The trucking companies still can’t seem to find enough Class-A Commercial Driver License (CDL) qualified drivers. Also, if you believe the media and industry representatives, the worst of the trucker shortage still lies ahead and it’s tied to one of the things that long-distance truck driver hate most; the excessive wait times that they experience on a daily basis.
Truck Driver Shortage
Changes in our culture and the expectations of young people entering the jobs market rank highly among the causes for the growing shortage of drivers. Even though this is bad for everybody from trucking companies to consumers, the shortage of professional drivers shows no sign of going away.
The statistics show that there will be a shortage of 50,000 in the United States in the next few years. In Canada, the situation is perhaps worse, a shortfall of 33,000 truckers in a smaller industry. As senior drivers in both countries retire, young CDL candidates aren’t replacing them at rates that keep up.
If you’re a trucker now or thinking about a future life on the road, a shortage of drivers may not be such a bad thing for you. The law of supply and demand means that the higher the demand, the more you can profit from the service you supply.
Wait-Times Kill Driver Income
Like any career, trucking and the transportation industry have good points and bad. Driving a truck long distances over the road, and being away from home for days at a time, isn’t for everyone.
You face stringent state and Federal rules that limit the number of hours you can drive in any given period of time. Since you’ll probably earn your living by the mile as a trucker, every minute on the clock where you’re not moving is income that is lost for good.
Additionally, the new requirement for electronic logging devices (ELDs) turns up the heat. Delays are frustrating, and the new ELD mandate is likely to mean longer wait times.
How to Avoid Wait Times
The idle time comes when drivers are waiting to drop off or pick up loads. It’s a painful burden when you’re paid by the mile, and that’s why it’s killing retention for trucking companies and driving costs up for customers.
Long wait times occur in specific situations, and they’re being made worse by the requirements of the ELD mandate. The whole logistics industry is under pressure to stay within the new rules.
The shortage is an opportunity for ambitious drivers and candidates, and you can use this to your advantage. You do have to pick and choose the job you sign up for and follow through with your assignments. It’s never good to just quit and hope to get hired again somewhere else. When you decide to move on, take action while you’re still working.
Look for jobs where the company controls loading, unloading, and books freight in advance. Full loads where you hook up and drop off single-cargo trailer loads will have better turn around times than LTL shippers where the depot managers struggle to fill your trailer before you roll.
Intermodal ports where giant ships load and unload thousands of containers at a time can be particularly congested. As your time in the industry and on the road grows, you’ll learn what to avoid and hear about opportunities that work out better for drivers like you.
Active Career Development
Fortunately, as a Class-A qualified driver, you are in a position to pick and choose what company you work for and what you’re willing to do. This strength doesn’t mean you can turn up at a depot and name your terms. What it does mean is that your CDL is more valuable than ever.
Once you have your Class-A license and you’ve cleared any contractual obligations to work off tuition fees, the road is yours. Be flexible and patient in your responses to frustrating situations and look ahead to the next opportunity.
As a new driver, you might have to compromise to get the training and experience so you can advance your career. With even a few months on the road that will change because it will bring you into contact with company recruiters who are attracted by your experience.
You Are Your Own Best Recruiter
Even though, as a trucker you get paid by the mile, the industry measures your experience by your months and years in the cab. Recruiters for trucking companies are always looking for experienced drivers.
However, you can’t assume that the promises they make will reflect the actual work environment of their employer. Don’t accept the word of recruiters at face value. The best way to avoid jobs with long wait-times and any other obstacles that drag down your income is to make informed decisions.
Talk to present and past employees directly, if you can. Check out trucker forums online and read reviews on sites like Glassdoor.com where you’re likely to get unfiltered opinions about employers.
Assert Your Independence and Build Your Resume
If you take the time to look for better truck driving opportunities, you’ll find them. Make the best of each job you choose and then move on when it suits you, adding certifications and endorsements as you go. As your career develops, you’ll be more valuable at each step along the way.
In the long-term, the way to fix the shortage is probably just to pay drivers for all of the work they do.
Wages and pay structures will have to change to attract more drivers eventually. Paying for time spent in congested traffic and waiting to load will remove a significant reason that truckers get frustrated and change careers. In the meantime, you can take the initiative and find the best possible role to suit your lifestyle and personality.
Trucking companies are actively seeking experienced drivers. Take the best job you can find now and then move on again when it suits you. By putting in the hours on the road, whether you’re clocking up miles or waiting to drop your trailer, you’re adding the experience that will build the truck-driving career that’s right for you.
- The shortage of drivers continues
- Regulations and the ELD mandate pile on the wait times
- The demand for drivers gives you options
- Be proactive and research your next career move carefully
- Experience and endorsements will bring the best trucking jobs to you
What do you like least about being a trucker? Share in the comments.
