Whats with the 1/2 cent raise b.s.

Because drivers collectively continue to accept zero wage increases (which as you inferred is a decrease)>As long as drivers keep showing up to the same CRAPPY jobs for the SAME crappy pay why would a carrier increase pay, benefits or retirement contributions?

 

ralph is absolutely right. . It was collective bargaining that gave us 8hr work day, breaks, lunches, paid sick days, etc...Everything is slowly disappearing because people are not united anymore. As ralph said "same crappy job for the same crappy pay". People are accepting just about anything that the company offers as in ½ cent raise. The politicians are quick to say how many jobs have been created but none will ever say how much are these jobs paying paying.

The Truckers in Europe have been complaining for years the their pay is getting lower and lower because Eastern European drivers are accepting much lower pay. When I was in driving school 99% of people at the school were immigrants that could not speak English. Their instructions were in Spanish. It's pretty sad because this was a State Authorized Testing School. The school had job postings and the pay down here in south Florida, Miami, 28 cents loaded and 15 cents empty for drivers with 2 years experience. Then I would read Chicago and Phoenix ads for example where miles are paid loaded or empty the same cpm. Chicago for example an experienced driver can easily make over .40 cpm.

Not to offend anyone but I think there 2 major factors that are contributing to our decline. One is lack of unity. People are just not united as they used to be. It seems that more and more people will just screw anyone over a dollar. It's the "I'll take what they give me" mentality without ever thinking of the consequences for them or anyone else. Second is basically the same problem as the European drivers are complaining about.

 

This all just doesn't make any cents!

 

It's the carrot at the end of a corporate stick that means absolutely nothing.
It's an illusion . People whom are compensated for what they are worth don't need such a carrot.
When you start with a new carrot carrier dont worry nor care about the carrot only consider your base pay .
Be empowered to not give a #### about said carrot.
Reality is nice

 

Wage increases??? Wages have gone down in recent years . . . I just saw the Werner starting pay, which is actually lower than when my hubby started with them back in 2007 (he's not there now, he's making real money). Swift's starting pay has dropped since I was there in 1999. If people are willing to accept the crappy starting pay these companies are offering, then they are part of the problem. Too many desperate people the have been 'displaced' from other jobs making it a feeding frenzy for the companies that hire the newbies out of school.

 

Every one wants to "own" their own truck and enjoy the "freedom" of the open road and no boss..these things could not be further from the truth.

I've seen some of these ads, and If i was in a desperate place and didn't know any better I would fall for it too..These trucking company recruiting ads are really deceptive.

 

It's not entirely the fault of the companies. I notice a lot of people who are about to graduate a program asking questions here that they should have been asking before they even decided to enroll. Changing careers is not something someone should do on a whim.

People who rush into this line of work without trying to educate themselves about how it really works, and those who ask questions but refuse to listen to advice given by people who already made those mistakes are setting themselves up for a world of trouble.

I have a theory that part of the problem may arise from the fact that a lot of people (and companies) look at driving as a job, rather than a career. To some extent it's arguing semantics, but I think the way things are phrases greatly influence the way people approach them.

As for the original question regarding 1/2 cent raises, I guess one half is better than no halves. It does almost seem insulting to a point though.

 

Exactly! This should be the mantra for all newbies. New drivers do not have to work for twenty-some cents per mile. I hear and talk to drivers making $500/week for being gone all week and think it's OK. It's NOT OK and I agree, these people (part-timers excluded) are part of the problem. If new drivers would do the research before jumping into the industry and take their time looking for work instead of knocking on all the usual carrier doors they could make fair money right out of the gate. I can't even remember how many company recruiters I spoke with offering me everything BUT the starting mileage pay and miles per week, which, in the beginning, is ALL I was concerned with, and still am to a certain extent. What really surprised me coming back to this industry is the absolute little knowledge some recruiters have of their own companies. I swear to you, there were a few recruiters where I knew things about their companies that they had to check on and "get back" to me and still provided me incorrect information. Another thing that surprised me is the attitude of some recruiters who couldn't believe that I would not consider working for their wages, as if they were offering me a silver platter with a king's ransom. I know it sounds cliche to hear it these days but this industry really needs cohesion and (dare I say it) perhaps even a major union and/or strike. When all of America has to deal with empty grocery store shelves for even a single day, things would change overnight.

 

That must be a Florida thing. Up here in Nebraska, you must be able to read and write English to get your CDL.

 

...or at least fake it good enough to get by.

Damndest part of it to me is how much information is out there, readily available to anyone who is willing to spend just a few hours on-line. You don't even have to own a computer, smart phone, dumb phone, or anything e-related (e-lated??)....just go to a library. All this information....free for the taking....and what still happens?

People get dollar signs in their eyes and overdue bills in their mailbox. Ignorance is increasing much faster then the "driver shortage".