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| 03 Sep 2008 07:11:05 pm |
 In the end, Truck drivers are paid by the hour, not the mile |
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I heard a driver complaining the other day about being told to drive a different, longer route than he would have chosen to drive if it was up to him. He was saying that he got screwed out of some pay because the miles he was paid to drive were less than the miles he was told to drive. This part of his complaint I understood. It sucks to get paid for less than you drive. This is, and always has been, an unfortunate downside of paying drivers based on miles listed in a mileage guide instead of the actual odometer. Industry reports say that drivers get short paid about 5% of the miles they actually drive. But when you account for the miles that most drivers put on the truck running errands, going home for the weekend, etc, it just about comes out even.
So, back to the whiner. He was told he would get paid 500 miles but was told by the company's fuel optimizer to drive a route that took 550 miles. The catch is, the 550 mile route was 1/2 hour faster than the 500 mile route. The driver said he wanted to drive the 500 mile route cause that's what he was going to be paid for. At first glance, this makes sense. But does it really?
The driver was going to be paid for 500 miles, no matter which route he drove. It would take him 8.33 hours to drive 500 miles at an average speed of 60 miles per hour, or he could average 70 miles per hour for 7.86 hours to go the 550 mile route. The different average speeds are because of the speed limits, stop lights, and stop signs, and ability to pass slower vehicles. The driver was NOT paying for the fuel in the truck, the company was, but he was still complaining about having to drive 50 miles further, even though it took him 1/2 hour less.
So I ask all the other truck drivers out there.... If you get paid per book mile (not odometer miles), would you rather drive less miles for a longer time, or more miles in a shorter time, all for the same pay?
Every OTR truck driver gets 14 hours to work, and 11 hours to drive every day. If a driver's goal is to make as much money per day as safely possible, they should be asking themself, "How quickly can I drive these miles safely?", not "Does my pay stub match my odometer?" Because in the end, when we look at our pay stubs, the most important number is the dollars, not the miles. |
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Category : Trucking Jobs
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| 15 Aug 2008 02:02:34 am |
| Trucking Bankruptcies Up 50% for the Year |
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Remember a month ago or so, we told you that jumping ship may not be the best thing to do? Well, we were right. Unless you see trucks being reposessed and your paycheck is bouncing, the atmosphere in trucking right now says you might be better off to stay where you already are. Drivers have been complaining about companies turning their trucks down, in an apparent effort to save on fuel costs. Those drivers that are complaining about that better not talk too loudly; they may unkowingly be standing next to a driver who only wished his company would have done what it took to stay afloat. Now that driver's paycheck bounced and he's hearing someone complain about a slower truck. He doesn't know how lucky he is to even have that truck driving job right now.
I even heard one driver say he gets better fuel mileage going 70 mph compared to 65  As if the company was dumb enough to fall for that and turn his truck back up 
The facts in trucking right now, are that times are tough and companies are looking to squeeze every penny out of every dollar they can. Companies are filing for bankruptcy left and right. Drivers who don't really want to be drivers but refuse to do the only other jobs they are qualified for, will soon be watching the big rigs from the side of the road. Trucking companies will be thinning their fleets, keeping only the safe, efficient, and high producing drivers. On the other hand, drivers who are professional, have clean MVR's, and haven't hopped around from job to job will have their pick of companies to drive for, as long as they remember that being a truck driver is not compatible to being home every weekend. If you want to be home every weekend, get out of trucking. |
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Category : Trucking Jobs
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| 15 Jul 2008 04:17:06 pm |
| Tired of the rich being so powerful? |
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THEN QUIT ASKING THEM TO BE!
I hear people complain aobut the rich being so powerful, and how they despise the rich. I think it's a combination of jealousy and laziness that makes up this hatred. We all don't want someone else making decisions for us, and that's what used to make this country so great...freedom. But then people started giving their kids everything they never had, and we got spoiled. I recently got a request for a donation from the mother of a girl who plays competitive soccer. It's not cheap. they travel to different states to play in tournaments, have sharp looking uniforms, warm up suits, bags with their names on them, custom water bottles, etc. They look like a pro team, but they do it for fun. So the kid's mom emails me and asks for money for the "expenses" that come with playing on this soccer team. So this middle class kid is being taught to rely on others for her ability to play soccer. I'm sure if the money doesn't flow in like they are hoping, the kid will still play soccer, she just won't have the bag with her name on it, or the warm up suit, but her parents will find a way for her to still play. But the kid will see other girls that did get the warm up suit, water bottle, etc, and her parents will surely not tell her, "Tough", they'll tell her that she needs to start asking for donations earlier next year, or any other reason besides "It's too expensive."
We've all grown accustomed to living beyond our means, asking for and expecting others to help us when the financial reality hits home, and then demonizing the rich people who donated last year but cut back on donations this year because times are tough. How dare those damn rich people stop giving like they used to...my kid NEEDS to play soccer! |
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Category : Trucking Jobs
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| 15 Jul 2008 04:06:42 pm |
| Obama and change? I think not. |
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| This is a stray from our usual trucking specific commentary, but it needs to be said. I listen to the radio on the way home every night, switching from channel to channel to hear all the stories and points of view I can take in. I think this gets me to a more rounded and open state of mind. I hear people calling in to talk shows and saying that they are voting for Obama because they are tired of the same old stuff happening in Washington. What confuses me is how they think electing someone who has made their life a quest for elected offices will be any different than what we already have. Obama's history of "jobs" has been nothing more than a trail of political offices used as stepping stones for his ultimate goal of becoming president. I'm not faulting him for that at all, that's his right to pursue that dream. What I am saying is that if you look at what he has done to get where he is, what's different from every other politician already in office? I think CHANGE is what we need, but I don't think Obama is going to give it to us. McCain is no different, but then, he's not the one going around saying he's going to change everything. |
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Category : Trucking Jobs
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| 03 Jul 2008 02:41:27 pm |
| If you got it, a trucker brought it! |
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While you're celebrating America's independence this fourth of July, take a moment to ponder the things around you and how you came to have them.
Your house - The wood framing, the siding, drywall, and pretty much everything in your house was probably delivered by a truck and driver.
Your food and drinks - The hamburgers, hot dogs, pop, and beer you eat and drink were definately brought to the store you got them from by a truck and driver.
We could list every item you may use or consume this holiday weekend, but that would take too long. Instead we offer this challenge, tell us something that did not come on a truck. |
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Category : Trucking Jobs
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