Will be no driver shortage after covid 19, more like a glut
There’s no shortage on drivers a lot of companies just have their standards set to high as to what they’re looking for there are plenty of us out here. But all we hear is you gotta have this you can have that. And on the same note to those companies out there you cant force anyone to stay out for weeks at a time,how many good drivers you plan on keeping?
Hey fellow Drivers.
There’s a simple fact and it holds all the answers to this persistent Driver question. It is;
RIVERS ARE PAID IN LINE HAUL PERCENTAGE AND MILES….. BUT REGULATED IN HOURS. Period
Pay drivers in hours!
PROBLEMS OVER!
That’s the most logical idea. Or just give the driver the option to be either paid by the hr or mile.
Trucking rates will always go up trucker pay will always go down or stay flat until we unionize.
Absolutely!!!!
Detention, who goes to work and give the first two hrs free? Why should a driver?
The industry pays less now than it did when I first started 17 years ago. What’s the incentive for new drivers or even seasoned ones? None. Most average jobs pay what a trucker makes and have less regulations to worry about. We have the most dangerous career and little to no thanks from everyone. True colors show in a time like now from shipper/receivers. You don’t hear of a trucker spreading germs like you hear a employee on the inside spreading it. Funny how society only appreciates us when we hold the reigns on literally everything.
I hate that all the pressure is put on the driver. Federally they should change the law so they have to pay the driver by the hour. Pay the driver for every hour we are on duty whether driving or not driving. D.O.T. mandates pretrip and post trip inspections but we are not paid for that time. We are forced to be on duty not driving moving trailers around at shippers and receivers. The system is rigged against the driver and small owner ops are being pushed out with all of the regulations.
That doesn’t work for the owner operator…
I been at it for 33 yrs.
Ps. No wining!
Owner operators , you can pay yourself however you like
Worst thing about being a commercial driver is the friggin government period .. more more rules regulations are not doing anything for the good of the industry. I’m so sick an tired of being married to this cdl every single minute of my life .. my track record for the last 35 years nothing to tell.
1 To much government regulation that doesn’t help.
2 To much uncompensated time. (Pay by mile instead if hour)
3. Disrespect from shippers, receivers, dispatchers, law enforcement and especially brokers.
4. Impact on family, friends and health.
5. Being ripped off by truck stops.
I’m a musician from way back. Ive lived on vehicles over 40 ft the better part of my life. Driven charter buses. Started driving trucks 24 yrs ago. Boy how things have changed. It was fun at first,but now it’s a job. I’ve pulled pups, oversize, dry bans and have been pulling reefer about 4 yrs now. I think I’ve passed the fun stage now with this new eld garbage. This will.be the end for me as soon as I can find a different type of job. I’m tired of stupid 4 wheelers acting like they have the right to do anything they want. I’m sick of no experienced dispatchers telling me what my job is. Tired of being out 2-3 wks at a time to make the pay work and then feeling like crap on my days off. My advice to anyone thinking about getting into a truck is stop and think. There are no perfect jobs and no perfect companies. 10 minutes after you sign with a company, you’ll know that you’ve lost your freakin mind. If you do go to driving, ask yourself what the bottom line is for how
much bs your willing to take. That’s about the only way to pick a company because you are gonna endure bs from day 1. Be ready for long days and nights and all the crap in between. Find somebody you can talk to from home so you can have some sort of stability and a connection to the house. That’s always important. I hate the word professional driver. I did not have dreams of growing up and becoming a truck driver. Quite the opposite. Professional musician, yes. Trucking was a job I fell into out of necessity. To all my fellow truckers out there, keep ur head up and keep it between the white lines.
The industry hasn’t had a raise in 40 years. If you’re thinking this will be a fun life it is not. You will be replaced by autonomy in 5 to 10 years and thrown out like garbage. there is only a shortage because the industry created the shortage exploiting drivers. Don’t let them make you believe anything else.
Some companies have an assets surplus, to many trucks, but there is no driver shortage. If there were rates would be up and companies wouldn’t be going under.
The part I hate most about being a trucker, the disrespect. We are treated like less than the dirt underneath manure in a feed lot. Everyone lies to us. Were asked for a million “favors”, and if you don’t do it your starved for miles. Everyone thinks they own us. If you’re early you’re turned away. If your on time you wait. If you’re late you wait even longer. People don’t want to pay us for our time they waste. I could fill up the internet with the disrespect we are shown. They think they own us and we are machines to be turned off at their pleasure. It’s why most of us are sick, sore, and die early.
