Truck Driver Shortage

What driver makes 50k or less after having years of experience. And that flatbedder that makes a 100k per year WTF????

 

I don't know what that was, a quasi hit piece on trucking in general or what? This new journalism is incredibly bad today, nonsensical on so many levels, and all seem to read like hit pieces. The gal that wrote the article should find a new line of work.

 

Tell me about these choices

I'm really not that enthused about being a truck driver, but I look around and I don't really see alternatives that pay as well as even my current Yard Jockey gig. At least none that I'm qualified for or have experience in.

I could move which I'm looking into, but I'm saving up first.

Perhaps I could retrain in another trade, but it would be tricky to find a class schedule around my current job.

I guess it depends on where you live. If a person is at least close to a major city there are many more options. In my case, I was stuck in a horrible small town job market in the U.P. before getting hired in my current job and moving to Wisconsin.

Possibly, some people aren't willing or able to move because of family. Also, they might feel cushy with their income if they're parking the truck in a small town with a very low cost of living.

 

I did not see mention of many other problems associated with the OTR job [for most] ...

• No or very difficult parking situations in many parts of the country, on most any given day/night
• Filth we have to share truck stops with (from trashy drivers)
• Ever worsening roads that beat trucks and bodies senseless, and cause mental anxiety in places trying to see and avoid the worst holes and sections to avoid possible loss of control or breaking a critical component
• Sheer massive congestion on roads on any given day, even in many rural areas
• The risk of being in proximity of, or involved in, a severe crash is much higher today then only a few years ago due to increased traffic density and poorer drivers in general
• HOS rules that often dictate driving in unsafe conditions or having to flip work/sleep schedules to meet critical appointment demands (and becoming more critical by the month given recent receiving policies implemented by corporations like Safeway and Walmart)
• Much unavoidable time is unpaid [in the course of doing the job] such as fuel and washout lines

 

I'm a 3 month old rookie hauling milk. I make 45 cpm with my safety bonus and 19 an hour for detention after 3 hours or 60 for a 2 1/2 hour live pump.

I gross 1500 a week , love the company but I wouldn't, mind making more.

 

Maybe there is just a shortage of people willing to get shafted in a lease purchase. Why should I pay a company just to say I have a job? Thats what some of these L/P are

 

The shelves in the store are full. There is no shortage. Just cheap companies trying to get cheaper by claiming a crisis.