The real question why in the last few years have the pay gone up so much and so fast. Is it at were it need to be, No, but in all my years as a driver the amount of the raise % is alot greater. Hell I remember the days of only getting a $.10 per hr raise. The last raise was well over $1. When I started here top pay in my area was $19 now it at $32. I think when I left LTL freight back in early 2003 top rate was around $15 to 16 per hr. So from 2003 to 2014 top pay only went up about $4. or on average $.36 per yr raise. Were as in the last 8yrs it went up $13 or on average $1.65 per year raise.
Now before you all gang up and want to bring up free healthcare and pension back then, you can't because the company I left had no pension and we paid into a healthcare plan just like I do when I started here.
Years ago we did more work then we do now. Hell these new driver couldn't even read a map book let alone drive a truck with a manual trans. They are leaving as fast as the schools are pumping them out. We had 2 so far come out of the XPO crash course school and quit one only was here one day after school. We have another waiting for his 6 months to be up to collect the sign on bonus then he gone.
As I look around my area more and more driving jobs are paying close to what we are. 30 to 35 per hour with NO dock, no pallet jacking freight or unloading, drop and hook, home everyday with weekends and holidays off and I sure a hell of alot of less stress. Some pay OT and other do not. Many are leaving for better working condition, better work life balance, but not so much for better pay. Right now there not one LTL carrier that's not hiring. If they want to get more and better driver then it's time to dig deep and start paying more then just an hourly rate..