Why, Why, Why?

No need to organize and fight for a better wage. It is called "voting with your feet". No one is held in shackles and forced to work at a particular company. Just move on if you are not making what you feel you are worth.

That is one advantage I have by owning the truck. I can do things that allow me more take home money, irregardless of what a company is paying on the rate. For instance, by just getting 1 mpg better fuel mileage, I effectively keep up to $10 grand more a year. Few if any company drivers will get the full savings paid to them by getting a better fuel mileage. I can select loads that make me money instead of just turning miles. That is how I "voted with my feet" several years ago. No longer was I going to do all the right things for an owner just to have them pocket the money while I got a measly penny or two a mile in bonus.

But there are good companies that are fairly paying their drivers. A lot of them you just have to find over time by talking with other drivers, since they do not have to advertise in slick truck magazines for drivers. In my experience, the smaller companies usually do better at compensating their drivers. But they will also not tolerate the goofy things that a lot of drivers for big outfits do. You are expected to "pack the gear" and get the job done. I have had the best experience over my almost 30 years at this game with carriers in the ballpark of 100 to 300 trucks. My last carrier, when I started with them, had roughly 90 trucks. The owner sold out right around the time I had about 9 years with them. I got on with my present carrier almost 4 years ago and plan on staying with them for a good, long while. They have roughly 275 trucks working. The one and only time I went with a larger carrier, I learned to never do that again.

 

Bowlwinkle, I live just NE of Newton, N of Kellogg. Good to hear from another Iowa driver.