Hope for Changes

The lawsuits are coming. Its funny that one of the biggest topics in trucking is the most ignored by all: that truck drivers on the whole are well underpaid for what they do. Well folks maybe change is coming because people have finally spoken up and lawsuits have been filed against a lot of the major trucking companies for not paying at least the minimum wage  to trainees in the industry. Okay so this does not affect the industry as a whole as far as the pay scale, so there will not be to many pay raises on the horizon.  But maybe these new lawsuits will start to make these companies do something about the pay scale.  Times keep getting harder,which the corporate level doesn't seem to want to acknowledge.  Drivers keep moving from company to company in search of the all mighty dollar that is going to keep them afloat for another week.  Hopefully these lawsuits will be an eye opener at some level for all of these suit and tie guys that pull the strings, while the drivers struggle to feed their families and themselves hoping to make it to the next check. Students already cannot afford to live out on the road for the duration of time that they really need to be on a trainer's truck. Without new students the trucking world is dying.  One can only hope that with law suits such as students being under paid for three years after the raised minimum wage rates that people will begin to look into the pays scales for the industry as a whole.  

A Driver's Rant

I apologize for my absence on here.  With the coming of the new year there have come a lot of new challenges between students and weather.  It's been a really up hill battle. The pool for student I must admit seems to be lacking as of late. People do  not appear to be jumping at the opportunity to drive a truck. What can we do to fix this problem?   Unfortunately not a whole lot.  It's a corporate issue. No one wants to address the fact that new drivers do not want to enter a field that refuses to adapt to the change in the times. Drivers want better pay and more home time and to be treated more fairly.  In the old days you did what you want when you wanted because you made the rules. Well times change as they always do and big companies put a stop to all of that and people fell in line. Now that was all well and good because drivers at that time could live with their rules and the way they wanted to do things. Times have yet again changed.  Many drivers are not seeing change and finding new jobs.   The companies are not listening because drivers are a dime a dozen. Well I hate to tell you drivers are no longer a dime a dozen.  They are becoming more scarce from what I can tell.  I have talked to the old timers and listen to the stories of the old days and let me tell you they are not impressed with the way things have been headed. They are still here because it's the only life they know.  New drivers do not share those same problems. They are coming here because they need a change not because there trapped and do not know another way. That in itself is a huge problem especially when the new drivers are leaving their families behind for the first time in their lives. They are not going to cope well with being told oh you cannot go home for another week cause we do not have freight headed that direction.  Or even better, oh its going to be a couple of days, we know your home was just devastated by a natural disaster but we can't send you straight home to deal with it.  Your family is on there own. That does not fly to well with people.  Most of us get that it's a business and performance based industry, but the businesses need to remember that you need to take care of the folks that keep America moving. Well folks time for me to head on down the road.  As always be safe out there and keep those wheels turning.

Training Frustrations

Maybe someone out there could explain to new students that there trainers truly deserve their respect. I have to say that over the past year I have had an overly large amount of students with a huge lack of respect for the job, what I have to teach them and the truck. I work hard to teach my students all the knowledge that they will need to properly preform the job once they leave. I have had far too many students in all my time of training tell me what a wonderful job I did and some have stayed with the company I work for, while others have progressed and taken what they learned and moved on. So why is it that students refuse to respect what I have to teach. Maybe its a problem with authority, for some it seems like they do not like being judged by their peers and others it's like they showed up expecting a free ride while others do all the work. I will be honest, anyone can hold a steering wheel and go down the highway.  It takes a true blooded truck driver to do what we all do day in and day out. It's our job to makes sure that the American public has the supply to keep things rolling we are the supply line for America. It is a big job and if you can not respect the man or women trying to teach you how to do it then maybe this is not for you because it is a huge responsibility whether you want to admit it or not so when you see students out there or if you are one your self take a minute and remind yourself and other students that this is a big job and some respect for those that take the time to teach would be a good thing. As always be safe out there and safe travels. Be extra careful in the next couple of weeks because lots of families will be traveling for the holidays so Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Winter is Here

