Why truck driving has such a high turn over rate?

You guys are to funny tonite

 

I had the pleasure of working for a guy who actually showed respect to all his employees this past month.

Even though I was just a temp. I was given access to all locked areas of the business. A company credit card, with ZERO limitations on expenditures.

I was allowed to use it for whatever I needed while away from home/shop. With ZERO charge backs to MY paycheck.

Meals, fuel, repairs, motel rooms, supplies...whatever. Within reason of course. All that was required of me, was to turn in all my receipts.

Even the secretary thanked me when I left their office this morning, for helping them out.

Out of the 2 weeks I helped them move the equipment. The only cross word I heard come out of the mans mouth. Was when he discovered the crew he had just paid (for the entire week) to clean the equipment...left 4 days before finishing the job.

I know this is an unusual situation. It's just to remind you there are good people/employers left in this world. It would never happen at a company with 4 or 500 unknown employees. But the guy didn't know me from Jack. I came referred by a friend, that knew us both.

 

Because everyone saw BJ and the Bear and thought 'Hey! I'd like to drive around the country with my own monkey too someday!'

Then they found out that when you keep a monkey penned up in a rig 20 hours a day, all he does is throw poo everywhere...

 

It's a lifestyle not just a job. A lot of hours for just an average paycheck. Truck drivers work more hours and are away from home probably more than any other occupation but don't receive nearly the amount of pay that they are worth. You can still make a living and have a career but you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of time. Dedicated positions get you home more often but you must be dependable and on time. Truck drivers deal with many different hazards every single day and have to be able to handle them responsibly. Once you get into it you'll probably be like most of us and see it as a love-hate thing. You always had it up to here but you can never seem to shake it loose in the long term. It's always in your blood. You live and breath diesel juice.

 

Trucking is what you make of it.. If you go in expecting it to be a cure all you won't make it.. The life is hard lonely and very demanding. You are asked to do things that are not possible and expected to make it happen.

In my opinion the turn over rate is high in trucking due to several reasons. #1 being the inability of your spouse or partner to accept the lack of you being there along with you realizing your children are growing up without you ..
1. Family
After that to me it boils down to a pressure cooker and I know alot of you on here are new and don't know what I am referring to as of yet but you soon will. This job is very demanding I have seen drivers lose jobs and careers because they let their guard down at the most important time... They drive all night and get to the vendor and relax and back into the truck beside them or hit a telephone poll.
2. Would be people can't take the heat..(right now I am getting close to that point) after 14 years.

Oh and when you figure up hours worked and money spent on the road to eat and live you can make the same money at walmart stocking groceries.. TRUE STORY

 

Would that be Central Freight, Central Refrigerated, or Central Transport ?

Of those 3, Central Refrigerated is the only one that I would avoid at all cost.

Realistically, my ideal company would not fit your model of an ideal company. But there are certain things that everyone should do to protect themselves from deceptive recruiters.

You speak of one day off for one week. Which day ?? You must be very careful when speaking to recruiters (any company), and pay attention to what they are actually saying.

Here's why.

Recruiter says one day off for every seven out. What are the requirements for actually getting that day off? Do you have to ask for it?

Is there a certain day to ask for it? Sounds ridiculous, but that is exactly how it is at some companies. Want off on Saturday, you must have requested it on the prior Monday.

Did the recruiter use words like "Monday morning" when you come back? Or was it vague and open ended. IE "On the day you come back" Code for....you might be rolling out 3am Sunday morning. After getting home at 10pm Friday night.

The bottom line is. If it's important to you and/or your family. Close those loopholes. Even if it means NOT taking the job. Eliminate ALL vague language and wording. Ask for it in writing, e-mail is a wonderful thing, simple too.

A recent interview for me went just that way. I hung up the phone, realized the guy had handed me an open ended answer. I simply picked the phone back up...and called him back. Asking for clarification and an e-mail backing his "claim" up.

His "claim" was I would not be held to the long standing company policy that required ALL drivers to remain in the job they accepted at hiring, for a minimum of 6 months. Before moving laterally within the company. I was being asked to work a position "temporarily" while waiting for another driver to come on board.

Paranoid? Not in the least. Just realistic.

 

I think a reason is the mindset entering the business. Many have been layed off due to the economy and see trucking as a last resort to make ends meet. They never had any interest in driving and would've never even considered it if they could've found anything else to do. But there they are..."stuck".

Anytime you do something because you have to do it you'll get less out of it. It's almost impossible to change your frame of mind when you're forced into something. It doesn't matter if it's a marriage, going to church, family event or a career.

I think trucking is also unique in that it's a career that's not for everyone yet everyone thinks they can do it. The reality hits many so hard that they never get over it.