26+ year driver
CENTRAL OREGON TRUCK COMPANY ONE OF THE BEST COMPANIES IN AMERICA!
I Started driving in the 90’s for PST(4 yrs) out of SLC UT, Us xpress Bought Them out stayed with them for 7 years, Went to Werner Ent. For a 1Year (electronic logs’s yuck) Finished With 9 years at TLI out if Russellville Arkansas.Never Really made GOOD Money just squeaked by.Im from SO. California I switched Reals I currently drive a 2018 Prevost Charter Bus to Phoenix Az, Las Vegas,San Francisco CA I have a Motel Card all the Hours I need to make a Decent living.I Really enjoy it and the life style.But I owe my discipline and Skills to my Trucking Experience.
I’m getting sick of saying this, there is no driver shortage, there is a driver retention problem. These mega carriers have multiple orientations, in multiple locations through out the country. Hundreds of drivers on Monday, that all need to be replaced by Friday. There seems to be enough drivers to fill orientation, but not enough to deliver the freight.
Been driving for 40 + years of all kinds of freight its all the same nobody tells the truth it is not going to better until the drivers control the trucking industry
So right they run you to death and cheat you every chance they get
I started driving in 1976 and went through a couple so called nation wide truck strikes which got us deregulation. After that happened our wages went down and have stayed stagnant ever since. A nation wide truck strike is what is needed again to get rid of the ELD’s and get rid of being paid by the mile. Every driver should be paid hourly. We also need to demand that the government build more rest areas for trucks. The problem with past strikes was getting union and none union drivers to stand together and also the owner Operators. I don’t think that would be as difficult now as it was back then since we all have to put up with the same crap. A total shut down for 7 to 10 days would bring this country to it’s knee’s and the government would have no choice but to deal with us! Also the general public would realize that without truck drivers their way of life comes to a screeching halt. Who knows we might even regain a little respect from them.
It wouldn’t take 7 to 10 days . A full 72 hours would empty every store shelf in existence. When news got out we were on strike, hoarding would do the rest to strangle the country. Look what covid 19 did. Hell stores are still 1/2 empty, and have been for 4 or 5 weeks now.
The ELD Device is a DeFacto ankle bracelet for hard working law abiding citizens.
Today’s truck drivers are a bunch of crying babies worst than zombies when it comes to fighting for their rights.
We cannot even organize a peaceful Nationwide shut down for 3 days. What a bunch of idiots we are, for we also allow brokers with only a telefon and a fax machine to dictate our rates.
I Started Driving in the 90’s for PST(4 yrs) out of SLC UT, US Xpress Bought Them out stayed with them for 7 years, Went to Werner Ent. For a 1Year (electronic logs’s yuck) Finished With 9 years at TLI out of Russellville Arkansas.Never Really made GOOD Money just Squeaked by.Im from SO. California I Switched Reals I Currently drive a 2018 Prevost Charter Bus to Phoenix Az, Las Vegas NV,San Francisco CA I Have a Motel Card all the Hours I need to make a Decent living (when I’m in Vegas I get Comped).I Really enjoy it and the life style.But I owe my discipline and Skills to my Trucking Experience.
Your Absolutely right you can can’t get drivers to agree on what day it is.
I advise the young guys that approach me all the time and inquire about trucking to go work at Mcdonalds….you’ll be happier.Been at this now for almost 25 years and next year will be my last!!The new ELD rules alone have turned a once proud industry into feeling like caged animals.TO ALL YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING INTO THIS INDUSTRY:BIG BIG MISTAKE!!
Does it pay to just get a dump truck or local job ? Im 58 a licensed plumber third generation . I have my permit and dot card but didn’t pass dmv , time invested hate to throw the towel in yet ,any suggestions?
I really feel bad for you guys ive been driving little over 10 years and never made less the 65k-75k there are shitty companies but if you do your research there are good American ran family orientated companies like the one im with now im a salaried driver 1650 a week same check every week home every Friday leave Sunday night nee trucks..my point is therr are great jobs its the forgners working for 20 cents a mile and make it bad for everyone they drive down wages cause the pack 3 guys in one truck..good luck hope people do research not believe the hype make 80 cents a mile for nee drivers and if ya call and u cant understand them dont take a job theyll rip ya off and lie about everything god bless America and its born bread truckers..
Robert. Do you mind sharing the name of the company you work for here on this thread? I’m OTR and looking to do a regional route in order to get to church. I’ll have 3 years in JulY and clean MVR. Thanks in advance.
Hi. Not sure if you’re interested in hauling trash to the landfill but that’s what I have been doing and they pay between $60000 – $100,000+ home daily. Job security because there’s always going to be trash. Or Coca cola in Illinois is home daily starting at $76,000.
