BMT Forum Bot Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Every time a driver shortage looms, speakers at industry meetings talk about the fact that drivers aren't paid enough. Last month's American Trucking Associations Management Conference and Exhibition was no exception.View the full article Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
vision386 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 My guess would be poorly? contrary to the governments and trucking companies opinion,there is only a shortage of GOOD drivers! ATA's been "debating" the underpaid driver question for longer than i have been a truckdriver (34+ years) conferences,meetings,hearings and yet NOTHING ever gets done! havent been any major/significant changes in driver pay and working conditions in decades,and i doubt there ever will be! drivers are sometimes their own worst enemy,hell, most days you cant get 2 drivers to agree on what day of the week it is! only when shippers and consignees are held partially responsible for delays/excess waiting time etc.will things improve,and that will never happen! most companies charge delay time (after 2 hours) but the driver may be lucky to see $10-20 for 4-12+ hours waiting time,and still be expected to make the next days delivery on time. Some "big" trucking companies rate of pay is so low you'd have to run 4-5000 miles a week to make any money,which of course CANNOT be done legally (by a single driver) so theres the "catch22" time you figure in meals,expenses,etc it does'nt take an accountant to figure out how far you're in the shitter at the end of the week!..............................Mark Quote Mack Truck literate. Computer illiterate. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90676 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCR Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 What is the per mile rate that an owner operator with his own authority should be charging? I'm sure there are different figures; I'm curious as to the range.Denny Quote Denny330-550-6020A "Mack Pack" Charter Member Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90680 Share on other sites More sharing options...
storkmack Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 You are preachin' to the choir Vision 386. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90689 Share on other sites More sharing options...
vision386 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 You are preachin' to the choir Vision 386. Yeah i know,LOL! but this shit bothers me,and this has become one of my favorite places to "vent"...........................................Mark Quote Mack Truck literate. Computer illiterate. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90708 Share on other sites More sharing options...
vision386 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 What is the per mile rate that an owner operator with his own authority should be charging? I'm sure there are different figures; I'm curious as to the range.Denny Too many variables to give a generic quote,ie: type of freight hauled,LTL/truckload,region,seasonal etc. a man with a payment,mortgage,etc. cant really break even at anything much under $2.00 a loaded mile.................................Mark Quote Mack Truck literate. Computer illiterate. Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90709 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCR Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Thanks Mark. I knew it would not be a "one size fits all" answer with so many variables involved. I'm curious and I appreciate you response. Quote Denny330-550-6020A "Mack Pack" Charter Member Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90713 Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyRebel Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 My guess would be poorly? contrary to the governments and trucking companies opinion,there is only a shortage of GOOD drivers! ATA's been "debating" the underpaid driver question for longer than i have been a truckdriver (34+ years) conferences,meetings,hearings and yet NOTHING ever gets done! havent been any major/significant changes in driver pay and working conditions in decades,and i doubt there ever will be! drivers are sometimes their own worst enemy,hell, most days you cant get 2 drivers to agree on what day of the week it is! only when shippers and consignees are held partially responsible for delays/excess waiting time etc.will things improve,and that will never happen! most companies charge delay time (after 2 hours) but the driver may be lucky to see $10-20 for 4-12+ hours waiting time,and still be expected to make the next days delivery on time. Some "big" trucking companies rate of pay is so low you'd have to run 4-5000 miles a week to make any money,which of course CANNOT be done legally (by a single driver) so theres the "catch22" time you figure in meals,expenses,etc it does'nt take an accountant to figure out how far you're in the shitter at the end of the week!..............................MarkOne has to wonder how many of the recent driver salary increases were ate up having to buy more expensive trucks with all that EPA mandated crap built in? Seriously...$10-15K extra per truck, at a company that replaces their trucks every 3-5 years...that's anywhere between $2000 ($10K/5 years) and $5000 ($15K/3 years) that COULD have been applied in whole or in part to driver salary increases. If the driver earns $40K per year, the EPA induced truck price increase ate up a potential 5-10% pay increase.What is the per mile rate that an owner operator with his own authority should be charging? I'm sure there are different figures; I'm curious as to the range.DennyAs much as he can get the shipper or broker to agree to, but never any less than his cost to operate his truck (fuel, maintenance, repairs, driver salary, insurance, tags, permits, etc...) Quote When approaching a 4-way stop, the vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90719 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lmackattack Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I remember 15 years ago 2.00 a mile was good. It paid fuel,tags ,plates and maintaince, with profit left over so you could own a home and see weekends... Now I see rates as low as 1.30 or team rates at 40 cpm. Fast forward to today where truck price,Fuel, tags and insurance has doubled. Yet the blind new drivers keep marching in to the slaughter house Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90734 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bollweevil Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 What is the per mile rate that an owner operator with his own authority should be charging? I'm sure there are different figures; I'm curious as to the range.Denny If you figure in the actual cost to keep the truck running an average of 120,000 miles per year it will be close to or higher than a buck a mile. That does not account for personal expense at all. Truck and trailer payments not included either. Another thing, loaded or empty the operating cost is virtually the same. The overwhelming difference, no revenue. In today's climate, I wonder why anyone wants a truck. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90751 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearheadGrrrl Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 There's no driver shortage, only a pay shortage. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/21561-how-we-pay-drivers/#findComment-90757 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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