Why do some on the forum say that truckers don't make more than a fast food worker

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by amiller, Dec 19, 2012.

  1. boxxxtrucker

    boxxxtrucker Light Load Member

    I'd rather drive a truck for NOTHING than flip burgers for 5 bucks an hour...
     
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  3. DrtyDiesel

    DrtyDiesel Road Train Member

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    #### right!!

    I'd rather make almost nothing doing what I love than to work for good money and not enjoy it
     
  4. bender

    bender Road Train Member

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    Some do both at the same time. They run the truck locally during the day and work at Brawlmart during the night to support the truck and eat. You see their trucks parked in the lot at night but they aren't on break, they are inside the store working, then they hop in the truck when they get off and go to work with the truck.
     
  5. DrtyDiesel

    DrtyDiesel Road Train Member

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    You gotta do what you have to do to make a living. If I had a second job would I log on duty not driving while I was there? Absolutely not! Is it against dot regs? Yes. But guess what, how would they know? As far as I'm concerned no one would.
     
  6. hup

    hup Medium Load Member

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    I made $48k this year. 2nd year trucking, flatbed. I consider myself underpaid and will seek another employer.

    As such, I do not consider myself anyway comparable to a fast-food worker, who is a slave to to his/her corporate system.

    When I look at my earnings, I think I've made at least $18/hr. Others will disagree. Others are likely spoiled children who expect big gov't to feed them. But I try to stand on my own. I don't ask for big mama to feed me her teets.
     
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  7. bender

    bender Road Train Member

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    Yep, been there and remember it well. I go into the store at night and see a couple guys stocking with there heads constantly dropping about to nod off while they're standing up. It's hard to not feel a little sympathetic.
     
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  8. nate980

    nate980 Road Train Member

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    Your kidding right? I get paid to sit in traffic for say 2 hours to move 20 miles at 56 bucks or 84 if I'm on overtime while you get paid 7 bucks at let's say .35cpm. Who has the better deal in this case....
     
  9. amiller

    amiller Medium Load Member

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    I'm not kidding at all. IMO mileage pay suits drivers best and hourly pay for time sitting to be loaded/unloaded, etc. Don't get me wrong I think most drivers are underpaid but that is not the argument. To me truckers should be paid by performance which to me is best done with mileage pay, hourly pay for truck maintenance/unloading/etc, safety bonuses, and on time delivery bonuses but hey this isn't a perfect world. What I do know is that a fast food worker can only wish they could make a year's salary of a trucker. Bottom line
     
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  10. nate980

    nate980 Road Train Member

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    Lets compare pay stubs if you ever become a driver lol
     
  11. volvodriver01

    volvodriver01 Road Train Member

    Last time I drove as a company driver I was paid $18/hour for 40 hours and $22.50 for the other 30 hours a week. Funny thing is I would only run on average 1800-2200 miles per week. I was making a killing with these people. I made alot more off hourly than a guy would've running mileage.
     
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