Totally agree I dont advise trucking for anyone
Trucks move america if trucks dont move america stops remember that i lived through the truck strikes of the 70s and still went into trucking as career park your trucks and quit turning tires for 10 cents a mile or it wont end and you still will not get respect maybe the next time your congressman or senator needs a latte from the coffee shop and his shit is siitin in a rest area because of shit pay maybe he will listen. This is america land of the free because of the brave and the dedicated trucker
I work for a company on percentage of load. Rates are currently very low so the paychecks are smaller compared to last year when things were “booming” it was great! This industry has ups and downs, you either roll with it or find s different career.
Drove truck 44 years I can sum it up quickly .Find something else to do. It’s a dog life .Hardest workers in this country who are way underpaid!!!!!!!. Listen to these other drivers ,that also know the whole industry is bullshit
Been doing this 47 years. When the company owners realize they are getting away with robbery on otr drivers, maybe things will get better. We get paid by the mile. The truth stops at the shipper/reciever. We are now on duty without getting paid to check in, drive to the dock, open doors, check in with the manager, check in with lumper service. Call dispatch, get com check. Wait hours to load, unload, check out, sweep trailer. Wait at security. Then out. ALL For 0 DOllARS. Boy are we dumbasses!!?? Oh ya. We fuel for nothing too.
The industry shippers and receivers company.are looking for truckers who are rookies schools of lies. Had old class D 1971 what a glorious time grandfathered Class A in 1989 the industry went to s***
The problems are as follows…
1. Drivers are paid by the mile instead of by the hour! Equivalent to fool the truckers into believing that government is the problem by failed Libertarian/ideologies/Slave unprotected wages! Tell me one libertarian state they has succeeded
2. Drivers that drive over the road are under paid and should be paid at least $100,000 take home since pay has stagnated for the last 35-40 years!
3. What is home time?
4. Thanks Ronald Reagan you were quite successfully made the rich get richer and the dead get deader, trust me the public has paid with the lost of life for those 35-40 years too!
Drivers want to unite but without forming a more perfect UNION and it can’t be done!
5. Shippers write their own rules for detention pay.
(And don’t get me started about lack of restrooms and or safety from thugs because each state has its own corrupt laws regarding the carrying of firearms!)
6. Too many rich mega company owners make the rules by way of bribing members of Congress and or by placing their own people in key places within the DOT without real listening sessions from real drivers.
I just can’t wait to see the day when one of those two above mentioned will see the day when their game catches up with em either by way of cash (Follow the money and put somebody in jail) or some driver runs over one of their own or one of them personally! Karma’s a B***h!
Y’all think long and hard about what I posted and or do ya own homework you’ll quickly find out that I’m telling the truth!
The low pay plus the miles the trucking co’ still from us every load is shamefull. If you pay good without all the lies call me. Ill be there in 5 days.PS. practicl miles is the robbery.
About the only trucking job that works in today’s enviromemt, at least for yours truly, is a predictable dedicated route. Running general frieght is unpridictable and leads to the income killing wait times that exist almost everywhere.
Shippers and receivers must have their feet held to a fire to ensure trucks are quickly loaded and unloaded. If they
can not do it in 60 minutes then the driver should be paid $25 for every hour after the first one. No ifs, ands or buts!
The biggest joke to ever hit us was the cdl. What happened to read write and speak English. I have been out here coming on 43 years. The rudest drivers out here are normally the imported ones. They speed and drive dangerously and with no care for anyone. The kiddos out here and there Damm cell phones stay the hell off of them and pay attention to what you are doing. It is and 80000 pound leathl weapon you are driving. Ya the wait times at docks suck if you don’t get paid for it go off duty. You only have to stay on duty if you are getting paid. Remember American dies if we don’t do our job if rest of you drivers would see that we could band up and change things. THINK ABOUT THAT OVER YOU CUP OF COFFEE.
This makes so much sense in so many different ways!!
Going “off duty” means nothing within the context of the 14 hour daily maximum.
There are no 8 hour days in trucking. No normal sleep patterns, no place to park without being harassed, constant inspections by disrespectful cmv inspectors, disrespected by businesses who act like they are doing you a favor by unloading their freight,unhealthy life style,away from family but most of all low pay. There would be no shortage if pay was increased. The highest pay trucking jobs don’t have high turnover. After driving all types of commercial vehicles for 40 years I finally retired. Won’t miss it one bit.
I recently had a dedicated route with my drop/hook trls, the shipper had one dock for live load-unload. It was a hard route on timing if you didn’t speed or hit Weather/traffic, 555mi/day driving (paid 532mi).
They had trouble with keeping their dock workers, plus drivers who could not back trls very well, and then the state OSHA set all forklifts to 5mph, giving FCFS long wait times. Even the other drivers in my company had poor backing skills. At times, I got out to spot others so I could drop/hook my trls.
Backing skills are not being taught, Safety depts managers are discouraging blindsided backing. Once had a Safety dude watch me blindsided park a trl, told me “Good job, do not want to see it again. ”
I started out in a 2003 Classic, you learned blindsided every thing.
Your so right..we should stop our trucks for a full day and see if it will knock some sense into the low paying companies..I just quit my company havent gotten paid in weeks and you ask about your pay and I got treated like I was asking to get a raise or something else ..I just want to get paid for what I worked …and the worse part the mess with your elogs to keep you rolling even when you havent rested…so is it worth it ?? Cant find a reason to continue…its upsetting…you go through hell just to get the CDL A and the pay isnt there like they promised…
13 years of experience truck driver some over the road some local.Dont drive over the road it’s not worth it ,no money no life, stay only local.
To make decent money, you have to work a ridiculous amount of hours. Go into any business and tell them they are going to work 70 hours a week. That they will be working 14 hour days. And no overtime. If you have to go to the restroom, you’re going to have to find a place where you can park 70’ of truck. Most of your meals will be eaten while you work. Oh, and you’ll be sleeping in your car for a couple of weeks at a time. But this is okay, because you’re just a dumb trucker.
I was that over the road driver for 14 years…I quit that life and . I was asked by a local farmer if I would drive his hopper bottom grain truck.that was 7 years ago.He pays $18 an hour from the time I start the truck in the AM till I stop the truck in the PM..A good way to make a living!!
Congrats. I do jockey. In. N. J. At. 22 an 9. A day. 1 hr lunch home by 310. Pm. Love it. No. Dot. No scales no. Traffic. No. Cops.
Send information..what kinda job it is maybe I can find something similar over here..
My son wants to get out of tow truck driving and he’s 51 years old and wanted to go to Suburban to take a three or four week course in CDL driving and then go to another chalking company and work them and they were supposed to pay his tuition and he was under the impression that he would be making a lot of money all kinds of money every week he have when you have to work as hard as driving the tow truck and then he could see the world I just want somebody to send a message so I can show it to my son about what you talking about
I got my cdl from a company who trained you. I had to give them 120,000 miles to pay off the tuition. My checks were garbage. Once they had me they put me out on the road for 30 days. Home for 4. And would give me these 300 mile dispatches that amounted to nothing. Tell your son to check out the company he starts with. Ask drivers who went through there course before he signs the bottom line.
If there was a real driver shortage then drivers would be shown respect and be paid a decent wage . The one thing that will never change is SUPPLY AND DEMAND if there really were a driver shortage the pay would go up because of demand.
There is no such thing as a professional truck driver . Professional people get paid a respectable wage and are treated with respect.
Tell your son to stay in towing. You’ll be lucky to make $25k the first year and maybe after a few years $40k and you’ll work 315 days out of the year doing that.
Been out here 18 yrs and trust me it’s not worth it. OTR is the worst way to go. The pay sucks and you’ll go broke faster than you know.
Also tell him he’ll just be a number and get replaced by another number and that’s exactly what they want.
I was a driver for over 20 years, I started shortly after my 21st birthday (on a local beer route, that’s why I wasn’t required to be 23) and have just recently decided to re-educate myself in a new career field because he changes in the trucking industry over the last several years have all been bad for the driver, they claim to have such horrible shortages yet continue to pass laws and allow companys to tie the hands (and wallets) of us drivers to the point it no longer is worth the days or weeks away from loved ones, missing Holidays (mostly without an extra dime on our checks) Birthdays, and many other special occasions that are what life is all about. Unless someone is single and enjoys being alone and constant solitude there are FAR better not to mention much safer ways to earn the same kind of money you learn on the road now, back in the late 90s when I got my CDL that was not the case as the wages for driving a truck car higher then most other jobs many of which required a four-year degree if not longer. So you started your career owing huge student loans, I chose this career field so I could start earning good money without having to go into huge amounts of student debt, but now with the average driver’s salary falling to under 50,000 a year it just isn’t worth it anymore and yes there are companies that averaged a little higher annual income but I have learned then I would rather see my kids grow up then have an extra few thousand dollars at the end of the year on my tax statement because that extra few thousand will be spent by being forced to live on the road rather than at home and the added expenses that go along with it.
Truckers are the only one’s that can ever imagine what it’s like out here. Because anybody that makes decent money higher up, doesn’t and won’t take the time to listen. I have that problem at my job and several other drivers tell me the same about their Jobs with their companies. So it’s about time someone that misses all the activities at home (weddings, funerals, school activities, neighborhood parties, birthdays of kids relatives friends, etc.) Get paid in excess of $150,000 a year.
Any leading job performers would be paid in excess of 1/2 million dollars a year let us drivers make something for missing all activities.
We are mistreated cause we’re dumb. I see drivers proudly displaying their $25 brooms on their trucks to sweep trailers that we aren’t paid to do, I’ve tried to push back but everyone else capitulates so I’m forced to borrow some morons broom to sweep the company’s trailer
There are so many truck driving jobs out there that pay you for every minute your in that truck or out of it. If your willing to work for a company for free why shouldn’t they take advantage of that? I’ve been doing this for 40 years and there’s always been drivers willing to work for free. It ain’t gonna change now. I work 5 nights a week. I’m home every day, don’t work weekends or holidays. I get paid whether the truck is moving or not. I’ll make at least $125k this year plus a stack of great benefits.
Hi. I am just starting. What company are you working for? Thanks for the only POSITIVE response throughout this forum…KIM
Who do you work for?
Yeah sure you do
Sorry to inform you that you have already reached your upper limit in pay. it’s never going to go up. you think you’re doing great just cuz you’re making that 65 to 70 k that ain’t shitt
I’ve been driving since 1995 and my pay doesn’t go anywhere but down my father-in-law made more money 30 years ago and I’ll ever make a life that he made for himself. he had a union he’s retired and set for life
UNIONIZE to improve your life!
Can’t use the bathroom at the customers location. That is going on everywhere.
Could you explain a bit further to me please
Simple, some customers do not allow drivers to use thier restrooms so its either hold it for 4 hours or more while they take their time unloading you or piss in a bottle.
As a veteran truck driver with over 26 yrs experience, it seems that the only thing that’s changed is the e-logs.
I’ve been out of the industry for over five years, but I’ve been following along by way of the news/internet. Nothing has changed. Nothing.
I got lucky one night, and caught the girl who was in charge of dedicated assignments, at a bar, fooling around on her husband, who was also a driver. Earlier that week, I applied for a coveted dedicated assignment, and was told there was a six month to a year waiting list.
After seeing this young lady at the bar with a man that wasn’t her husband, clearly stepping out on him, she winked at me, then went on with her business. The next day, I got a phone call from her, offering me the job of my choice. I took the one I wanted, but was soon transferred from Memphis to Long Island. It took me two years to get back to Memphis.
Just goes to show you that no matter what, they let you know who exactly is in charge of your paycheck.
That company is no longer in existence, but it was a good company to work for, as long as you took everything they threw at you. I can’t complain about the money, that’s for sure, but if I were to get back in the game, I’d have to live on the truck, as I’m too old to play games.
I’ve been inquiring around about dedicated accounts, and they all say I have to start over with a trainer for six to eight weeks, then put in another year or so as a solo driver. I have a perfect record, with a past history as a trainer. It sounds to me like they just want to take advantage of me, like I’m a rookie.
Maybe it’s best that I stay retired. I miss it. But do I miss it bad enough to start all over again? Not at today’s wages and regulations. It’s too bad nothing has changed.
I started in 1983 in the oil fields driving up and down mountains and backing up on 300 yrd piers in the dark to get unloaded got laid off .
First time trying to get otr job was told i didnt have enough experience i just laughed at the saftey dir.
Fast forward ive been working in the construction industry the last 14 years as a mechanic working on trucks and filling in as a driver when needed. Just applied to a different co 8-29-2019 i was told i didn’t have enough recent experience by the companies insurance go figure no accidents or load claims ever
When I drove, companies would tell you your making 80000 a year, but that wasn’t what you were being paid, that’s how much the total sum of insurance and minimal benefits along with your meager pay was worth. Companies need to wake up and pay the person behind the wheel for hours at a time what they are truly worth. Your dispatcher shouldn’t have control over your weekly paycheck based off of if he or she likes you or not or is having a bad week themselves. That’s total BS. Everything works against the driver. They are often seen as “smokey and the bandit” yahoos that are ignorant and run people off the roads, and thanks to hollywood and the media, the driver constantly gets a bad rapport. Who the hell wants to be told your only worth 45k a year, and it is often when a driver recruits another driver to their company, the company finds a way to screw that driver out of their recruiting bonus. All companies are the same, no appreciation for the ones keeping they’re asses in business.
Hate to be a downer, but theirs a lot of folks out there that dont or cant work, be damn proud you can and do! Huh!
