General Discussion

Ikonoklast

(23,973 posts)

109. I am a long-haul truck driver; I am an Owner/Operator that has his own operating authority.

Tue Jul 24, 2012, 11:49 PM

Jul 2012

There are many mis-conceptions posted here about trucking from those not in the industry, and one of them is understanding the 'median wage' for truckers.

The BLS uses the numbers for ALL truckers, including Unionized drivers with years of seniority, specialty carriers, and other niche skill, highly-renumerated drivers.

They also include the pay of people like me in their figuring, which is rather disingenuous as even though I am a driver, I also own the company.

Throw out the top ten percent, then re-work the numbers.

See what you get.

Most common carriers don't pay anything near those bigger numbers, even with years of service.

There are plenty of trucking forums out there with company drivers posting about their real-world experience driving for some of these companies if you want to get a feel as to what is actually going on in the industry.

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Tons of trucking jobs ... that nobody wants [View all] sinkingfeeling Jul 2012 OP

if there is such a shortage, why is the pay so low? Enrique Jul 2012 #1

there you go again, injecting reality into corporate management issues lol nt msongs Jul 2012 #2

Ask these guys (Lawyers show corps how NOT to hire US citizens) uponit7771 Jul 2012 #10

I know i am going to get blasted for this.. Missycim Jul 2012 #14

yep. HiPointDem Jul 2012 #94

Not by me JonLP24 Jul 2012 #108

I KNEW there was a reason I have hated Human Resource personnel my whole life Volaris Jul 2012 #54

I would say MOST care. We don't control our VPs, however. Lisa0825 Jul 2012 #103

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make your exp. here worse. Volaris Jul 2012 #115

Re your last sentence: That is because . . . Brigid Jul 2012 #135

Right you are ... it's called "supply and demand"... ljm2002 Jul 2012 #22

Yeah, what gives here? Canuckistanian Jul 2012 #38

When labor might benefit, the Hand also becomes intangible and mute... JHB Jul 2012 #89

Why? "Truckers earn a median annual wage of $37,930." muntrv Jul 2012 #51

well handmade34 Jul 2012 #58

But the truckers' pay is not enough to pay back student loans and feed a JDPriestly Jul 2012 #90

Nailed it!! Right to the wall! Zalatix Jul 2012 #74

Thread winner already! Brigid Jul 2012 #136

Because someone else will undercut you? FrodosPet Jul 2012 #138

WTF? $37,930? denverbill Jul 2012 #3

Shit, for $50K a year I'd be tempted to do it. hifiguy Jul 2012 #56

many do have pets! handmade34 Jul 2012 #60

I have seen many a driver with a cat... Missycim Jul 2012 #120

another thing we can thank clinton for -- further deregulation of trucking. HiPointDem Jul 2012 #95

here's a hint.... mike_c Jul 2012 #4

Bingo! I think you are absolutely right! Laurian Jul 2012 #7

I agree Missycim Jul 2012 #9

Excellent - I have the talking point for my next class discussion . Initech Jul 2012 #27

+1 Scuba Jul 2012 #34

I agree. Alduin Jul 2012 #53

Ding ding we have a winner malaise Jul 2012 #79

+1M magical thyme Jul 2012 #80

Now you're talk'n! lonestarnot Jul 2012 #125

Yep. The "[serfs] should be jumping at any chance to work" line made me want to vomit... drokhole Jul 2012 #132

If there is a shortage Rabid_Rabbit Jul 2012 #5

Foot the bill for training for a job you are advertizing for, that has no takers? RC Jul 2012 #8

well some companies do pay for training... Missycim Jul 2012 #11

Some companies DO pay for training FrodosPet Jul 2012 #140

I know why no one wants the jobs. Missycim Jul 2012 #6

Yeapers, I work in IT and this is how the started in on that industry....Vid Inside that will make.. uponit7771 Jul 2012 #12

IT has gotten just as bad Aerows Jul 2012 #31

That was my guess. Incitatus Jul 2012 #13

So you think $38,000-58,000 isn't decent pay? The medium income sinkingfeeling Jul 2012 #20

