.

I ain't working for free. And if a company tries to give me "local" pay. I want to be home....EVERY week.

Anything less than $900 a week bring home. Is local/regional in my eyes.

 

He77,....I never even grossed 700.00 a week hauling cars,...I was working well over 100 hours in six days,...and then home for a night and not even a 34. It only took me three weeks to quit that debacle....

I'll flip burgers at Micky Dee's before I go otr again....

Still looking for local work around here,....and that isn't going well...

 

Walleye, I feel for you. I was in WI several weeks ago. And it was spooky as hell at the truck stops.

I stopped at one that was rated XL for parking in the book. And there were about 8 or 10 trucks in the lot. And this was about 2 in the morning.

I went down the road about another 50 miles. And found parking at the Pilot. Where I stopped for the night.

Doesn't seem right to me.

 

I'd have tried to jump it.

but face it....as much as drivers b!tch and complain, i think we can all agree that nobody will stick together. I say document how many miles you lose out of each trip. then for the month, find out how many miles you've been ripped out of. Lets keep track of our miles for say 6 months. Then lets go to congress. Thats what everyone else is doing? Besides, i dont think it is any different when Wal-Mart was not paying employees overtime pay, then BAM....they pulled together, and got back pay.

maybe we can/should do the same thing?? Paying zip to zip does suck. expecially when you deliver to big cities like Houston or LA. they pay you to one zip....but you still have another 20 miles ro run.

 

You might consider it. I clear better than 1,000 per wk. running a Mon. thru Fri. schedule for an LTL carrier. Home every day, great bennies etc.... You truckload guys are gonna have to wake up. You're gettin' robbed.

 

100% being robbed....you look at all the hours spent and divide that buy there gross pay and then deduct the living expence you will get 1 driver to be honest and tell you he is making $5.00 an hour...thats it.....$5.00 bucks and no overtime and no time in a half.

I have to be real honest here and agree with you....they are being humiliated by the companies....

If you are a truckload driver,the only way you can make good money is if you are being payed .38 cents a mile and you are doing 600 miles a day....and you no as well as i do,maybe 10% truckload drivers do that...

The avg. Is 400 miles a day tops....thats $152.00 a day for 24 hours invested in getting the job done...SO WITH THAT KNOWLEGE DIVIDE IT UP AND IT IS $6.30 HR.SO I WAS OFF $1.30,LOL,LOL

Yes truckload drivers are getting a true back alley beating and telling evreyone they are making the "big money"

 

Wonder if one could qualify for food stamps and welfare at .29 cents