Winter is definitely here, folks.  The general population has fallen into winter driving panic mode and forgotten how to drive. Okay, I am only joking but I know it certainly seems like that some days out there on the roads when the weather turns nasty. So its time for extra care and vigilance as we move our freight, especially with Christmas right around the corner. We want to see everyone make it home so I am going to give you all some sound advice an old friend once gave me. When the weather turns nasty, Slow Truck It. In other words slow it down, take your time.  There is no load worth dying over or killing others over when trying to get it where it's going. It is extremely dangerous out there when the weather turns nasty and as drivers it is our responsibility to keep our equipment and cargo safe along with ourselves and the motoring public. Its early still in the winter season and I personally have already seen far to many wrecks due to the weather.  Many because drivers had to be some where and did not want to stop for the weather. Those loads still didn't  make it where they were headed and hopefully the drivers were okay. So let's be honest, if they had slowed down or possibly even pulled off and tried to wait it out a little bit or even for a plow to go by they may have avoided there wrecks. So as we go forward this winter think about what your doing and drive at your comfort level and do not over estimate your own ability in the snow. Cocky over confident drivers tend to be the first ones you will find out there in the ditch so drive safe and for the road conditions. As always folks be safe out there and let keep those rigs out of the ditch and right side up.
What is your winter driving advice?

Holiday Encouragement

Well folks, I apologize for my absence.  It the last big push for the year. So with the holidays coming, time is always very limited as many of you are well aware I am sure. Tensions are high on all fronts. The weather is turning, the money is lacking and your home life is probably a little shakey to say the least, if your like most families this time of the year. It is very important to keep you cool and have a little patience.  We have all been there or maybe we are right there with you on the front lines. It is an up hill battle this time of year but it is one that you can and will win in the end. Just don't forget to show your families that you care.  They have been hanging in there with you all year long and it has probably been a rough one.   I have come across a lot of drivers that have not had the best year and it shows, but they are putting their best foot forward.  I say good for them and may they be a shining example for others this holiday season. So remember we're all in this together.  With out the folks at home we probably would not be doing this and would be ripping our hair out more than we already are. To all those spouses out there that read this keep, keep those fires at home burning because we sure cannot wait to get back. I want to personally thank all the drivers and families because I know that no one ever really says it.  Thank you from myself and my whole family. I know I can't bring everything my family needs to the stores out there. I do know that another driver just like me is though and I'm doing the same for his family. It's what we do because it is who we are, we're truck drivers: under appreciated, under payed, and over worked. So thank you to all of you and a Merry Christmas and if you do not do Christmas then Happy Holidays. As all ways be safe out there.

The Holidays are coming. The Holidays are coming.

It's that time of year again, where the holidays are coming and the paychecks are going to get smaller. It's just that time of year for everyone. People cut back on what their buying and our freight goes down.  It's not an unknown fact to any experienced driver in the business after a time. We go through this every year. You just come to expect it. My dispatcher actually comes out every year and tell his fleet that the holidays are coming. He knows everyone would like time off, but that those same people will be the first ones crying when they did not make any money that week and to be very careful what they ask for. I do have to agree with him on this. I believe home time is very important, but you can not have your cake and eat it to folks. There is no money coming in when the wheels are not turning. Some how every year drivers all over want to complain when they take off too much time for the holidays and their family suffers because of it. We all need to be very careful in planing our time home for the holidays. Take what you can afford.  Do not stay home longer then you can afford to be there.  If you can only afford to be home a day or two, then that's what you take.  If you can afford a week, then you can take a week. We all want time at home with the family.  However, it does not do us any good if there is no home to go home to. We can be our own worst enemies when it comes to the holidays.  Think carefully about that home time and look at the big picture.  Maybe you stay home a shorter time this year.  Start planning now for the new year.  Build a holiday fund so that  you can take the time that you and your family so richly deserve, because we all deserve time to spend with our families.  As always folks be safe out there.

Family Time

Sorry folks but no really update this week. It was family time this weekend, so my time was limited. Home time is a big deal to my family and I and we try to make the most of it as best we can. Extended family gatherings take up much more of a truckers time but are no less important than any other family time. So to all of you I hope your home times were good or you make the most of your up coming home times.  Hopefully we'll be back next week for all of you. In the mean time, check out the store.  We've added on some new items and fixed our lack of a link problem that we seemed to have over looked. So safe travels and be safe out there.