Huh! Lot’s of folks out there that smoke dope, live of your taxes, and absolutely refuse to work and they make more than most truckers. Huh! Keep that useless comment to yourself next time. Huh!
I’ve been a truck driver for 22 years doing a variety of different jobs from yard jockey, city bus driver, shuttle, drayage, otr, company driver and o/o. The thing I hate most is the companies that treat driver’s badly from pay to just like, we are to do what they say or get treated like crap! The companies rip off the driver’s so they can get more trucks, make quarterly quotas so they look good on paper but there’s no shortage. The companies want the public to believe that because they are leaving out the fact that they mistreat driver’s and rip off their pay is why young driver’s aren’t interested in becoming truck driver’s. Come ask us old school driver’s we know what’s up and what’s really going on out here. You will get different answers depending on the drivers but the companies are the biggest reason why it’s not lucrative to young driver’s to replace us older driver’s for the future. 💯
I greatly appreciate your comment, because I am also going from professional to owning for my son to drive by the years end. He will be a new driver. Praying for better conditions by then.
Dispatchers!!! There the whole key.. most if not all have never driven a truck and they have the power to give you miles or not!! I’ve been driving since 2005 and have not found good dispatchers anywhere… I have over 1 million miles accident free. Coming from some who has done this for a long time I would suggest that NO ONE becomes a driver until this industry changes!! Owners of the company’s!! DOT and shippers and receivers realize that this country doesn’t work without Us!! Untill we get paid like everyone else in this country by the hour . Detention. Waiting for loading and unloading!! What we deserve.. and EARN..I’d like to see the average person run a big truck logs tripplan figure out fuel stops take your breaks and still get to appts ontime a SAFE!!! OH and allso be away from home for weeks at a time!!! And you wonder why this industry is short of drivers… allso there are no 18 year olds that could do this like the Gov is talking about alowing!!! Once again it’s big business and politicians who think they know what to do!!! For once in there lifes listen to the little man who works for a living!!!! Thank you for your time.. even though I’m sure no one will LISTEN to me!!!! Dave Johnson 😊
Thank you for your words of truth Dave. I am listening.
If that wasn’t enough problems working for free for company’s that decide if you can make a living or starve you out or do things to mess up your settlement
All of U R right companies force U 2 drive ridiculous hrs sometimes in unsafe equipment not paying U honest pay then if U complaint punish U unfair labor laws don’t protect us so what can U do and we can’t get 5 of us 2 agree not 2 agree and really insurance companies control who works and who doesn’t ha ha ha the jokes on us
My husband is a truck driver. He drove trucks in the military also. Got out military, started driving or. Drove for some bad companies and some really good ones. Now he is with a company that treats him very well. Drop and hook. He is on a dedicated route. Gets paid as long as he is ready to go. He will retire from here. It’s what you make it.
There always has been plenty of drivers, just not enough to put-up with the bullshit.
People are wiseing up about trucking, all the rules are against us.
There was nothing wrong with paper log-books, the cops were jusy too lazy to add things up, now the eld does all the work, enforfcements a breeze.
Really what has changed for the driver, certainly not the pay.
It seems the people in the bubble are the only ones with rising expenses.
Everyone complaines, few listen to commonsense, look at washington.
Our leader can’t even tell the truth, how can anyone be expected to be honest, your alone, think about it.
Gun rights, are certainly more important than say……wages, healthcare.
Vote wisely, think of your family, community, our country
Right on Brother,I Have Been OTR For 40 Yrs This Fall and it is Only Getting Worse For The Driver. PAY IS ABSOLUTE SHIT, For all We Do and Put up With. THANK YOU MUCH
It’s not the president!! Really!!!
All the bs with gun control and illegals from both sides is a distraction. Just build the wall, enforce the law and respect the Constitution.
If they focused on actual problems that face actual Americans, we could be living in the tax bracket we’re supposed to be.
Trump 2020
Gun rights are more important than health care or wages because it’s a God given right enumerated by the constitution which restricts the Govt from from interfering with that right. The other 2 aren’t rights constitutionally or otherwise. God never said you would be healthy or successful but he did say you can defend yourself.
I don’t believe that I have ever read in my Bible that GOD gives anyone the right to bear arms. I myself believe in the constitutional right to bear arms and I do. Thanks Forefathers. I also thank God that I’m American.
Trucking is what you make of it! In trucking and in life you are the CEO of your life,make changes,hire fire and do whatever makes you happy I have always wore short pants ,t shirts and Vans tennis shoes
I have worked for some real crappy companies but I have also worked for some great ones. I now drive teams with my wife ,we have been together fifteen years. We honestly wouldn’t do this job without the other. It just isn’t what it used to be ,but IT IS WHAT WE CHOOSE TO DO ,WE LOVE THE ROAD AND WE LOVE OUR JOB. WE ARE AMERICAN TRUCKERS AND WE ARE PROUD OF THE JOB WE DO. WE ARE PROUD TO BE TRUCK DRIVERS.
