I had a lot of nice benifits that I dident relize at the time. Like overtime pay, winter layoff w/pay,just to name afew. I drive a semi now, and I gotta drive far away, in a cement truck its 20 radius or less.
214574
My husband drive one for a living and he loves it and gets paid any time he can't work rain, snow or just slow like you said in winter. How cool is that and the benefits rock and you are correct you don't drive that far. Go for it. Plus you get to sleep in your own bed every night!!
208136
Having been miserable with a good paycheck for many years, let me tell you there is a lot to be said for feeling good about yourself and what you do all day.  Money isn't everything.  Change is good for the soul.
440625
move to Alberta, seriously normal people are making that in 6 months of work. demand for every trade, truck drivers, its like a job Mecca, even at Tim Horton's they make 15 or 16 dollars a hour.
147637
I have.... I had a rough time when I didn't make much money and couldn't make my whole payments (made partials). They totaled up the back payments and took away my license even though I kept trying to call and pay it off.... I could never get through to anyone at the local office!!  I have since payed off all of it and I'm still waiting on my license to be reactivated.  They offer little help to the few fathers who are trying to do the right thing.  By the way.... my son spends every weekends with me.... I'm not just there for financial support.
56503
On the way home one day I could feel a possible flat tire. I was just about to pull off the road a young man in the car behind me waved me to stop. He got out and told me my tire was flat and smoking! He offered to change it for me and did so, even though he was already running late to work and had been warned of lateness before. I felt so greatful to him and I certainly hope he didn't get in trouble at work!\n\n************************************************************\n\nAnother time, 2 Christmases ago, my husband had been in the Army and was over in Iraq. He had been there 10 months and Christmas was going to be sad without him. His regular job here in the States is a full-time Fire Fighter, so his co-workers here on the department brought over a ton of toys for my then 2 year old son. It sure was generous of them and a bright spot in our Christmas here! I'll never forget that! :)
483178
my ex was a trucker for 8 years and he still is... You want a company who treats you like a person and not a truck number.. Trust me on this one....get one that pays by the mile not the load... Also, martin transportaion has a place in canada and the united states. They are a decent company.....Don't ask for paid this or that as they set there pay according to experience and all trucking companies are different. Some pay for empty miles and some dont. You want one that does. Some also pay extra for shorter runs....Those are some quesitons you can ask them when you call them....a good start pay is 33-38 cents per mile....Just the biggest piece of advice i can offer is make sure your treated like a person or else you wont like it and wont stay with them,. Some large companies get so big they only know you for your tractor number.... Good luck to you
22485
The other here have good advice.\n\nThink about this. Approach a business in the trucking business that would benefit from your product. Let them front the money. They get a discount on future product and maybe you allow their brand on it. And you get to market your product to other trucking companies. WIn-win
346235
Truck Drivers, specifically "Over The Road" Truck Drivers, make about $35,000 or so that first year, and it goes up each year as the driver gains experience/time with a company. \n\nIf he is planning to own his own truck, the figures are fairly different and can fluctuate substantially, as being an "Owner Operator" is costly and demands a driver that can stay diligent in the payments of the truck. A lot of Owner Operators say it is better to be a company driver, unless you really have your ducks in a row.\n\nAlso, pay and benefits as a company driver can variate from company to company. My suggestion is he drive for J.B. Hunt (SEE: http://www.jbhunt.com/ ) or Schneider (SEE: http://www.schneider.com/ ), both pay well and are reputable companies.\n\nA solo OTR driver should drive about 10,000 miles per month, though some drivers can handle more, I have seen guys drive 14,000 per month, it's up to the individual, and his/her stamina, and diligence! :)\n\nAt a typical .30 per mile base pay, that equates to about $36,000 gross BEFORE taking into consideration other pay and benefits, such as unload pay, layover pay, extra stop pay, etc. and of course driving more than 10K miles per month, good money if you ask me, and that is just in the first year or so! :)\n\nBe prepared for a major change in your personal life to, with him being gone a lot, life can get more complicated. You two need to discuss things, and make sure you think ahead on how to deal with issues such as death in the family, bills, the children, etc. so when he is gone, things run smoothly for BOTH of you! :)\n\nFor more research about trucking pay, visit http://www.payscale.com , it is an excellent resource to help you decide which kind of trucking job to go for. Typically, a local LTL driving job will be better and pay a lot more! :)
410595
I worked for Fed Ex Air...good company to work for.  Depends what you are doing for Fed Ex Ground...trucking; unloading, service desk etc  Christmas and Valentines Day you will be chaotic.  Nothing will be good enough for any customers.  It is a bit stressful when weather situations arise and you need to explain to customers why your drivers will NOT be driving down roads that are closed by the highways dept, but they want that fudge that Aunt May sent them  :P\n\nBut...all in all I enjoyed it.
