[ssoutlaw]

Originally Posted by ColdFrostyMug

I get over $20.00/hr plus OT to drive truck and deal with all of that crap. Waiting to get loaded/unloaded? Paid. Breakdown? Paid. Held up at customer? Paid. Weather? Paid. Wouldn't have it any other way.

That's exactly why I'm not in OTR anymore. Way too many freebies.

Don't forget the 10% miles you drive for free due to HHG.

We have all heard many times about your 20.00 an hr job,and this thread is not about your job. If everyone had a local job like yours, the pay would be like all the rest. Your job wouldn't be as good as it is now.
There are many over the road jobs paying the same and more than yours, without the headaches you describe. The newbies will most likely not see these jobs for awhile. If you work for these large company's you are sure to have all the headaches like the driver in the video.

Can I offer you some advice, there are not enough of the type of jobs you have, so your always telling everyone what you make and that life is just so peachy, so why dangle it in front of newbies faces when chances are they wont get a job like yours?its getting old and has little to do with the subject. just my 2 cents, take it or leave it!

[scania]

Usually the non complainers are the ones that are making the big money and forgot where they came from.

[kc0iv]

Originally Posted by NevadaJim

This sounds like a pity potty thread getting started. I'm curious how many drivers were forced by gunpoint into the job. Everyone had a choice when they chose this profession, and have the same choice to stay or leave. If you disagree with managements philiosophy maybe it's time to find a new management to work for. Go find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and report back so we can all join in. Personally, I think drivers either really like driving and have learned to manage the BS, or just don't have any other marketable skills to be employed in. In between, there's alot of complainers with no solutions to offer.

NevadaJim you hit the nail on the head. The secret is really pretty simple. Make yourself into something employers need. If you don't have the marketable skills then get them. Yes you might have to give up a few thing for a few years to aquire these skills but it can be done.

My suggestion is go to the libary and look at employment trends and find something you like and then do what it takes to get the skills it takes.

kc0iv

[GMAN]

There are a lot of jobs where you are not compensated for all the time you spend working. It isn't just trucking. The thing is that you are either paid by the mile, percentage or hourly. Most over the road drivers are paid mileage. Getting paid for the miles you drive is what you agreed to when you took the job. I agree that drivers and carriers should be paid for sitting for hours at a shipper or receiver. Time is money. I also think that drivers should be paid the same a lumpers to unload a trailer. Again, time is money. You can find inequities in any profession. Taking all the BS away, you can still have a bigger paycheck pulling a trailer around than many other professions. Driving a truck is probably one of the most secure jobs you can have. Just look at all of the IT jobs that have evaporated in recent years. Many of those who were given stock in their companies went from rags to riches to rags. No one is completely happy with their job 100% of the time. You just need to find one that you enjoy and stick it out.

[solo379]

Originally Posted by ibamars

I am curious to hear from OO. From my understanding you guys are hurting or will be hurting soon, I see alot of trucks for sale.

Good post! 8)

Well, we are definitely not on "upturn" of economy, but it was happening before, and will happened again!
Than market will readjust, and those who survive, might even benefit from that...

[merrick4]

I was flipping through one of these truckstop magazines today and saw an ad from Walmart looking for experienced drivers. Said they pay for breaks etc. Said there was a 5% turnover rate. Wonder why?

[clawHAMMER]

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This sounds like a pity potty thread getting started. I'm curious how many drivers were forced by gunpoint into the job. Everyone had a choice when they chose this profession, and have the same choice to stay or leave. If you disagree with managements philiosophy maybe it's time to find a new management to work for. Go find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and report back so we can all join in. Personally, I think drivers either really like driving and have learned to manage the BS, or just don't have any other marketable skills to be employed in. In between, there's alot of complainers with no solutions to offer."

Well my 2 cents I think alot of drivers get into the profession not knowing exactly what they're getting into. They think its BJ & The Bear kinf of life from the 70's tv program. Far from it and by the time they realize it is nothing like they thought, they're 1000's of miles from home for weeks at a time and want a job nothing to do with trucking. Kind of hard to find another job in their vicinity not trucking related when their far from home.

So they hang in there till they get home. Home for a couple of days, do the laundry, pay the bills, do the paperwork, browse the classifieds for another job - nothing going there, and it's time to leave again. So they put up with it and the vicious circle continues and before they know it 8 months has passed and they're still driving OTR. They hate it but it's paying the bills until something better comes along. Which is kind of hard when you're never home and clear across the country. Until finally the day comes where you snap and just flat out quit the trucking business with no other job lined up.

After not being able to find work and making the money you were accustomed to making driving a truck, as much as you hated it, you reluctantly go back to it. You basically tolerate it. And you know it sucks but you keep doing it because there is nothing better for work in your area that's compreable to what your making driving that pays the bills.

Why do we do it? I think it's mostly the money, as sad and poor as it is. Some do it for the travel, others for the open road and still others do it because they just love to do it. We all have our just causes why we put up with this insane lifestyle and accept the lousy treatment by pretty much everyone who thinks the only reason you drive a truck is because your not smart enough to do anything else, which couldn't be further from the truth.

[Bigmon]

A few thoughts here.

A trucking job is pretty quick to get compared to other jobs. What I mean is, there are jobs where you have 100 people applying for 1 opening. You have to have several interviews and it can take a week or two to get an answer.

To expand on what Gman said about other jobs that don't pay you for all your time. For example: in my area mechanics and auto bodymen are paid on % of the job. Most get around 40% of the labor. If the parts store sends the wrong part the guy doesn't get paid while he's waiting for the new parts to come in. Unless he has another car to work on he sits just like you do at a shipper.

[USMC Vet]

Originally Posted by ColdFrostyMug

I get over $20.00/hr plus OT to drive truck and deal with all of that crap. Waiting to get loaded/unloaded? Paid. Breakdown? Paid. Held up at customer? Paid. Weather? Paid. Wouldn't have it any other way.

That's exactly why I'm not in OTR anymore. Way too many freebies.

Don't forget the 10% miles you drive for free due to HHG.

Cold Frosty Mug has got the right attitude.I really do not think he would put up with OTR BS. OTR has way too many freebies and then some.The part I do not understand is why don't these guys that hate OTR go home and do something else ? Construction work,factory,start a business,etc; The trucking industry is a completely differnt animal than I thought it would be. Would have been nice to have heard it from the instructors at the CDL school,rather than the smoke and mirrors.But I guess if they told the students the truth they would not have a job. But I guess they are getting what they deserve,the school was on the news the other night saying that they might have to shut it down because the state of Illinois is not giving enough veterans grant money.The state told the school the should not rely so much on the state money.The school is Lakeland College CDL training services.And yes it is a CDL mill.

[scania]

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Brought to you by Institutional Shareholder Services.

View Financials

KEY EXECUTIVES
Pay Exercised
Mr. Robert W. Cunningham , 52
Chief Exec. Officer, Pres, Chief Operating Officer $ 843.00K $ 0
Mr. Jerry Moyes , 61
Founder $ 718.00K $ 2.76M
Ms. Glynis Bryan , 49
Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and Exec. VP $ 446.00K $ 0
Mr. Samuel C. Cowley , 47
Exec. VP, Sec., Gen. Counsel $ 460.00K $ 0
Mr. Mark A. Martin , 45
Exec. VP of Sales and Marketing $ 403.00K $ 0

Bet they get their yearly raise.