Thank you for a positive comment that is so needed. I am starting a small freight business with my son as a team driver planned by the end of the year. I was nervous, but you helped kill that. I now look forward to getting all my licenses and buying our truck.
Thank you,
A-AL& Mgmt, LLC
Woo 215-856,
The USDOT needs to implement information and questions pertaining to how to operate/what to do around Big trucks on test exams and licensing class C drivers.
I’ve been on the road with my husband for 20 yrs and he’s been about 43 yrs. When I started with him, I enjoyed it. You were your own boss. And as long you did your job got delivered on time. That was good. Got on CB and talk to other drivers. Drivers would help each other out. But now its hurry up get load delivered doesn’t matter if tired or sick. It’s just changed so much. It’s like working another job. And telling you what to do or having camera watching you. I’ll be glad to retire in 3 yrs.
Totally understand the world is a rush….rush….place with NO sympathy. Travel safe out there.
I dont know why trucking companies be so strict on getting it there knowing you have road regulations to abide by.
That’s the worst 2 ideas they came up with. Cameras in trucks and GPS on trucks.
As a new driver who left a ‘professional’ industry, I have learned that the transportation industry is a pretty unattractive industry to work in for many reasons, many of which you have addressed. If the bar to being a driver were any lower, snakes would have a hard time getting under it. Bottom line is the industry pay, working conditions and treatment by the companies is absolutely horrid. Combined with independent (read:bull) minded drivers unwilling to unify and organize makes it one of the worst jobs you can have today.
If pay were where it should be ($75K+) there wouldn’t b e the shortage there is and the quality of the driver would be better.
U ARE RIGHT !I WAS MAKING ,WHAT THEY ARE EARNING NOW, 20 YEARS AGO!
Pay was equal to doctors and lawyers in the 70 and 80 thaw only thing that change were the rise of mega companies that shit on independents and bring in foreigners buy the bout load to kill driving wages Have you paid to ship anything lately prices have not gone down but wages have brokers that got 10 to 15% are taking 25to 40 % They have a laptop and aa cell I have a lap top and a cell oh and 150 k truck 100 k trailer. These new drivers step in driver for pennies then quit then another and another it just keeps driving down wages don’t need more drivers we need smarter business owners
This article is %100 correct. No respect for the drivers. Get rid of the hours of service laws.
Mmmmm respect waiting times companies dont care… and perhaps talk to older drivers it’s not what use to be..
Yeah the situation in Africa is the same but in abroad could be better for us. We are truck drivers in Ghana and we don’t get the job to do or in a very high risk job with a low salary…we are ready to work anywhere.
Do you drive just Ghana or neighboring states also?
Stop talking about it FOREVER make it a Federal law start charging shippers and receivers after 1hour and PAY the drivers !!! Enough talking
Good Idea
It’s a waste of time they don’t pay you right cheating and lying bamboozled you every time they want to punish you for everything that’s is trucking you don’t have to believe me go try you see
You have to also look at the tons of bad truck drivers, driving these big rigs like nascars, breaking road laws and not sleeping. The industry didnt get bad from horrible companies alone.
What would be the best job in trucking for me that has classA but I have not driven for about 11yrs.
Being called a trucker as opposed to truck driver in my opinion is demeaning . Show some respect for professionals in our occupation. Give respect – get respect – pretty simple.
Still a pile of shit! Make more at McDonald’s
Truckers are the only one’s that can ever imagine what it’s like out here. Because anybody that makes decent money higher up, doesn’t and won’t take the time to listen. I have that problem at my job and several other drivers tell me the same about their Jobs with their companies. So it’s about time someone that misses all the activities at home (weddings, funerals, school activities, neighborhood parties, birthdays of kids relatives friends, etc.) Get paid in excess of $150,000 a year.
Any leading job performers would be paid in excess of 1/2 million dollars a year let us drivers make something for missing all activities.
** true story put that money hours in at McDonald’s and you will double the check you make now. **
Companies & shippers treat drivers like crap.This also why many are quitting.They dont pay enough to be treated like garbage.All these companies care abiyt is the frieght.They cld care less about the drivers.RESPECTis a huge issue in this industry.Goodluck!
No parking at truck stops or shippers and wait times. No respect
Thats it in a nut shell.
Big Trucking companies are paying peanuts to the drivers.it is not fair and thus why other drivers are quiting the industry.Its better to work for a small trucking company