[-FlyByNight-]

Originally Posted by driverboy

Interesting thread, do you live to work or work to live?

I chase the money and enjoy life with the great money I make, while I enjoy what I do I think the enjoyment is derived from what I make of it. Let's face it, 95% of our time is in solitude, what other job can you smile at the start of the run while the boss treats you subpar and then not see him for the rest of the run, be it a day, a week, or a month? Try that in a cubicle setup, watch the movie office space!!

I've always felt it's important to enjoy what you do to earn a living. It's just as important that you have an employer you're content with and that you feel like a productive member of society. Office Space is hysterical, but also a scary reminder of my past and how things could still be. :lol:

[Lewis friend]

Exactly!

That's why, if you'll notice, i didnt' mention jack about pay in my requirements in the "my wish list" thread.
http://www.classadrivers.com/phpBB2/...b69e92d0b50957

What i am asking for is 8 hours of good/quality sleep. This means, quiet, vibration free, and warm.

If i can get that, then i can and will drive 11 hours for you. And cover 450-700 miles per day. Which is the way i like it.

[hitman]

CPM is not going to be a factor when I am able to drive, but I will be in a unique situation by having 2 incomes...collecting a pension from my current employer, on top of my pay as a driver. So safety...as in good equipment...and my company trusting my decision to shut down due to weather, illness etc., and treating me right, are more important to me then cpm. If I can get those things from a company, I will be happy and stick with them for the 10 or 12 years that I plan to drive.

[Colin]

My last OTR job was chosen based on equipment. With 9 years of experience, I'm sure I could have been offered more than $.305 cpm. But I had done the higher pay thing in a Century class and the lower pay with a Volvo 770 was worth it. I still made tons of money and I would make the same choice again.

Not everyone has the choice I did though.

You should choose what works for you.

[rcpilot]

I'm leaving a 65,000 -70,000 a year job with the government to go back to driving... I did 23 years as an Air Traffic Controller in the military and was recently hired by the DOD to do the same job... but I'm burnt out and do not enjoy the job anymore... of course the wife is'nt very happy about me going on the road but I explained to her that I enjoy driving and I'd rather be happy and make a living than be unhappy making more money....

[Nomad_]

Unless things change (my health, financial profile, etc..), I doubt that I will ever want or need to do a entry level, or even full time gigs with the big national OTR outfits. I will probably always do local part-time gigs, as I go into semi-retirement. However, I could see myself doing seasonal OTR work as I get older or potentially signing on with LandStar if I choose to make an investment in myself. It's hard to say right now.

Luckily CPM is not my prime requirement. I put myself through CDL School (partially VA did), and I have a dedicated routes part-time gig (some Fridays and Sats) that I actually enjoy. I did have to pay my dues with my first P/T gig (long story), but it only lasted 2+ months.

Anyway, I will strive to keep the leverage on my side and keep having fun.

[coalregion]

Originally Posted by Lewis friend

Exactly!

That's why, if you'll notice, i didnt' mention jack about pay in my requirements in the "my wish list" thread.
http://www.classadrivers.com/phpBB2/...b69e92d0b50957

What i am asking for is 8 hours of good/quality sleep. This means, quiet, vibration free, and warm.

If i can get that, then i can and will drive 11 hours for you. And cover 450-700 miles per day. Which is the way i like it.

Chad, Ron Kniecley, Colonel Toon, how the hell have you been? :lol:

[kenworth75]

I drive petro local here in Northern Va, and i love the job. But i do miss the driving hundreds of miles nonstop just to sit at a warehouse. Things are so much easier when all you have to do is look out for yourself and your watch pup in the co-pilots seat. The small things that we take for granted on the road, we dearly miss when we go stoplight to stoplight. Miles upon miles are more important than the cpm. You cant have the bennies without the miles.

[driverboy]

I guess my point is do any companies truly treat their drivers better than others?

Most of my variance is circumstances beyond any company's control and for that reason can not hold them accountable and think if I was to move to a different company those problems would not exist.

Bad weather, vendor delays, border congestion, general traffic congestion are all things that can make a day fall apart but there is not much any company can solve, for that reason I chase the bucks and am paid hourly not by the mile.

That I am fortuante enough to run brand new equipment is just icing on the cake.

To each his own, as a company driver my view may be skewed a bit as I am home every night. Company differences I think would crop up more for OTR as far as laying out your route and reloading policies to keep the miles up. I could not imagine sitting anywhere waiting for hours (days?) on end to start to make money again, I feel for those that do.