Trucking Pay-Numbers don't lie

A few thoughts on this...

First of all, counting every single hour away from home when figuring out your hourly rate is ridiculous. The regular office worker for example doesn't get paid to commute, they don't get paid for lunch and other breaks, they don't get paid to sleep and, sadly, many don't get much more quality time at home than I do.

Over the years I've worked in a handful of industries. I've always preferred the jobs where I am compensated for the work done as opposed to for the time served. It never seemed right to me that the guy working beside me, yet being less productive, was getting the same pay cheque since he was putting in the same amount of hours.

Trucking is different though. There are more things I don't have control over that can affect my income. That being said, I don't find there is a whole lot of time I'm not compensated for.

When I bump a dock I get paid a set amount which is based on a set amount of time. It rarely takes that long so I usually come out ahead, sometimes earning the equivalent of $80.00 an hour though not usually. Now if it takes longer than that set amount of time I get detention pay so I break even.

I don't get paid to fuel the truck. I don't get paid for time lost at the border or due to traffic. I don't get paid to sit and wait an hour or two for dispatch to find me a load. It's rare I have to wait on that but it does happen. I do lose in that case but they are good about not leaving me sitting and do pay layover if it takes long.

Sitting and waiting to get a load is the only thing I can see any reason to complain about but since it's rare I live with it and make use of the time. Other than that, anything that costs me time/money that I'm not compensated for is something the company can't control and isn't compensated for either. So if I were paid by the hour they would have to leave a buffer for things like traffic and other delays which would be reflected in the hourly rate they could afford. As soon as that happened my wage would again be affected by the lazy co-worker who stretched out fuel stops, loading times, paperwork etc.

So, an hourly wage may make some feel better about being compensated for their time but I don't see how it would affect their actual income.

 

so from what I've read in this thread, we can all agree on a few things - you can make more money at a McJob on an hourly basis, but you can drive a truck and work MORE hours for LESS money, and never be home. (like one company told me ..."we're going to pay you 5 cents per mile LESS than your last job, but don't worry, you'll get PLENTY of miles!!! oh, and you have to unload the trailer - we pay $0 for that." LOL!) but trucking is a slightly better job (according to some die hard truckers) than working at a fast food restaurant. WOW, I'm so ready to get back on the road!

bottom line is, both jobs require no college education, no experience and are unskilled. and you're wondering why they don't pay anything?

 

Well, I guess all experiences are different but I average more on an hourly basis than I would at McDonalds. Unless I count all time away from home that is.

Money isn't everything. There are many very wealthy yet equally unhappy lawyers out there for example. I like what I do and I am treated well by the company I work for.

It seems to me that some people are basing their opinions here on some strange belief that all companies are bottom feeders. McDonalds comes up often here. Just like not everyone in the food service industry works for a minimum wage fast food company not all in the trucking industry work for a bottom feeder.

 

BlackW, about 15 years ago I told my son, who is now 35, that "If all you are going to do is beactch, get out of the #### payline!!!!!" He's been doing the same thing (trim carpentry) for the last 15 years now. Residential construction is down, obviously, but instead of beatchin' about it, he's looking at other alternatives until things pick up. He's had to do small jobs that he's had to scrap up on his own. He's had to do jobs that he would have turned down in the past. I'm not taking credit except for the initial advice.....he's the one who had to "suck it up and go"! So, my friend, you are preachin' to the choir!!Thanks!

 

Alot of us who used to beatch about lack of pay for all time quit OTR and found other driving jobs that do pay for all time. So rather than just whine about it, I found a different job. Now I whine and moan about everything Con-way with my co-workers but we never seem to quit this one for some reason. As I've stated before, it just amazes me that some drivers become almost defensive when you suggest they should be paid for all company related tasks.

 

JakeBrake, I know you're aware of this, but, I'll mention it anyway to any wannabes out there who are considering Con-Way. Con-Way Freight was a runner-up in the "Innovator of the Year" competition sponsored by Commercial Carrier Journal. I don't know how big a deal that is, but it impressed me.

 

CNWY the parent company of Freight and Truckload is a greedy numbers driven company - I'm fine with that so long as their compensation package continues to match what they ask of me which I feel it does. They are often recognized by various publications and customers for service and innovation in the LTL and now T/L industry.

 

Drivers are a dime a dozen, good drivers are not. If you are waiting to be paid what you are worth, you may as well give up. You will never be paid what you are worth so you have to come up with other reasons to do it.

I have run two log books and slept on average 3 hours a night over the wheel. I have taken loads that no one would take and even put trucks back together on my days off...all for companies that don't exist today. There is no reward waiting at the end and no badge of honor for going the extra mile. There is only the road and paycheck that will last for a week and be gone. Same as every other blue collar working American. There is no end of the rainbow.

You may as well find a job you enjoy doing.

 

I've read through all the posts and it would take too long to do individual quotes and responses but I've been on both sides of the fence - an OTR job and a very good local job so I have some perspective. I know these wage per hour posts are played out but I'll respond to all of them because I feel strongly about it.

I do feel I should be paid to sleep in a truck if the instructions of my company required me to do so - I sure as hell wouldn't be doing it if the work instructions they gave me did not require it.

If my company instructs me to sit at a certain location to wait on a load, they better be paying me - I'm performing a company directed task.

If my company wants me to sit at a dock, they better be paying me - I'll even unload the trailer but it better be at a decent hourly rate.

And the one that I never dealt with but burns me to hear, if they want me to do a 34hr restart anywhere other than home they better be paying me.

Whether you include sleeper time or not (which I do because you're there for the company), OTR wages are terrible considering the amount of time spent to make at best case around $1200 per week and more than likely around $700 per week.

I was a dumb 22 year old who still knew little about trucking other than I wanted to be home and paid for all my time. I wanted to get out of OTR so bad I even applied to haul trash..lol.. I knew LTL was what would work best for me and found CCX. Over 6 years later, I feel even stronger about it than I did then. Just listening to 19 when I'm coming up to a truck stop is enough to turn my stomach - I really feel for the professionals that have to live side by side with these freaks. The same freaks that are 200 lbs overweight, have not showered in a month, and take dumps in my companies yards are the same ones driving wages down but all too many seem OK with the OTR wage scale to me.

Someone else said since you'll never be paid what you're worth just find a job you enjoy. I'm sure there is some truth to finding a job you enjoy, but I feel I'm paid what I'm worth and I cannot think of a job that asks more of its drivers than mine - but we're compensated for all of it down to the minute. Do I really enjoy my job? Sort of - I don't mind the work and have great co-workers but could live without many of the operational decisions the company makes.

It amazes me at times that I figured this out so early yet others cannot see they're getting pimped by their company and the industry in general. The other day I was getting an earful on 19 from an OTR driver for getting stuck on I95 - it was the usual cursing of a UPS, Con-way, or FedEx Freight driver and his set. I couldn't yap back because I honestly felt bad for this discontent person - I was making well over $20 per hour to basically be stuck and he was not being compensated in any way. Just pryor to me getting stuck, I was paid my usual hourly rate to sit behind an accident which he was not.

Although I know it's stupid, I'm considering posting a pay stub here so some of you newer guys can see what you can make if you keep a clean record and pay your dues at a good job.

 

I get .34 a mile my truck is governed at 70mph I average about 65mph that comes to 22.10 a hour and that is just my starting pay every 3 weeks I get a .02 raise. that adds 1.30 a hour for each raise. Yes it sucks waiting for a load or dead time. But I have a great contracter that pays all hotels if we are going to be sitting 10 or more hours.

I am very new to this trucking life and it is WAY harder then I thought it would be. But if I started to add it up like this first post I would start to go crazy!!! But like I have read on here there is no way you can say 24 hours 7 days a week is what you should get paid. I think you are looking for the U.S Presidents seat he gets paid 24 hours a day and has a company credit card that he never needs to pay maybe you should try for that job as I am sure you would do better then who is in it right now...

Also maybe look at it in a better way and better things will happen..

By the way my spelling sucks I know thats why I drive truck!!! And I kick ### at my job