I got in on a seasonal gig for christmas year before last. 4 hours a day 5 days a week aint exactly much to be proud of. That was when I hit the wall of union seniority to get a full time job, let alone a driving job.

 

I worked out of the Ontario, CA. service center, wasn't exactly "dumpy"..And I started at the one off Washington Blvd. years ago. Wasn't too terrible..sometimes you have to go to where the jobs are/were. And some people can see the big picture and others want it all now. I threw my share of packages, loaded trucks, hauled airfreight and just did what I was asked to do and put in my time. In the end, it worked out for me..Seniority can be both a good and bad thing. Getting it is great, but climbing that ladder can be tedious. On the other hand, it enabled me to have a life and a home life, and I have no regrets..And for me it's not the old "OTR vs. LTL debate"..Driving has never been a "lifestyle choice" for me, just a means to an end and a way to keep the lights on..Long ago I decided that if this is what I was going to do that I wanted the biggest bang for my buck and my time spent away from home and Brown, for all it's issues, enabled me to do that..

 

As I said, all fine and dandy if you prefer to have a normal type of life like that, but I was always a bit on the "anti-social" side when it came to trying to start relationships and getting involved with the neighborhood and such.
As for actually trying to get a packing job, I would do it if there wasn't such a long waiting list as I've been told by people I know that work there(UPS), but in the end, I'm a pretty much a loner.

What works for some will be too hard to swallow for others.

And, in case you haven't read any of my other posts, CA is getting a little too mundane for me.
And I'm not even old, on the exterior anyway.

 

Amen, brother!
Heck, you should see all these sub-haulers they're using now.
Three out of five drivers I see can hardly speak any english.
They work for next to nothing and happy as a lark to do so.

From what I've seen over the last decade this industry is going to hell on a handcart.
It just don't pay to be out there anymore.
I got about 10 years left, and then it's 18 wheels and a dozen roses for me.
I'll have enough piled up in the kitty to be sittin' pretty.
And that's the bottom line as far as I'm concerned...

 

And, in case you haven't read any of my other posts, CA is getting a little too mundane for me.
And I'm not even old, on the exterior anyway.

Yes, that's true. I have read your feelings on the current state of California and I agree that the state is no longer worth the hassle of living there..I believe Bentsrider, that you live in my old neck of the woods, the High Desert ??? If I'm wrong, I stand corrected, but that's probably not a good place to be right now. I still lease out my old house from my "previous life" in Hesperia and have to travel there a couple times a year. 20% unemployment and couldn't even GIVE that house away if I wanted to because of all the foreclosures..And to add, all those "lovely" HD trucking companies that don't want to pay anything "because it's cheaper up here".....sure..

 

Its sad to see where trucking has gone. Hopefully with this CSA 2010 coming out it will put a premium on quality drivers.

People complain about paying dues and working up the seniority list but then they go work for $0.23 a mile.
What they should complain about is making freaking $0.23 a mile or $11.70 an hour with his 52.5 hour week. Thats $11.70 an hour with no overtime calculated after 40. Calculate overtime and it's even worse. Its sickening isn't it? How can you feed a family on that?

Here is the decision.

On one hand you have a company that starts you out making less then you would like. But at this company you will have regular wage increases and numerous advancement opportunities. Plus you'll receive vacation pay, holiday pay, insurance and retirement. This company is also well respected throughout the industry and internationally.

On the other hand you have a company that is well known for the mistreatment of drivers and sup-par wages. You have no advancement opportunities minimal wage increases, usually they just starve you so they can get a rookie to take your spot and work for less. But at this job you will start out making $1.00 - $2.00 more per hour with no overtime paid, and you will work 52.5 hours a week. So add in the overtime and its only $0.50 -$1.00 more an hour. Thats if everything goes perfect with no delays.


The decision doesn't seem too hard to make, but that's just me. Some people think about the future and some think more about short term. I guess as long as one is born every minute they should have no trouble filling a seat for $0.23 a mile.

I could go on all day writing about what is wrong with this thread and the industry.. wait this thread is whats wrong with the industry lol. Maybe I will just make my own thread and just put in the subject "Whats Wrong With The Trucking Industry?" and the first post will just be"$0.23 a mile and proud of it"

 

In Oklahoma,I drove for Ryder(Dollar General contract) in the mid 90s for .27 mile.

Haul Crude Oil in Ok,home every night,make $60-$80,000

$614 A week is a joke in Oklahoma.
If the guy is happy,more power to him and I hope it works out.

 

Yep, Hesperia it is.
Luckily I've been working and I don't have any family of my own to take care of, so I'm a little better off than some of the folks here.
To add to that, I only live out here due to my stepdad getting a teaching job out here in '87 and still having it to this day.

As far as the 20% unemployment goes, that's what you get when most of the jobs were tied directly into the main market that was going to crash.
Also with the lack of local employment as a whole, one could only commute to their job they had when "living down the hill" for so long.
The Cajon Pass will eventually shorten the lifespan of anything with an engine.

 

Boy...that is SO true....I climbed that damn thing so many years and wore out so many cars I can't count..It used to be somewhat of a mellow commute in the early 80's, but since LA flushed it's proverbial toilet and all the gang bangers moved to the HD in search of the Holy Grail of cheap housing, it has really changed and not for the better. My kids went to Sultana..Now, I commute over Donner Pass...Better hill. DO you drive a "red" truck with an "R" on it ?? Just curious...My old friend Jerry owns Double Eagle still.

 

It's a joke anywhere.