[drzebra]

I think you misunderstand me. My gripe isn't with those who try it, hate it, and move on. My gripe is with those go piss and moan for years and years and years about how they hate it and DON'T go on to something that they may like better.

I know that OTR trucking isn't for everyone. If someone is just miserable doing it, that someone should find something more suited to him or her. Otherwise, shut the heck up. I don't have pity for those who refuse to improve their situations.

[zipy46]

Originally Posted by unclehotte

hey zipy46??? They told you the freight will pick up in march??? Sure, it will pick up SOME DAY. Last year I was told at Shaffer that NEXT MONTH freight will pick up again. They told this to me till JULY, when i finally brought my truck back to the terminal and told them where they can put it.

Since I been doing this freight usually slows around December

and starts to return around March....maybe things are different

this time around...who knows (?)

The economy seems to be in the crapper

[feederfred]

I was quite happy at UPS. I owe pretty much everything I have including my very decent retirement pay to the company. For that I will always be grateful. Did I like it every day, 100% of the time ? No. No job, no matter where it is or for who or what company is perfect. I had very crappy days at Brown where I hated it and was ready to bail. But somehow, I always tried to see that proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel". And in most cases, it DID get better. UPS has it's issues, like any other large company, and it's detractors and suck-ups, just like everywhere else. In the end, it's what YOU make of it. Anyway, that's my little spiel on that subject. And to the poster that stated that "UPS has terrible drivers" (see above) either prove it or stop engaging in hyperbole and speculation. UPS does not tolerate or condone unsafe driving at any time. They have an excellent safety record with the FMCSA. Perhaps you saw a package car driver running a little fast on his 60th stop of the day...Been there done that...

[headborg]

Originally Posted by drzebra

All the companies are trashed on here because truck drivers by and large are a whiny bunch. Seriously.

Find one crying about his company how how good it "used to be" and call him on it. Ask him why he doesn't leave the industry if things suck so bad. Chances are, he'll just hem and haw around the question and find someone else to whine at. This reaction leads me to suspect two possibilities:

1. The driver is too much of a coward to affect change

2. The driver isn't really unhappy and simply whines for the sake of whining.

Both are equally plausible.

or maybe; that CDL is all he has
or maybe; all he has is a CDL and a High School Diploma
the HSD doesn't get you very far these days...and we all know just "how far" a CDL gets you-----
until recently( internet age) continuing your education while out here driving a rig, busting your rear to make ends meet, was impossible.

also hard to look for "other" employment options while away from home- and unable to do those appointment interviews....just like WHY truck drivers have always suffered from poor health & teeth-- hard to get home for those "scheduled" doctors appointments + historically waking up in the middle of no where with no bathroom facilites( and not enjoying brushing your teeth from a dixie cup with no mirror--- and having to "put er in the wind" got to go...go... go.... that Dispatcher made an appointment--and you can't be late.

These days there's also a "new breed" of "hobby" truckers out here-- complaining too.... and changing the industry--- these drivers are retired from other fields and are just looking to get away from the old lady and see the sights---- and this sometimes comes into conflict with Corporate Trucking profit seeking and THEY complain, or worse the company starts catering to them and making all the delivery schedules with extra days on the run(because many of these hobby drivers only willing to run 200miles a day) and the rest of us suffer.( and complain).

[zipy46]

The average life span of a trucker is only about 57 yrs

i love my job. do i have some issues? yes. but i deal with them and go on loving my job. have i always been this way? no. there were some companies that i worked for and i got a bad attitude about something andi could not let it go. but then one day i was thinking...i have worked for x amount of companies in x amount of years. i think maybe i am the problem,not the company. one could say i have done some growing up. do otr companies suck, some of them...not all of them. there are alot more out there than what we see on these forums. do not be afraid to take alot of time to find a new job. i have been looking around for another company for about 2 months now, and i actually just found one on friday that might meet my needs, but still in no hurry.

[CrazyTulip]

Originally Posted by zipy46

The average life span of a trucker is only about 57 yrs

Yeah well that's because of life style. Eating greasy truckstop food, smoking, no exercise.....go shopping at Wal-Mart more and get some healthy foods, park on the other side of the truck stop and walk more at least it's a start and you might become 60. :wink:

[unclehotte]

Whats wrong with dying at 57??? So you just get out without using social security, leaving more money for the wellfare people who sit on their butt till they ''retire''! :x :x :x

[burgerbritches]

Originally Posted by Sheepdancer

I have hired both UPS drivers and Walmart drivers when I was hiring for JB. They werent happy there. You will find unhappy drivers and happy drivers at all companies.
Ive said this before, but I will repeat it again. In all the years recruiting and talking to 1000s of 1000s of drivers about their employers, the company Ive talked to the most happy drivers at was Swift. Of course they are the largest....but they have A LOT of happy drivers there. Also they get the most complaints

The only drivers I saw leave UPS in the 27 years I was there were the retirees and the ones that were discharged for multiple accidents, substance abuse, or stealing time (continuely screwing off instead of doing the job).

[truckdriverwh]

i cant stand listening to drivers belly aching on how bad some company is.. i have been with the same company since i started this business 2 yrs ago.. is this a perfect company, heck no, but i am one of the smart ones who know the grass isnt always greener on the other side. they treat me well here and i have only seen small signs of a freight shortage, but when i am up in the terminal thats all i hear is guys complaining they arent getting the miles! this week i a have 2500 miles and would have more but i am sitting at home cause of this darn weather! they find ways to keep me moving if i want to run and get me home every time i have needed to be.. i am not a kiss butt and nowhere near a perfect driver, have had a few incidents in these 2 yrs. but i have tried to keep a good attitude and look for the light at the end of the tunnel when things werent going as i felt they should. i make .355 cents per mile, 2 wks vac, and got a good dispatcher who really takes care of me... could i make more cpm elsewhere, without a doubt.. but these guys work for me.. truck drivers are some of the biggest complainers i have ever met! oh ya, and i do a lot of stuff for free and dont get paid for all the work i do, but i guess thats part of the job... someday soon i hope i can get into a company where everything i do i get paid for, but i will do that when the time is right.. and theres no way in he@@ ur gonna make 53k a yr at mcdonalds, or anywhere around here in ohio without a college education.. this is by far the most money i have ever made also.. just my 2 cents.