What would YOU want in a job in trucking?

I make $29/hr. - driving the truck, fueling the truck, waiting for a trailer, safety training, holiday pay, sick pay. We get a bump every January.

It can take 20 minutes or 4 hours to drive across Portland, OR depending on the time of day and time of year. It's about 20 miles from the I-205 interchange to the Washington state line. Even at 80 cpm that's only $16 to drive for 4 hours. It takes a lot more skill to drive the 4 hour version than it does to drive the 20 minute one since the 4-wheelers get frustrated and make bad choices. Seattle, Sacrameto and LA are worse!

Funny thing is, I almost never have to drive during rush hour anymore or have a bunch of extra, unpaid tasks like I did when I was ppm. Now that my employer has to pay me for my time it has value to them. It sure didn't when I was ppm - just a bunch of jive about how it was all included in the cpm rate.

 

Pre 2000 is no eld, pre 2007 is a reliability thing, emissions bs started then, but the further back in time you get, its not so much the trucks were more reliable, but easier to fix by the driver and less complicated.

NOW a well maintained older truck is usually more reliable by survivorship bias, or someone REALLY took care of it.


Number 1 thing to me, you have a contract, stick to it. Be upfront and honest about expectations and punitive actions, i may grumble a bit at least its clear.

Number 2 thing. Clerical errors occur. But do NOT mess with my paycheck, i know what its supposed to be, if theres going to be something weird or different, call me ahead of time so its not a surprise.