Truckers' Lagging Earning Power

[cableguymn]

Yeap, the "EMPLOYEE" mentality......

It's the same reason we are paying 3.50-4.50 a gallon.. Because we will (some of us have to. I understand that)

It is the employers job to maximize profit and minimize cost. Employees cost alot. If I can get someone to accept my job at minimum wage, why should I pay more?

Now, if drivers where to stop taking the low pay packages and carriers still have freight to be moved they would have to up their offer.

In the tech world I work it is happens daily. Job offer comes in at 10 an hour and I hit reject pay to low.. it's a matter of time before they up their offer. Those of us in this area know what we are worth, and for the most part we stick together and get what we are worth.

The problem with commerical drivers is getting them to agree on ANYTHING. Including the color of the diesel fuel in their trucks.

 

[iceroadtrucker]

I here ya, I personaly dont like all the waiting time one has to do for a load then turn around and get out the gate late because of having to wait for what ever reason lets say 3 4 5 hours then get out only now your late to get to the next destnation and because of that you loose another day because of hours or a predispatch ect. No one seems concerned about the hold up, and that time cost all of us drivers hours which is money and future loads as well. I think all the companies shoud pay the drivers $100.00 an hour for dention starting with After the 1st hour of schedualed apt. That $100.00 dentions is to go to the driver and not to the carrier. but only to the Drivers for there compensations in hours lost. I dont think charging $100.00 dention time after the 1st hour of said sheduled apt is asking too much. I know the companies will despute this, but it will make them get us all loaded and out the gate to our next destanation alot quicker. I hate loosing predispatches especialy when its a quick $300.00 in the pocket.

 

[RETIDEPXE]

Not to derail the thread's topic 'trucker's pay lagging', just my 2 cents and a question. When do you ask your carrier for a .05/mi. or so raise, 4 yrs, 10 yrs??

I try to count the positives as a six wheeler o/o. I relate my current position in life to my previous career of 25 yrs is the car biz, from sweeping floors to Gen Mtrs dealer. I sold out on a high note in 2001 before the car crunch hit. Compared to driving, I was paid no detention time when waiting on a customer to show, no dry run on a no show, no fuel surcharge, no layover, no per mile pay on dealer trades, had to pay for advertising, "franchise" taxes, stressing out over when and where the next sale will come from and making payroll and covering the months floor plan expense etc......you get the picture.

All business types have there pitfalls, but my stress level came right down with my blood pressure when we started expediting. .....Panther or us can find the loads, we can take off when and where we want, biggest concern is where to eat next. Life is good.

I am not for any gov't intervention in driver pay, let's let the free market work for us. If and when this industry ever goes to pay by the hour, I'll probably go back to the car biz. I do like the ability to negotiate the bonuses etc.

 

[ATeam]

When do you ask your carrier for a .05/mi. or so raise, 4 yrs, 10 yrs??

See: Experience, shmecksperience

 

[layoutshooter]

"When do you ask your carrier for a .05/mi. or so raise, 4 yrs, 10 yrs??"

I guess depends on how you look at it. If you mean a raise in base rates? Never as yet.

I DO, however, negotiate the pay on runs on a regular basis. That often results in much more than $.05 per mile. It is somewhat of a free market. If a carrier wants me to move the freight they can pay my rate. Does it always work? Nope. Does it work often? Yep. No rate is set in stone.

 

[pearlpro]

I think allot of Americas' work force now has this mentality that if we rock the boat theyll move to Mississippi or China and well be out of a job, People are very unlikely to join together as a group workers or a Union, Theve done a great Job of making everyone believe the Unions ruined this country and are all corrupt, and that after theyve broken the Unions, Broken YOUR Will, Broken the ability to be represented as a group or to stand as a group. We wont do it, Ive heard so many times Truckers are gonna strike and stand together, BS.....

NAFTA clearly changed the Labor landscape, its lowered wages across the board, and cost communitys in the USA millions of jobs, and worse it ruined many of the communitys that were the workforce surrounding these factorys. It also crushed OUR WILL, The will is not there to fight the fight, and wages are lower and the MAN is happy. Thats the way it is, why we grovel and plead and cajole and complain about it I dunno, cuz we clearly did it to ourselves.

I started driving commercially meaning FOR HIRE back in 1999, I was paid 32 cents a mile, had Blue cross Blue shield Insurance, I was home every weekend, and I drove a brand new Mack Condo 427, flatbed hauling steel, I worked allot, I used a paper log, I got everywhere they needed me to and then some and didnt have to lie, or COLOR in my Coloring book, ya I stretched it a few times but times were different. I MADE GOOD MONEY !!!

Today we complain about High fuel but somebodys paying for it, Milks 4 bucks a gallon too, there still sellin it, Moms arent lined up jammin the store carts together sayin hell no we wont go.....we complain and say ahhh the good old days, and such, But I have to admit Im makin a livin, and ENJOY what I do.....but the other day some driver was tellin me he gets paid 32 cents a mile and pays for his truck lease out of that and I thought, Man I dont have it to bad, I earned that 12 years ago, some companies are paying the same rate they have for YEARS without raises, or pennies as a raise...

Do we really think were ever gonna get paid what WE think were worth, I doubt it, its a GIVE AND GIVE and we Take what they give, until there is a will to change the way were treated, with FORCED REGULATIONS that cost us thousands of dollars, testing, rules, mandates, Licenses and DOT/CSA/FMCSA all standing on your back...No well take what we get and LIKE IT....or you can Vote and Join a Union and gather as a group and stand together and demand better.....But again....that WILL, is gone from most Americans, who walk across picket lines and Ignore the Lawbreakers who intrude and insist that we take the poison and like it, oh and keep your mouth shut or else.....youll be one of those Foreclosed, Jobless, Cardboard box living Americans....