Do my drivers make enough?

[mudpuddle]

Mack it doesn't matter if they have to shovel poop with a spoon. If a truck driver has weekends off, does not have to work 70 hrs a week, and makes 54k per year he's doing pretty well.

[inmate1577]

I dont care how hard they work, they are at the top of the money chain for most industries in that area.

If I were their boss, I'd fire 'em and hire those who really appreciate their job.

[mudpuddle]

Why dont you pay by the hr.

In owning a gusiness and managing employees in the past I found that if you paid people by the hour theeeyyyyy mmmmmooooooooovvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeedddddddd aaaaaaabbbbbbbbbbooooooouuuuuuuuuttttttttttttt ttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssss ss ffffffffffffffaaaaaaasssssssssttttttttttttt.

If you paid them a fair percentage though they move efficiently and make good money and everybody is happy.

[Colin]

Why dont you pay by the hr.

In owning a gusiness and managing employees in the past I found that if you paid people by the hour theeeyyyyy mmmmmooooooooovvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeedddddddd aaaaaaabbbbbbbbbbooooooouuuuuuuuuttttttttttttt ttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssss ss ffffffffffffffaaaaaaasssssssssttttttttttttt.

If you paid them a fair percentage though they move efficiently and make good money and everybody is happy.

I would say you never found the right workers.

My best trucking job ever was paid by the hour. I ended up working myself out of a job because I made what started out as a 35-40 hour a week job into a 29-34 hour a week job.

I got everything done and then some.

[Mackman]

Mack it doesn't matter if they have to shovel poop with a spoon. If a truck driver has weekends off, does not have to work 70 hrs a week, and makes 54k per year he's doing pretty well.

Well i dont see you jumpin on any honey dippers now do i. You try diggin 3ft in the ground 30in wide and pop a septic tank lid. Oh yea you have to drag over 200ft of 3in hose up a hill in the snow and its 10 out. Then deal with the homeowner who at times can be a real azzhole. Or do all that when its 100. Oh yea forgot have to be on-call. It does matter. Now granted this is not the case. We are takin vac trailers which are diff. But i did the honey dippin thing and the top guy made over 23/hr which he should to do all that. There isnt alot of BBR that are wellin to do all that. One more thing sometimes it can be a real job just to find the septic tank. I have dig about 2 foot in the ground just to dig up a rock cuz were i thought the tank was it wasnt. Then you back fill the hole and start somewhere else.

http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/aug...nk-serviceman/

[Mackman]

Why dont you pay by the hr.

In owning a gusiness and managing employees in the past I found that if you paid people by the hour theeeyyyyy mmmmmooooooooovvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeedddddddd aaaaaaabbbbbbbbbbooooooouuuuuuuuuttttttttttttt ttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssssssss ss ffffffffffffffaaaaaaasssssssssttttttttttttt.

If you paid them a fair percentage though they move efficiently and make good money and everybody is happy.

What happens if the truck breaks down why should the driver not be gettin paid. WHat about a flat. OR traffic. Snow has to drive alot slower. Why should the driver suffer????????? If you have hourly people that beat the clock then get rid of them.

[Sparks280zt]

No septic work for us. Most of the time its back up to a tank and run a few hoses. If a truck breaks down the driver gets $20.00 an hour. If he has to wait to get loaded he gets $20 an hour for demurage (sp?).

[pigrider]

I agree with Mackman! We have guys come to our plant in vac trucks an those guys are filty and worn out by the end of the day!

[headborg]

Hi,

Not sure if this is in the right forum or not, mods feel free to move.

My family owns an environmental service company, nothing huge, just 8 trucks. Anyways these drivers are always complaining about not making enough. What do you guys think of their salary?

They all made over 54k last year with half of them making over 58k. They are all home every night and generally work 8-5. These guys mainly pull tankers and 4 drivers run vac tankers. We do not have great insurance but I feel being home every night and working normal hours makes up for that. Opinions? Thanks

Complaining comes second nature to Truck Drivers....the real answer to your question can be found at looking at your Driver Turnover and as others suggested the Local Job Market. If your turnover is too high, then maybe an increase is needed/ or perhaps some sort of employee profit sharing scheme...that would encourage/motivate your driver's to Work with the company to be more cost efficient/productive.

[Ian Williams]

Given the lower cost of living in the South 55-58k is good $. If you're not having turnover issues I would not worry too much.

[coalregion]

Mackman is right.I work for our towns Municipal Authority at the Sewer Plant,and those guys that run the Honeydipper do have a physical job.(They come in a few times a year and I work alongside them) But I know for a fact they'd kill to be making what this guy is paying his drivers. :wink: And these guys also do the residential thing with tri-axl trucks, so they're dealing with the irate public regularly.Lets face it, ain't nobody happy when they have to call in a septic ruck to pump out their system.... IMHO for the area your in, your paying those guys a fair wage.

[Darin Younce]

I tell you what, you open up a franchise here in my town and I will go to work for you tomorrow for 20 per hour and I ll shine your shoes at the end of the day! Tell these guys if they can do better to hit the road.

[nsxman2001]

Whenever I read post about drivers pays everyone has to take into account location I live in NYC and I think 50-60k you can live on but its not in my opinion Great pay and only because of high rent,car insurance, tolls or other transportation cost. but if u live in Florida or some western states thats excellent pay..

this is only my opinion

Cheers

[Sparks280zt]

Just a little update:

We had 3 drivers make more than 65k last year and we now have insurance, retirement, and profit sharing. The complaining has slowed a bit!

[coastie]

Hi,

Not sure if this is in the right forum or not, mods feel free to move.

My family owns an environmental service company, nothing huge, just 8 trucks. Anyways these drivers are always complaining about not making enough. What do you guys think of their salary?

They all made over 54k last year with half of them making over 58k. They are all home every night and generally work 8-5. These guys mainly pull tankers and 4 drivers run vac tankers. We do not have great insurance but I feel being home every night and working normal hours makes up for that. Opinions? Thanks

Heck, I lived about 90 miles away and been living off about 17000.00 year. 50,000.00 not enough?

[Orangetxguy]

Just a little update:

We had 3 drivers make more than 65k last year and we now have insurance, retirement, and profit sharing. The complaining has slowed a bit!

You never did answer the question on whether you had mostly has-waste or not.

Given the locale though, your drivers aren't that far behind the operators out at the 3M plant...so they really don't have room to gripe.

The fact that you have added Insurance and 401K is perhaps the best thing they could have asked for..let alone a bump in wages to.


Hmmmmmmm....I bet 3m is one of your customers.

[Sparks280zt]

Mostly non-haz. We only have two drivers that do the Haz stuff and they both made in the high 60s last year.