Question, Be Honest

[RatRace]

Came into trucking by chance, not choice - in 1985.
The economy is killing my company.
I have had 2 hourly reductions in the span of 4 months.
I'm down about a grand a month.
I have no choice but to stay in trucking - there isn't anything out there.
1,000 people applying for one position........
I'm just thankful to still be employed and not waiting on an unemployment check like so many millions and millions of others are.

Honest question looking for honest answer...........
So many of you have come into trucking since the collapse of the economy.
Which has drastically hurt seasoned drivers, Owner/Operators and Company drivers.
If the economy was to take a up swing and white and blue collar jobs or say your old one was offered to you, Would You Stay In Trucking?

Be honest with your answer............

 

[2lilboots]

Yea I thought so, YA'all old timers timers start a sentence with a insult, and finishing it with Bless his heart makes it all better right?

Hey I am not a southerner and I say Bless his/her heart. I don't use insults before it either. You are such a sweetie...Bless your heart!

 

[MarkWilde]

Driving was a desperation thing for me due to a bankrupt business I owned. Money was not near what was promised, but I am already looking for a change, as I am tired of being treated like crap by dispatchers, shipping and receiving clerks,etc. C'mon, I have 2 degrees, but really did love doin over the road, until economy went to hell and Co's realized you need them more than they need you, and started treating drivers as such.....

 

[panhandlepat]

i am F'd either way. new Co. policy is gonna make it really hard for me to get home (100 mile MAX DH) but there is not much work in HVAC (nor the desire to go rafter ratting) in my home 20.
my best option is to buy a truck, which i AM going to look intp when i FINALLY make it home.
i sat all damn weekend 170 miles from the house because of this corporate bullshit. cant take much more!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Roadmedic]

What are you looking at for a truck?

 

[panhandlepat]

not sure yet, i WANT a "cool" truck. but cool trucks dont pay tha bills.
i'm liking the w9's but common sense is telling me to get a century. it will probably depend on what i can arrange, rather than what i WANT

 

[Roadmedic]

I was just wondering.

I owned a 2000 Freightliner Classic that I bought new in 2000. It was okay, but I was working to pay the payment. Something to watch out for.

 

[luapwife]

This is Luap again on wifes account. I think this question was originally directed at someone just like me. So I will answer it. I actually got my social security disclaimer thing sometime in the last month. It really mad me look deep into what I am doing here. My yearly incomes have steadily increased over the years since I started working, until last year. I made almost 54k in 2007 and only 27k in 08. this year looks to be even worse. It is saddening to realize that I will be stuck with these types of paychecks for years to come now. My field, what I did, will not be comming back any time soon...in fact it will probably be one of the last areas to recover from this mess.
Plusse even if it did recover next month I just really doubt myself every time I think about going back into it. I think I have maybe had enough of it. Honestly the way trucking is these days it is about the same sort of coorporate environment as where I worked before so I am used to it. Really what pisses me off the most is the idea of working for other people to get rich. I invested a lot of time and money into this particular career change. In my position it was a rather rash descision but it is one I made and intend to stick with at least until the investment is paid off. I hope to be able to work towards getting with better employers, better routes and better pay and home time in the months and years to come and maybe one day this will prove to be the key to me working for me and my family instead of making someone else rich.

 

[Blakowt13]

i am F'd either way. new Co. policy is gonna make it really hard for me to get home (100 mile MAX DH) but there is not much work in HVAC (nor the desire to go rafter ratting) in my home 20.
my best option is to buy a truck, which i AM going to look intp when i FINALLY make it home.
i sat all damn weekend 170 miles from the house because of this corporate bullshit. cant take much more!!!!!!!!!!!

I've worked at companies where there were limitations on Dead Head miles yet I also told these folk in Orientations that were I within 200 miles of the house and had to possibly sit for a few days that I WILL GO HOME.
The last full time company I worked at, I paid for the fuel at regular price to go from Tucson, AZ. to southern California and it wasn't that big of a deal.
IF I EVER again go OTR I'll again make such very clear so there's no shock when I do dead head home if within a 200 or so mile radius and no load available.

The other way to go home is run the 100 mile dead head then pay for the balance.
@ 5 mpg divided into (say 70) = $14.00, so a 20 spot is enough.
THAT'S a lot cheaper than sitting and idling and realistically not moving until Tuesday.

 

[panhandlepat]

blackowt, i offered to PAY for the fuel too!!!!
my truck gets 8.5 MPG MT

 

[Dayripper]

Not the ones that I have seen...............:rubeyes:

yea but im good lookin

 

[RatRace]

First thank-you for the honest answer.
If you do the math, not on what a company tells you but more so in real time you will find that you make less then minium wage.
Then you have to add in the cost of living, eating ect on the road.

You don't get paid less than minimum wage if you happen to have a trucking job that is paid by the hour......

 

[RickG]

You don't get paid less than minimum wage if you happen to have a trucking job that is paid by the hour......

Or by percentage for the right company . I am paid $.50 a mile for all miles plus detention time on my dedicated Canada runs . Last week I also got $25 for passing a 30 minute Level 2 inspection in MI .

 

[RickG]

i am F'd either way. new Co. policy is gonna make it really hard for me to get home (100 mile MAX DH) but there is not much work in HVAC (nor the desire to go rafter ratting) in my home 20.
my best option is to buy a truck, which i AM going to look intp when i FINALLY make it home.
i sat all damn weekend 170 miles from the house because of this corporate bullshit. cant take much more!!!!!!!!!!!

Check for HVAC and other jobs here . USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site

 

[panhandlepat]

retired military have the gov. jobs sewed up in my area (eglin AFB) and many more for that matter.

 

[bigrobdog]

thats A big Hell NO NO copy that .

 

[TinMan]

Well I grew up in a trucking house hold my mom married 3 of them pluse I had a uncle that drove if you look at my record Im a noob.....But off the books Im a seasoned vet....Dont know were I would fall In eather catagory but......I know that I would stay.....Might as well god gave me a gift if it rolls well I can drive it so i figure why not use my one talent and stay with it...