Dan Rather did a couple of pieces on trucking back in 2009. This piece is about a lady (Desiree) and follows her progression through truck driving school and then on to Covenant and the second part is on a whistleblower from CRST who was a manager involved with the training & testing of new drivers. While it was done in 2009, I seriously doubt if anything has changed.:
Dan Rather reports on Trucking
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pro1driver
I don't wanna go fishing, even though i got stuff
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the only thing(s) that may have changed, is maybe..........one of them went someplace else...some place else...someplace else..
the other..?? quit.
as for Dan Rather..??
i could care less.
as for the companies in the story?
i could care less, as i will see it as, "business as usual?"....
the other..?? quit.
as for Dan Rather..??
i could care less.
as for the companies in the story?
i could care less, as i will see it as, "business as usual?"....
20_yrs_2_go
Thank god for small favors ( pic on far left )
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i spoke to a crst driver in PA about 6 months ago who said if you quit before your training / driving contract is up ? a $10,000 court judgement will be on your doorstep
this doesn't only apply to women
this doesn't only apply to women
What a rip-off,if the truckload companies value their training program at 10 grand.
Then a trainee works for them 2 or 3 months,the rate should at least be prorated to cover their service.
I know not everyone who thinks trucking is good a career to get into will be able to cut it.
My opinion, they shouldn't be taken advantaged of by truckload carriers if they want to bail before the required trial of the training.
I guess a good lawyer could address that point,so maybe the courts would cut them a break.
They may have to pay something for breaking the contract,but not the total cost,also my opinion.
Then a trainee works for them 2 or 3 months,the rate should at least be prorated to cover their service.
I know not everyone who thinks trucking is good a career to get into will be able to cut it.
My opinion, they shouldn't be taken advantaged of by truckload carriers if they want to bail before the required trial of the training.
I guess a good lawyer could address that point,so maybe the courts would cut them a break.
They may have to pay something for breaking the contract,but not the total cost,also my opinion.
That's when you tell CRST to screw off and file chapter 7.
Northern Flash
Today's Democrats are similar to Commies.
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I'll tell you what is a big dilemma for some of us with kids. We have kids that see that we make good money trucking and have done good for ourselves, yet we want them to go to college instead of getting into this industry. Then they look at the 50K to 100K of debt that they will accumulate to get their degree, and it's hard to tell them to stay out of this industry when this industry pays better than most of their degrees will pay them.
I push for them to stay out of this industry and get their degree instead, but it's a tough argument when they see the debt versus income.
The average college degree doesn't pay anywhere close to what the LTL industry is paying nowadays.
I push for them to stay out of this industry and get their degree instead, but it's a tough argument when they see the debt versus income.
The average college degree doesn't pay anywhere close to what the LTL industry is paying nowadays.
I'm 27 I have an associates degree from a community college and did my own thing running a carpet cleaning business for 4 years and also worked in the restaurant industry and manufacturing as well a little bit. While working in the restaurant industry I was a back of the house employee and delt a lot with the broad line food service companies and I said to my self "I can do that." Well I found out what they were making and decided that, that's what I was going to do. Instead of being in the hole 100K I'm ahead $33K.
My brother works for a major financial bank and does kind of have his stock brokers license and in time probably will make more then I will, but that's hard to say too, because the market goes up and down a lot and those guys some do really well and others don't and vice versa yadda yadda yadda. I can not believe he makes any more money right now then I do he's not really in debt because my folks wouldn't allow that, but at this juncture in time I probably do just as good as him if not even better some weeks. After taxes and retirement and everything I take home a good chunk still and that's with roughly 1/4 of my income skimmed away from me right off the top.
I know my parents were a little puzzled really you're going go off and get into trucking I think they were scared I was going to work for one of the big truck load carriers and truth be told I wanted to US Xpress or Werner were both looking pretty good. I said to them yeah I can't compete with the food service companies look what there paying. I mean right now I have health insurance, company 401K with profit sharing my Roth IRA went from having $4,000 in it to $12,000K in it. Since the time I got my CDL to this point I have managed to save roughly $17K and that's not counting money that has gone into my retirement accounts. Actually the saved amount of money was higher, but I just bought a new used car and really it's been good. Plus with the food companies there are other jobs and opportunities that may come along which is good so that's also why I got into that business, I was blessed to get in with one of the top companies in the food distribution business and it was rough at first but they told me a couple Fridays ago I've been doing a great job.
It's got it's perks though I can get 10% off at the company grocery store which was good especially 3-4 months ago when my brother drug his girl friend up from where he lives and said "Oh yeah her family's in town and there coming over for lunch tomorrow." My mom looked at me and said "Can we go to the company grocery store this evening."
I said "Okay."
So you know it is what you make of it and where you go.
Trucker Desire has a You Tube channel that's how Rather Found her. Same with Abe over at "Run Hard Get Paid" another You Tube OTR trucker with a You Tube Chanel that guy was on 20/20 a year or so ago talking about how K&B wanted him to go over his hours or what ever I don't know.
Like I said I stay local or regional hauling groceries in my 28' trailer keeping all the restaurants and public schools supplied with eggs, cheese, bacon, potato chips, beef, chicken and ice cream and 49,900 other products. People ask me what do you guys sell I tell them "We have anything you want." I looked at the company catalog it's as thick as the McMaster-Carr Catalog.
My brother works for a major financial bank and does kind of have his stock brokers license and in time probably will make more then I will, but that's hard to say too, because the market goes up and down a lot and those guys some do really well and others don't and vice versa yadda yadda yadda. I can not believe he makes any more money right now then I do he's not really in debt because my folks wouldn't allow that, but at this juncture in time I probably do just as good as him if not even better some weeks. After taxes and retirement and everything I take home a good chunk still and that's with roughly 1/4 of my income skimmed away from me right off the top.
I know my parents were a little puzzled really you're going go off and get into trucking I think they were scared I was going to work for one of the big truck load carriers and truth be told I wanted to US Xpress or Werner were both looking pretty good. I said to them yeah I can't compete with the food service companies look what there paying. I mean right now I have health insurance, company 401K with profit sharing my Roth IRA went from having $4,000 in it to $12,000K in it. Since the time I got my CDL to this point I have managed to save roughly $17K and that's not counting money that has gone into my retirement accounts. Actually the saved amount of money was higher, but I just bought a new used car and really it's been good. Plus with the food companies there are other jobs and opportunities that may come along which is good so that's also why I got into that business, I was blessed to get in with one of the top companies in the food distribution business and it was rough at first but they told me a couple Fridays ago I've been doing a great job.
It's got it's perks though I can get 10% off at the company grocery store which was good especially 3-4 months ago when my brother drug his girl friend up from where he lives and said "Oh yeah her family's in town and there coming over for lunch tomorrow." My mom looked at me and said "Can we go to the company grocery store this evening."
I said "Okay."
So you know it is what you make of it and where you go.
Trucker Desire has a You Tube channel that's how Rather Found her. Same with Abe over at "Run Hard Get Paid" another You Tube OTR trucker with a You Tube Chanel that guy was on 20/20 a year or so ago talking about how K&B wanted him to go over his hours or what ever I don't know.
Like I said I stay local or regional hauling groceries in my 28' trailer keeping all the restaurants and public schools supplied with eggs, cheese, bacon, potato chips, beef, chicken and ice cream and 49,900 other products. People ask me what do you guys sell I tell them "We have anything you want." I looked at the company catalog it's as thick as the McMaster-Carr Catalog.
Good for you MikeJ.
I myself,had a very rough childhood & had a hard time with school because of my negative environment.
As a result I only completed 7 grades,& got out as soon as I could.
My real education came in trucking,getting my start as a helper on a garbage truck.
Next working on a loading dock in receiving & shipping,as well as delivering in a 100 mile radius of the warehouse.
After learning my way around all of the routes.
As well as learning how to handle freight without breaking my back.
I only had to,go from non-union to non-union driving jobs until I turned 21 & was able to get my foot in the door of a Union company.
I must admit all of my breaks came through the power of prayer,the blessings of God,because of so little education,it was hard getting any jobs.
Although after awhile my experience,more than my lack of education was my best asset.
Over the years of working for Teamster Union companies I was making more per year than most college grads.
However it was a lot of work,which finally caught up with me after 45 years of trucking.
Looking back had I got a good education,I know I may have been better off doing something easier,or not, hard saying?
Trucking was very good for me,& now I'm retired with 2 good pensions & social security.
However the way I have seen trucking change so much since I retired,I actually wouldn't recommend it for any young person.
I know an education is not cheap,however long term it may pay-off down the line,without putting your life on the line every time you climb behind a steering wheel.
Or putting up with so many regulations,that could get you fired,or in some cases get arrested.
I myself,had a very rough childhood & had a hard time with school because of my negative environment.
As a result I only completed 7 grades,& got out as soon as I could.
My real education came in trucking,getting my start as a helper on a garbage truck.
