What did you do at work today?

[ck80]

There were some fun things about it, it was undoubtedly a great learning experience. I love driving a truck and it was really cool to see the inside of some of these massive steel mills and factories. I got really good at chaining and really good at tarping. Spread axles are still a beotch to back, but I can do it.

Even doing flatbed- chaining, strapping and tarping- it was far more mentally exhausting than physically exhausting. Remembering addresses, directions, pickup numbers, dock numbers, appointment times, BOLs, logging and sending all of your paperwork, trying to plan a route so that you miss traffic and wind up somewhere reasonably safe when you run out of hours, arguing with your fleet manager/safety manager on the phone because he's a MFer, doing your pre and post trips and logging them, stopping for load checks, constantly watching your clock, trying to eat 3 meals, sleep well and practice somewhat acceptable hygiene, and then safely secure your load and drive an 80k pound truck on top of all of that.

I don't think the company I was with was any worse than most medium to large OTR carriers, I think they all operate this way. Most, if not all of them have massive turnover too, usually 90% or more in the first year and it's no wonder why. They have no interest in retaining drivers, it's far cheaper for them to train and hire new ones, pay them dirt, run them ragged until they quit, rinse and repeat.

I could go on ad astra about all of the BS of being OTR as a company driver- nanny cams, sketchy equipment, e-logs, company rats, pencil pushers who think they can drive the truck better than you, etc. If anyone cares to hear specifics, I'll elaborate. Being an owner op could eliminate a lot of those issues but creates a lot more.


You can never take the road out of the driver.
View attachment 203497

One of the perks of a sliding rear cab window is 'gifting' an old McDonald's cup of the yellow stuff to a tailgater behind you. Works fine if you get the arc right, and, drive with the gate down.

 

[Northernregal]

There were some fun things about it, it was undoubtedly a great learning experience. I love driving a truck and it was really cool to see the inside of some of these massive steel mills and factories. I got really good at chaining and really good at tarping. Spread axles are still a beotch to back, but I can do it.

Even doing flatbed- chaining, strapping and tarping- it was far more mentally exhausting than physically exhausting. Remembering addresses, directions, pickup numbers, dock numbers, appointment times, BOLs, logging and sending all of your paperwork, trying to plan a route so that you miss traffic and wind up somewhere reasonably safe when you run out of hours, arguing with your fleet manager/safety manager on the phone because he's a MFer, doing your pre and post trips and logging them, stopping for load checks, constantly watching your clock, trying to eat 3 meals, sleep well and practice somewhat acceptable hygiene, and then safely secure your load and drive an 80k pound truck on top of all of that.

I don't think the company I was with was any worse than most medium to large OTR carriers, I think they all operate this way. Most, if not all of them have massive turnover too, usually 90% or more in the first year and it's no wonder why. They have no interest in retaining drivers, it's far cheaper for them to train and hire new ones, pay them dirt, run them ragged until they quit, rinse and repeat.

I could go on ad astra about all of the BS of being OTR as a company driver- nanny cams, sketchy equipment, e-logs, company rats, pencil pushers who think they can drive the truck better than you, etc. If anyone cares to hear specifics, I'll elaborate. Being an owner op could eliminate a lot of those issues but creates a lot more.


You can never take the road out of the driver.
View attachment 203497

The only way for it to be enjoyable is owning your own truck that's paid for and shopping loads.

Or find a small outfit that treats good drivers well, but that's a tough thing to find because they have no turnover of drivers.

 

[motorheadmike]

DIE? They gonna RIF you or are you just going to stay in for your twenty and then put your papers in? Canada hasn't been in a war worth the name since that business in the sandbox. And I can't even begin to get my head around what the ROE's for that were, or were supposed to have been. Any other army in any other nation and it seems likely that you'd have been a full bird by now. Typical Canadian kvetching around.



Nick

Other than fighting for justice, it's just a job now. Unless I step on my dick (or they make public force reduction efforts - not just covert ones: https://www.westernstandard.news/ne...cle_eaf3a9d4-0eaf-11ed-8764-b7edeed2c1be.html) I can ride out my current position indefinitely. I can always go on tours, and if sh*t really hits the fan take a Reg F contract (*cringe*).

But, I am looking at other public servant positions to transfer my pension to. Also, why I am going into politics. I, we, need a change.

 

[Texas82GP]

Delivered my last load this AM and turned the truck in. Fck this OTR sh*t. Pay isn't great when you consider the hours worked and the lifestyle is miserable. Fighting to park, fighting your clock, running 14 hours on 6 hours of lousy sleep, showering two or three times a week, eating overpriced truckstop garbage.

You're entirely at the mercy of a dispatcher who works in an air conditioned office 5 miles from his house from 9-5 Monday to Friday. The closest he's ever come to driving a truck is that one time he rented a u-haul to pickup a foosball table he bought on Craigslist. They are so displaced from reality it's a joke.

It was a good learning experience, glad I did it. Got to see some cool things and haul some interesting stuff. No way I could do it for any length of time though. I'll find some local stuff to haul and get paid by the hour.

Yes, go to local, family owned companies in your area. Go in person. Someone will snap you up. A small business will appreciate you as a good employee, not a small cog in a huge machine (sweatshop). I came super close to going on the road at the end of 2001 but became a Land Surveyor instead.

 

[DSPbuilt]

Yesterday I put in my letter of resignation…
Today these little $#!+s
I decided to move on from Ryder. Both my previous positions were as a mobile tech. I miss being on the field. My only time in a shop setting has been with Ryder. Honestly not a big fan too much drama and crap to deal with. Along with supervisors that don’t know a damn thing.

There is far too much demand to settle for a s**t job.

 

[airboatgreg]

Jobs are easy. I would advise anybody that is not happy with the is to look outside the box. I have changed careers 3 times and have been a success at them all. Talk to people, what interests you? Jobs are not all about money but we still do have obligations. I am getting close to retirement as I have a pretty contentious job but I have a side gig that will keep me as busy as I want to be, make some coin and get me out of the house.

 

[airboatgreg]

Most of you guys are pretty handy. I was a professional mechanic and went into property adjusting on houses in 2005. Yes there is a learning curve but money is good if you are decent at it and great if you are good at it.

 

[joesregalproject]

The only way for it to be enjoyable is owning your own truck that's paid for and shopping loads.

Or find a small outfit that treats good drivers well, but that's a tough thing to find because they have no turnover of drivers.

Absolutely. Even then finding a good broker is task.

I am really glad I paid for my license out of pocket though as opposed to going through a company to get it because I'd be obligated to stay with them for a year or more.

The turnover in OTR trucking is alarming and the fact that they would rather spend money recruiting new drivers than retaining the ones they have just shows how broken the system is and how little these companies really care about their employees.

 

[DSPbuilt]

Most of you guys are pretty handy. I was a professional mechanic and went into property adjusting on houses in 2005. Yes there is a learning curve but money is good if you are decent at it and great if you are good at it.

Don't get me wrong I love what I do! I worked with Cummins as mobile tech, the reason I left was because we relocated to NC from Miami. They unfortunately didn't have a position here or I would've just transferred. Ryder was honestly not bad at first but our shops management has really turned for the worst. Ryder I starting a mobile division called Torque. I applied and my manager blocked me from getting the position. Claimed we are short staffed. Too many people have left for the same reasons. I'm just not up for the drama, our manager is actually in the hot chair because so many techs have left our shop. The new place is a mobile position decent company great perks, great incentives, decent benefits.

 

[airboatgreg]

I had a claim where the guy was an OTR diver and he owned 3 trucks. He said 2 trucks won't make if one breaks down but 3 will. Of course you have the help issue though