[Jefferyz]

I didnt read the whole list but every state has a job bank on line like here i go to mn job bank just to see whats going on in the state. but some idiot restructured the minnesota site and scrooed it up all to hell compared to the way it has been for the past five years. but also try America job bank and that will also get you to your local area 8)

[unclehotte]

One thing IN MY OPINION is a fact. OTR is cruel and unusual punishment. When some guys claim they made 70k or 90k, I might believe that if they work for a certain small company. But the BIG OTRs dont even let you get ahead. Yes, the 1 year i drove for Shaffer I made 1500$ per week.(twice in a year) And my fleetmanager and dispatcher made SURE after a good week even with fresh 70h I coulndt get AHEAD.EVER!!! Because we have to average out the miles so some other drivers who got less miles then me in this case got the good run, or somebody who threatens to quit . I can tell you every time I got around $1000 the next week was HELL. That was a guaranteed 400$ or below. Lets call that socialized trucking. The time I quit I got one $400 paycheck after another, and NO , I didnt quit in Jan or Feb, I quit in JULY, with many others. And when I read arguments about MOVIES about big trucks and country songs? Are you kidding me? If that boosts your ego, drive for peanuts. Country songs and trucking movies dont pay my mortgage. All be safe out there.

[mdgardner963]

Originally Posted by unclehotte

One thing IN MY OPINION is a fact. OTR is cruel and unusual punishment. When some guys claim they made 70k or 90k, I might believe that if they work for a certain small company. But the BIG OTRs dont even let you get ahead. Yes, the 1 year i drove for Shaffer I made 1500$ per week.(twice in a year) And my fleetmanager and dispatcher made SURE after a good week even with fresh 70h I coulndt get AHEAD.EVER!!! Because we have to average out the miles so some other drivers who got less miles then me in this case got the good run, or somebody who threatens to quit . I can tell you every time I got around $1000 the next week was HELL. That was a guaranteed 400$ or below. Lets call that socialized trucking. The time I quit I got one $400 paycheck after another, and NO , I didnt quit in Jan or Feb, I quit in JULY, with many others. And when I read arguments about MOVIES about big trucks and country songs? Are you kidding me? If that boosts your ego, drive for peanuts. Country songs and trucking movies dont pay my mortgage. All be safe out there.

You know i never said anything about who were and why. I simpley said that as an otr driver i do well.. But i am no new person as well. The right company makes all the difference in the world matter fact one step more. It really is a good dispatcher.. class of 72

[unclehotte]

I agree on that. When they switched dispatchers on me at Shaffer the NEW one was a BRAND NEW one. She couldnt handle anything, any problem got transfered to the fleetmanager and my miles dropped even lower.

[CB JR.]

Dont know mackman. But I could keep avoiding the shit jobs you try recruiting people for and make more than what I make elsewhere if I wasn't comfortable.

I have to Agree with Sheepdancer here I was an OTR driver and made massive sacrifices and so did my father. He also did local work when I was growing up and of the 2 my family peferred OTR why we knew when he was home HE WAS HOME FOR MORE THAN 10 HOURS BEFORE HE WAS OUT THE DOOR AGAIN. He also made more OTR driving than local closest my parents ever came to losing the house was when he went local for a year then he got a OTR job and things took off.

Local Guys sometimes do not see that BIG picture. Yes you may get 18 bucks an hour then OT after 40 however the IRS THEN COMES IN AND NAILS YOU TO THE WALL WITH INCOME AND OTHER TAXES. Ion the otherhand running OTR when my wheels are turning at 65 mph at .40 cpm am making 26 bucks an hour and figuring 60 hours drive time can make 1500 a week NOTICE SOMETHING I SAID 60 HOURS DRIVE NOT 70. Also at the end of the year I get to deduct 39 dollars a day as a meal deduction for EVERYDAY I WAS AWAY FROM THE HOUSE YOU DO NOT SINCE YOU ARE HOME EVERYNIGHT. for the Avarage OTR driver that is a tax deduction without even saving a meal recipt of 11700 dollars then on top of that I can remove 50% of my cell plan get the large one honey. Anything and everything I use for work is deductible my last year I drove hell I deducted MY CHAMPION BLOODLINE BEAGLE WHY I COULD NOT CARRY A GUN SO SHE WAS PUT DOWN AS MY SECURITY SYSTEM CANINE AND THE IRS ALLOWED IT.

[mdgardner963]

I have found one thing to be true. You have to earn the right to get the miles. I follow 3 basic rules. 1. One do a through trip plan if the service times can not be made legal i tell them i can not do it legal and ask them to re set the appointment time.. 2. I have always worked hard every day keep the door closed until the end of my day. 3. build trust once you have that with your dispatcher it pretty much goes good. Oh Customer service is very important probly the most important thing. Ok so 4 rules!

Now with that said i also look at how i am being dispatched. If i am always being played on i have no problem swapping dispatchers. If i get hung up on my pay have to view it with a microscope every week its time to move on. If they start pulling that oh theres no frieght like a bullit i am gone.. There are some rules that must be followed but i never let fear stand in my way. This is just my own personal thinking..

I always am looking for something better i really have not seen anything.. Shaffer is part of Crete and Hunt Transportation. The do pay .41 cents per mile but have no miles because everyone wants to be the high paid person lol.. If you want to work for an ok company as far as i am concerned there are many ok compaines ( Notice i did not say alot) The big companies want there core group to be ok the rest they are not concerned with..

I was reading today in the American Trucker magazine that most companies will be and are considering making there idle rules down from 40% to 25 to 30%. Some better companies have APU units and fridges in there rigs since they have the apu units.

Has the world gone mad... :twisted: 8)

[kbraut832]

You could also try backpage.com if it is available in your area.

[Blind Driver]

I liked driving otr, but then again I'm single. I considered doing this for at least 2 years , then doing something more local, but I"m learning that local city driving brings the suck. I'm after my own medium duty hauling truck right now. Just making plans to buy a used truck and do some local gigs for now. As I make repairs, I'll drive longer distances from home...with my tool box :wink: