NEVER Sell Yourself Short!

[Capt._Chaos]

After selling my truck recently and going out & loking for a good Company Driving job, I'm shocked at the number of drivers that some of these companies still have working for them at a lousy pay rate!

I interviewed with a company yesterday, and the gentleman I spoke with told me that he's had a hard time finding good drivers that can safely back up a truck- with a day cab! :yikes:

I told him how much experience I had, and then he asked me what my annual salary expectations were. I told him, and he said

"That would be at least $17 an hour, right?"

I replied "Yes, that's what I want, but the work I do will speak for itself in showing that it's worth it."

He then said "I'll talk with my boss about it, and try to get you in for another interview with him. I can tell you're a quality professional that we would want".

I said "Good deal! I don't intend to sound arrogant or anything- a quality driver will command a higher salary, but you will have happier customers, far less equipment & freight damage, and less turnover as well. Give him that food for thought and feel free to call me in for the next interview".

Note: This company had been starting off drivers at $11 an hour in the past. I could never work the way I do for that little bit of money. Granted the wages here in San Antonio are lower than thee national average, it has happened, in part, due to people selling themselves short, and having to compete with some from south of the border who will work for almost nothing.

[hellcat_99]

This is discusting. Happens here too.
If only drivers would stick together, then & only then would things change.

Holly :cloud9:

[Bikerboy]

Alot of local companies around here only pay $12-15. I started at $13 an hour and now i'm up to $14. Some gravel haulers only pay about $13 too.

There are some union haulers like LOBLAWS, i think they pay over $18 an hour. And the car haulers pay higher. But there all too far away, and usually run crappy trucks.

When everyone else is willing to work for cheap, makes it hard for me to get paid more. Either i get paid what there willing to pay, or don't truck. Cuz no one else will hire me yet.( STUPID INSURANCE COMPANIES) I hate them!!

But i like to truck, so I'm just waiting around till I'm older, then i should be able to find someone that will pay higher.

By then i will have 3 years expericence, and a FAST card for boarder crossing, so hopefully i can get lots of money then.

I really think it's stupid how most factory workers around here make more than i do trucking! Some of these places aren't even union and pay $14-17 to just drive forklift or work on line. The union plants pay anywhere from $20-30 an hour.

But theres no cost to have a licence, no risk of getting tickets, and no risk of getting in crashes. And no experience nessesary. Trucking has alot more risk and expenses than factory work, so why doesn't it pay higher?

[Capt._Chaos]

But i like to truck, so I'm just waiting around till I'm older, then i should be able to find someone that will pay higher.

Exactly. Get the experience behind you, and you will have a lot of options open within a few years.


By then i will have 3 years expericence, and a FAST card for boarder crossing, so hopefully i can get lots of money then.

Keep yourself "on the straight & narrow", and you'll do fine. You may not get rich in this business, but what drivers do anyway?


Trucking has alot more risk and expenses than factory work, so why doesn't it pay higher?

Not sure about how things go in Canada, but here in the United States when there's a steady stream of thousands of workers from other industries that have been displaced due to outsourcing, and Government-Funded training for them where trucking companies are paid by the Government.

Unfortunately, that keeps the wages down to where those drivers, like myself, who have many years of experience behind them, have one hell of a time finding a driving job that pays decent.

Don't get me wrong, as I'm all for new drivers coming in and being trained, but I think it should be more for replacing the older drivers who are retiring, or those who couldn't prove they were responsible enough to handle a truck safely over a period of time. I used to train new drivers many years ago, but I can tell the caliber of some people that are being hired & trained nowadays leaves a lot to be desired.

If our nation's corporate bean counters were not so big on outsourcing (which has put millions of people out of work and looking for an opportunity in other industries, including trucking), then, as a result, the economic atmosphere of the trucking industry woud be a lot better than what it is, and companies could afford to be more selective about the drivers the are hiring.

[frago]

So did you get the Job Capt?