Why are new drivers......

That's true w/every generation...we've been fighting wars for centuries...many DIDN'T have a choice.

 

And if the Internet had been around 'back in the day' there would have been just as much complaining.

 

It is a sad fact of life, and of the history of the world. Old men send young men out to fight and die. I don't see it changing any time soon, either.

 

Sometimes the young are only alive because the old men went first.

 

Maybe even a better way, would insist that every prospective driver have at least six months reading our forums here, before being even allowed in trucking schools.
We see it over and over again. Somebody who just got laid off from an office job, or just retired, thinks trucking is the God sent answer to their prayers, so they pay big bucks or commit to slave contracts to go through a school. Then when they actually go to work, they find that real life is NOTHING like what they imagined.
Or how about an "intern" program, where a driver candidate would have to ride with a real honest home grown OTR trucker for a few weeks before being let into the school?

 

I agree. A lot of people seem to think its easy money, getting paid to drive. Being perfectly honest though, driving is my fallback. I paid out of pocket to get my Class 1 CDL 4 years ago strictly so I could road test and diagnose trucks, maybe pick up an odd trip here and there on the side. I know driving isn't easy. Most of my family was involved in trucking at some point and I know what kind of life it is. Its a challenge and I have a ton of respect for the guys who choose trucking as a full time gig. I know if I were to hang up the wrenches for a bit and go drive, it'd take me at least 10-15 years to get into the area of trucking that I'd want to do (mega oversize, think Mammoet or Premay).

 

Any monkey can drive OTR, why put up with that garbage, if you're intelligent and not afraid of hard work you can have that $25+ per hour local job

 

Sounds like you worked for the wrong company. I passed up a few bad offers before I got an offer that I felt was reasonable. 50 k may not be the norm for a new driver, but it is realistic to get that the first year. Like I said. I made $48k my first year. And that is in a straight truck, averaging 45 hours a week. Paid hourly, so I am paid for everything that I do. Low stress job. The only "hard" part is unloading palettes with a liftgate, but that helps keep me in shape, so I have no problem with that. Companies pay poorly and treat drivers poorly because so many drivers will put up with it. Not me.

 

What company do you work for if you don't mind me asking.... Is it Food service Related? I had a guy tell me in the barber shop to screw OTR and get with a local outfit that will train me... SYSCO is the company he was saying