372466
Well, here is personal experience.  in 1978 I was 31 years old.  I was an R.N. and I earned $3.75 an hour.  ( When I retired last year I was making $28.00 an hour.)   Our house payment on a modest 3 bedroom house was $109.00 a month.  Gasoline was 58 cents a gallon.  I believe milk was about $1.50 a gallon.  A very nice Ford station wagon was less than $10,000.  It be great if you could check in old newspapers for ads with food and clothing prices...maybe at the library or local newspaper they could help with this.  I just can't remember any other prices, but they were proportionate to incomes of the time.  In other words, by the time I retired my income was over 12 times what it was in 1978, but prices were too.  Hope others have more info to give you.  Update:  in 1968 we bought a brand new Karman Ghia  ( little German spors car) for $3000.00.  Our landlord was rich...he bought a brand new Cadillac for $9000.00
606922
No, as a former truck driver I know that slowing down saves gas, I gained 1 mile per gallon by slowing down 7 miles per hour, just think if everybody did that, I know they would find another way to keep the prices high, but the point is it would help to go 55, it also makes a difference on driver fatigue and how 4 wheelers interact with you.
115206
I love my job!\n\nI am a truck driver, I am home every night by the time my kids get off the school bus, get paid a decent salary & am not couped up in an office all day with people I don't like & a boss who's up my butt all the time!\n\nYes, I'd recommend it to others.
435559
Yea I know its horrible.  Not looking forward to the drive home again.  I have to drive about 25 miles and about 15 of those are small country roads.  I like winter myself but hate driving in it (and obviously working)
147184
It sure does...and especially with the price of gas these days. After a while it does get old. I used to drive 45 minutes to work and another 45 minutes back. So now I work in the area I live in and trust me, what a relief it is, especially to my wallet. I now drive 10 minutes to work and 10 minutes back home, depending on traffic. Having a job closer to home is worth it!!
659422
After my company made me lay off my employees two Christmas's in a row, I decided that it was time for a change at all costs. I realized that I would never make much more than I was making at my company and that the sacrifices I was making to be in my position were no longer worth it. It was the best decision that I ever made!
466827
I worked for Chrysler. I saw many changes and learned a few things in those years.  As time passed, the company learned that the more inventory they had in transit (being hauled to the assembly plants) the more money they had invested in that inventory and the less it had in investments earning interest.\nSo was born the "Just in time" delivery system. Fewer trains were used, (they are slow) more semi-trucks were used. (They are faster) That meant fewer goods were in transit and more cash was in the bank earning money.\nThe problem was that with just in time delivery,  if a storm or other unforeseen emergency arose the "just in time" didn't make it in time and some assembly plants would be full of people but the assembly line was not moving due to a critical shortage.  That situation was on the assembly side.\n\nNow to look at the delivery side. \nIf Chrysler had too many vehicles sitting on lots, there was a lot of money tied up in the merchandise waiting for buyers and less money in the bank to use as needed by the company. But, if the company didn't have those vehicles on the lots they couldn't deliver them to the customers should the market for new autos suddenly increase. As with declining interest rates, or incentives.\n\nSo, the whole thing is a balancing act. Don't have too much inventory that will hinder the ability to stay flexible but yet have enough inventory to please the customers.\n\n\nBetter to have just enough inventory to fulfill demand.\nToo much inventory takes money out of the bank/savings/investments and leaves too little for other projects of the business.
428989
I took  a voluntary redundancy package three years ago,at my meeting i was informed of the sum payable and date,the holiday entitlement creased,you'll be able to collect your belongings and have a party I received my company pension at the end of the following month and paid monthly,I was really ready to finish my working life when offered the package,.at first the newness of not going out to work was exciting after three years i find it a little boring at times,I don't get any state help and I'm expected to live off my pension and lump sum,I think that on the whole at the age you say you are don't turn it down you'll soon find plenty to do and make new friendships