Ya try living on the road.. Missycim Jul 2012 #24

Tjhanks for your expert commentary...no matter how low the pay you will get that comment... rfranklin Jul 2012 #28

My income was cut in half when I retired. MADem Jul 2012 #40

its like most things.. Missycim Jul 2012 #45

most of the people at du who say "those are decent wages" seem to be the same people saying HiPointDem Jul 2012 #96

Really? I posted both the medium wage for truck drivers and the national. I think that sinkingfeeling Jul 2012 #119

"are ALL LOCAL" 4_TN_TITANS Jul 2012 #30

Sorry, you didn't answer the question and my son was an OTR driver. Still has sinkingfeeling Jul 2012 #35

You asked a question? Missycim Jul 2012 #41

He drove for a national OTR company and they provided the truck and trailers. He was sinkingfeeling Jul 2012 #49

Anecdotal matt819 Jul 2012 #61

What major trucking company hired a 22 year old? Ikonoklast Jul 2012 #110

It was in 1994 and he's now a senior in college after a decade or so of sinkingfeeling Jul 2012 #117

That was almost 20 years ago! salvorhardin Jul 2012 #139

How long ago was that and what's he doing now? Hassin Bin Sober Jul 2012 #71

before or after carter, then clinton deregulated trucking? HiPointDem Jul 2012 #100

omg Missycim Jul 2012 #124

You need certification, first of all Aerows Jul 2012 #32

It is not decent pay ... Teamster Jeff Jul 2012 #39

I've always said, "beware any job that's always hiring" Hassin Bin Sober Jul 2012 #69

It isn't decent for a job that takes a person away from his/her family JDPriestly Jul 2012 #92

Welcome to DU, and you are right - the media helps them find excuses closeupready Jul 2012 #18

Most people in the media are also underpaid and merely rewrite press releases from PR firms... rfranklin Jul 2012 #46

I recall that 37 thousand dollars is about what truckers made in the early 80's slampoet Jul 2012 #19

that was a lot of money back then. Missycim Jul 2012 #70

It isn't even enough to live inside a good large city today. slampoet Jul 2012 #84

Friends I knew during the 70's were making over $100,000 a year driving OTR NNN0LHI Jul 2012 #23

well the flip side of that coin Missycim Jul 2012 #121

Correct me if I'm wrong, but another reason is that companies shift the expenses muntrv Jul 2012 #59

OUCH... Seriously? No wonder no one wants that job. Zalatix Jul 2012 #75

Welcome to DU.... physioex Jul 2012 #82

On this website, you will find that people agree with you on this. JDPriestly Jul 2012 #91

thanks for posting that Enrique Jul 2012 #97

And that pay rate is total bullshit until you have done it for a few years. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2012 #15

You aint kidding Missycim Jul 2012 #122

Not only is the pay low... Scootaloo Jul 2012 #16

This is another reason FOR highly progressive taxes JHB Jul 2012 #17

I've been arguing this for years, not as eloquently as you. closeupready Jul 2012 #21

$6K for 2 months of training... that's a higher rate than private Universities charge. Liberal_in_LA Jul 2012 #25

well a lot Missycim Jul 2012 #123

1) It doesn't cost 6k in So. Cal - 2) Most companies will cherokeeprogressive Jul 2012 #26

Why aren't you doing it now? Aerows Jul 2012 #33

I got a local gig. cherokeeprogressive Jul 2012 #44

You got a local gig Aerows Jul 2012 #47

It's more complicated than that. cherokeeprogressive Jul 2012 #87

Not around here Marrah_G Jul 2012 #68

The company I drove for charged $2500, $3900 if they paid with the stipulation that cherokeeprogressive Jul 2012 #85

And the pay figures used are massaged to hell. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2012 #29

Food prices are high Aerows Jul 2012 #50

To be fair Missycim Jul 2012 #126

Definitely not all companies, maybe it's a state law thing. And there are a small minority, Egalitarian Thug Jul 2012 #137

Why not ship on the railroads? MatthewStLouis Jul 2012 #36

you'd shit in your pants if truck drivers stopped driving. datasuspect Jul 2012 #43

lol ...If you bought it a truck brought it Teamster Jeff Jul 2012 #52

10-4 datasuspect Jul 2012 #65

No one said anything about getting rid of truck drivers. MatthewStLouis Jul 2012 #72

i can't help you there bubba datasuspect Jul 2012 #73

I Agree Mathew wendylaroux Jul 2012 #104

The low cost and efficiency of rail freight should tell you just how badly truck drivers are paid. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2012 #64

Oil COMPANIES block every attempt to expand the railroad julian09 Jul 2012 #66

At least in the northeast, the railroads are seriously broken. Mopar151 Jul 2012 #78

Did you think that thought through? Missycim Jul 2012 #127

Yes, more railroads. But NOT in my backyard FrodosPet Jul 2012 #143

Wages must have gone down, then. 37,000 sucks for that line of work. I thought TwilightGardener Jul 2012 #37

i'd be the drivingest motherfucker on the road datasuspect Jul 2012 #42

If they aren't paying shit Aerows Jul 2012 #48

Correct me if I'm wrong, but another reason is that companies shift the expenses muntrv Jul 2012 #55

Yep.... Teamster Jeff Jul 2012 #62

fed ex drivers have to pay for fuel & repairs? do they actually own the vehicles? HiPointDem Jul 2012 #98

Oh god... jmowreader Jul 2012 #111

Know a relative pulling down in the 60's. NEVER turns down a job. ALOT of road time,, benld74 Jul 2012 #57

Do they have to pay for their own diesel? Because that would eat up a ton of income. nt NickB79 Jul 2012 #63

sounds like i'm blowing smoke datasuspect Jul 2012 #67

This message was self-deleted by its author bupkus Jul 2012 #76

I have had an idea about this for years Teamster Jeff Jul 2012 #77

Heck no.... physioex Jul 2012 #83

You hit the nail on the head Missycim Jul 2012 #128

Let's face it...working sucks period. It's all just degrees of how much it sucks. dkf Jul 2012 #81

I disagree Tsiyu Jul 2012 #86

I enjoy working, so I disagree. Most of the time I look forward to starting work each day... yawnmaster Jul 2012 #99

Yup. I'm an oddball, too. meaculpa2011 Jul 2012 #142

I know a couple people who do this Motown_Johnny Jul 2012 #88

Maybe people don't have the $6000 treestar Jul 2012 #93

interesting freeper thread on this Enrique Jul 2012 #101

Wow. n/t lumberjack_jeff Jul 2012 #106

A couple of other points: PDJane Jul 2012 #102

Trucking is a mixed bag and the longhaul lifestyle sucks. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2012 #105

They don't want me JonLP24 Jul 2012 #107

I am a long-haul truck driver; I am an Owner/Operator that has his own operating authority. Ikonoklast Jul 2012 #109

There is also the catch........... Smilo Jul 2012 #112

J.B. Hunt CBGLuthier Jul 2012 #118

you hear this one? Missycim Jul 2012 #129

Just Been Hired Unfortunately Not Trained. Ikonoklast Jul 2012 #130

Know why? Fucked up working condition if its not a union job. Believe me...they will own you! demosincebirth Jul 2012 #113

I know someone who can't even get into a trucking school. VenusRising Jul 2012 #114

The median wage obviously isn't what they start at, and they have a lot of job-related expenses gollygee Jul 2012 #116

A lot of new Missycim Jul 2012 #131

High price of fuel, crazy drivers, torn up and overcrowded highways tawadi Jul 2012 #133

One thing that needs to be pointed out (about OTR driving) BlueJazz Jul 2012 #134

drug tests, background checks, past DUI's, Facebook photos, pre-existing conditions....etc...etc.. Evasporque Jul 2012 #141

Post removed Post removed Oct 2013 #144

Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2013 #145

There are a lot of truck driving job prospects with the highly potential for greater salary growth justinvincent Nov 2013 #146

welcome to DU gopiscrap Nov 2013 #147