Next working on a loading dock in receiving & shipping,as well as delivering in a 100 mile radius of the warehouse.
After learning my way around all of the routes.
As well as learning how to handle freight without breaking my back.
I only had to,go from non-union to non-union driving jobs until I turned 21 & was able to get my foot in the door of a Union company.
I must admit all of my breaks came through the power of prayer,the blessings of God,because of so little education,it was hard getting any jobs.
Although after awhile my experience,more than my lack of education was my best asset.
Over the years of working for Teamster Union companies I was making more per year than most college grads.
However it was a lot of work,which finally caught up with me after 45 years of trucking.
Looking back had I got a good education,I know I may have been better off doing something easier,or not, hard saying?
Trucking was very good for me,& now I'm retired with 2 good pensions & social security.
However the way I have seen trucking change so much since I retired,I actually wouldn't recommend it for any young person.
I know an education is not cheap,however long term it may pay-off down the line,without putting your life on the line every time you climb behind a steering wheel.
Or putting up with so many regulations,that could get you fired,or in some cases get arrested.
Northern Flash
Today's Democrats are similar to Commies.
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With the internet, it's easy to project the future earnings of a college student with a degree. And I'm astounded to see how many degrees require at least four years of schooling, yet the beginning pay is laughable. My Son had planned on going into the medical field, but after seeing how many years are required,(and how many wasted classes there are that you have to take that have nothing to do with your degree), he's having second thoughts. Then he knows that the pay in the LTL industry is higher in most cases, so it's hard to convince him to stay out of trucking. We've taught our kids to eliminate and avoid debt at every cost, so my kids seeing the debt that they will accumulate to get their degree isn't very encouraging to them. Then they see the pathetic pay (compared to the LTL industry), and it's hard to convince them to go to college.
LTL isn't the only sector of the industry that pays well. I was in LTL for almost my entire career and recently went back to TL.
You guys are however 100% correct about the influence rubbing off on our children. I have a 7-year-old step daughter. My wife is a stay at home mom. We're not rich by any means, but we're financially stable. When we want something, we buy it. Hell, I spent $60 yesterday on a remote control helicopter simply because I saw it at Wallmart and wanted it. Also this weekend the family and I went to the state fair and spent over $200 on games and rides.
My step daughters real dad is also a truck driver. He is also doing well for himself. When she wants something, 99% of the time she gets it.
Now she's talking about wanting to drive a semi when she gets older, despite the fact that neither myself or her real dad wants her to take our path. We both would rather her go to college. And since her mom is a Navy vet, she can go to any college in Indiana for free.
And I also made the mistake of driving my new Wolfpak W9 home one day, and my step daughter fell in love with that truck. Oppsie.
You guys are however 100% correct about the influence rubbing off on our children. I have a 7-year-old step daughter. My wife is a stay at home mom. We're not rich by any means, but we're financially stable. When we want something, we buy it. Hell, I spent $60 yesterday on a remote control helicopter simply because I saw it at Wallmart and wanted it. Also this weekend the family and I went to the state fair and spent over $200 on games and rides.
My step daughters real dad is also a truck driver. He is also doing well for himself. When she wants something, 99% of the time she gets it.
Now she's talking about wanting to drive a semi when she gets older, despite the fact that neither myself or her real dad wants her to take our path. We both would rather her go to college. And since her mom is a Navy vet, she can go to any college in Indiana for free.
And I also made the mistake of driving my new Wolfpak W9 home one day, and my step daughter fell in love with that truck. Oppsie.
20_yrs_2_go
Thank god for small favors ( pic on far left )
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i have news for your son, All college degrees have classes like this and if you want to be on the lower end of a pay scale ? you have to take what some might call the unnecessary classes. Im working on my bachelors degree now since i don't want to drive until i retire The key to going to college is hooking up with a university who has the best job leads. As a parent i wouldn't encourage my kid to trust trucking as a career because it obviously doesn't have long term objectives for its employees when it comes to pay or benefits
Northern Flash
Today's Democrats are similar to Commies.
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We completely understand that, but that still doesn't make it right. And you have to pay for those worthless classes, which is a scam.
I agree completely, so I don't give him any indication that trucking is one of his options.
I'll say this about the second last sentence and you're 100% correct, I try not to think about it, but I face my fears everyday when I'm out on the road. I mean driving there's a lot going on and a lot to watch out for and even more completely out of you're control.
Pup Driver
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With the decline of the union driver all the power goes to management and management 's only concern is the bottom line .