I haven't been on this board in a really long time but I'll throw my .02 out there being as objective as possible.
I've worked here for 11 years now and don't hold my job nearly as highly as I once did. There are two reasons for me that are kind of linked - it's like coaches in sports - the tactics and plans that worked 20 years ago don't work now. The absolute arrogance of management at this company is absurd. Some of you will remember the old saying, "we've got a stack of applications to replace you". Where is that stack now? There isn't one. The word on the street about this company is terrible and for good reason. There are the obvious things like the pension, vacation debacle, and terminals closing a few years back but I kinda get all of that to a degree. That said, those are reasons you don't have people pounding down the door. Another reason is simply the arrogance of management thinking that our entry level pay with 5 years to top rate is still competitive - it isn't. Even dock-worker pay - why would you work here in the heat and cold for 14 or so when you can go up the road a mile for 18 in a climate controlled environment? You wouldn't - they don't.
Second, still related to the first, the arrogance of management has decided over the last couple years that just about every human error is now termination. A very senior driver put it well when I talked to him yesterday. "Every day I make it out of the gate and still have my job I might as well kiss the ground". Well done management - that is fantastic for morale.
I guess there are 3. This still relates to the first two in regards to delusional arrogant management. They will simply never admit a mistake from the top and will blame it on the drivers and dock workers. I can already see the first quarter review video - claims are up. You suck. You need to do a better job. Yeah, that has nothing to do with the optimizer you rolled out that now takes a bill that should be handled once and is now handled three times before it hits the destination terminal. That has nothing to do with it. Then you'll tell us profits are down - we suck. But of course that has nothing to do with over head you've added by creating "lean" committees 25 an hour to paint spots on the dock for trash cans. Money well spent there. And at my barn those people aren't gonna lose their jobs over a human error because they don't drive anymore - this is what they do. They have no exposure to termination for a simple human error.
All that said, there is a reason I still work here. To compare this job to a common carrier otr job is irresponsible. I drove otr for a very reputable flatbed company and have run the math. I work less paid time here right now than I used to spend performing carrier directed work without pay and make about 200 more per week gross and I do the minimum. I make about 280 per night working about 9 total first punch to last punch on a meet and turn run. If I really get carried away I take something else when I get back and make 400 for about 12.5 to 13 total. No common otr carrier is even in that neighborhood and would not sleep in a truck at some nasty truck stop.
So this place does suck for the reasons I mentioned but at this point I stay because I can bid what I want and have the hours I want. To me that's very important. I'm always looking for ways to get out of driving altogether but haven't found the right avenue yet.