“I’ll call you back in five minutes” is broker speak for “have a nice day.” They tell me they’ll call me right back and I just keep load hunting. I might call THEM back after a while if I’m striking out, but I always expect that they WONT call me back even when they promise to do so. It’s poor form on their part, but just SOP for most brokers.

 

The best dispatchers are people with driving experience. :thumbsup:

...but I'm still gonna have to give you a gorilla size fresh one, because I'm still a driver.....
and as you know...this is just driver SOP.



mutter-mutter .... stinkin' dispatcher..... mutter-mutter

 

Damned handsome those drivers are too!

 

heh heh...... {fooooot pooter} .... sorry

( snif snif snif ) ............. heh heh

 

I drive OTR, spend more time at home than many people working local jobs, and make excellent money doing it. I'm not the only one. Perhaps if you've never driven OTR you shouldn't have so much commentary on it....

 

Facts are facts. 95% of OTR job are junk. There maybe be the 1 out of 100,000 that is good. But for the most part all OTR driving is no good. (in my eyes anyway). Plus you dont have to do it to be able to see that.

 

...another fact, if we give one of you bent rim buckethaulers a big truck, we may as well also name you Billy.

 

It's really a question of what works for an individual. You have a niche doing what you do, I have a different niche doing what I do. That's the case for many other people. In today's economy I think anyone who is working is doing well- and it's important to remember that these guys driving for the so called "coolie carriers" are in fact working, not sitting at home on welfare.

You like what you are doing with your little trucks- that's great. I like the big truck game- also a great thing. You are also not sitting home on welfare- but it's absurd to suggest that because someone else is doing something different that their job is of less value. If someone is working, then they are contributing to society, and that's a good thing in my book.

 

Mackman said:

Yes they are... and yours are skewed.

That's not possible... and it doesn't match your estimates below.

So... that's 10 out of a million? There are an estimated 2 million drivers in America. So... that's 20 good jobs that aren't "junk?" There are more than 19 "other" members of this forum that are happy with their OTR jobs (and LESS than that that subscribe to the CFM mantra.)

Furthermore.... 5% of 2 million is (wait a minute, let me take my shoes off...) um.... 100,000 jobs! Wow. I wonder if you can find 100,000 employees of Micky D's that love their jobs?

Personally, I don't believe 95% of OTR drivers (who must hate their jobs) would keep DOING them. :hellno:

I met a local driver for a company that I'd been "looking at" for a local gig one day. He told me to forget the HOS, he had to bust his azz everyday and "work" that maximum (and his timesheet/logbook) to make a living. LESS than 10 hours off each day.... 7 spent sleeping, maybe 1 commuting. That left 2 hours to eat and greet with the family! :eek2:

I bet his wife had to work to make ends meet, too. Tell me again how my job is worse?

Well... I think you do! I'm not questioning your eyesight, MACK... just your perspective. And from where I stand, you don't really HAVE one. One who has SEEN the sunset over the Cascades while parked next to a quiet stream, possibly sharing a barbee and a beer with some new friends, MIGHT be able to envision a life without such sights. But, a blind man sees nothing and can only "feel" the familiar.

If you have one of the 100,000 "local" jobs that pay well and give you good hometime every night... then you are blessed. If you see your "routine" as better than that of a factory or office worker... more power to you. But, don't pretend to speak for those of us you don't understand who love our jobs for the very nature OF them.

Got nothing against you, my friend. I love to read your posts. We need ALL perspectives here. But, the CFM equation is a fallacy. I have NEVER worked 100, logged 70, and got paid for 50! More like worked 50, logged 60 and got paid for 100 (compared to local drivers who have to work O/T to match my gross.)

Please don't take offense. Just trying to keep the record straight for the newbies who are coming here in droves! :lol:

Hobo

 

Seeing as how we're talking about a job that requires a person to be "clocked in" while being loaded and unloaded and not get paid for being "clocked in", I think drivers are being taken advantage of. The only reason we don't get a square deal is because we don't have collective bargaining anymore and the only reason we don't have collective bargaining anymore is because it feels so damned good to say..... "AT LEAST I AIN'T NO DANG SOCIALIST!!!" <--- (while we make a charity gift of our precious time to people with 100,000 times our net worth.)

You've been trained to say it. Like a little puppy dog you've been trained. Say it with me now...

"AT LEAST I AIN'T NO DANG SOCIALIST!!!"

lol We're so screwed. :lol: