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Link Posted: 1/27/2019 6:59:14 PM EDT
[#1]
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Do all the trades at once, become a farmer.  I have class a cdl, can weld about anything, know how to electrical wire, plumbing, fertilizer technician, animal husbandry, dual college degrees and called FSA on arfcom.
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If I were to punch your zip code into the Environmental Working Group farm subsidy website,  am I going to see your name in the top 10 of subsidy recipients for your zip code/county?
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 7:20:56 PM EDT
[#2]
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Another leftist crusader full of shit, shocking I tell you.

BTW from what I understand, rail could haul a lot more overland freight but is prevented from doing so by law.
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What law prevents shipping by rail?
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 7:26:41 PM EDT
[#3]
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That is the fault of the cocksucker in the right lane. He can get off the throttle for 15 seconds and let me pass.
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I'm 100% behind the idea of autonomous trucks if they can be programmed to avoid blocking the fast lane for 30 min. at a stretch by trying to pass another truck going 1 mph slower.
That is the fault of the cocksucker in the right lane. He can get off the throttle for 15 seconds and let me pass.
If you're really a driver, you know why the right lane truck can't.
Why should they double the time to climb that hill?
That 15 seconds, means he has to drop a couple of gears.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 7:30:19 PM EDT
[#4]
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The Australians get a lot of things wrong.

One of the things they get right is now they define middle class. You must own your home. No mortgages.
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Then 87% of Americans aren't middle class.
Even if they're in the top 10%.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 7:39:53 PM EDT
[#5]
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Lower class is anyone who has to answer to a boss imo.

Middle class are your working business owners

Upper class is the filthy rich.

It's not about the money made, it's about being able to be the boss, to have an affluent status.
You can make 1 million a year and still be a slave, and no one gives a shit about you or your opinion, because you're a slave, a nobody.

If you own your own business people will treat you differently.

If you're "fuck you money" rich, people will treat you differently to an even greater degree.
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So you are lower class if you aren't the boss?  I have a neurosurgeon friend that might disagree with you. I also have a daughter that is a nurse-anesthetist. She owns her own home, drives a Jaguar, just renewed her contract for $170K a year. She is definitely not a boss, has to take orders from a MD. She is definitely not lower class.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 7:42:00 PM EDT
[#6]
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Some Cold War era policy regulating freight. Don't know the details but saw a interview with the head of BNSF and he cited it as a limiting factor to rail freight
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What law is that?
Some Cold War era policy regulating freight. Don't know the details but saw a interview with the head of BNSF and he cited it as a limiting factor to rail freight
Sounds like BS. Before Clinton deregulated trucking. Anything shipped from someplace that had a railhead to another railhead, was priced at rail rate. Which was lower than truck rate under ICC regulations.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 7:43:55 PM EDT
[#7]
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I'm 100% behind the idea of autonomous trucks if they can be programmed to avoid blocking the fast lane for 30 min. at a stretch by trying to pass another truck going 1 mph slower.
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Ding ding ding
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 7:54:43 PM EDT
[#8]
Need to specialize if you're going to drive a truck. Like another poster said about his last years income, I also broke six figures as a company driver.

Link Posted: 1/27/2019 9:50:38 PM EDT
[#9]
Here is George Carlin's take on economic class here in the U.S.:

George sums up class structure and the purpose media of divisiveness


I guess I am just working class.  

I only made $150K last year, but I had to work 630 hours of OT to get there.

Link Posted: 1/27/2019 10:16:05 PM EDT
[#10]
Trucking is a long way from autonomous.

We can’t even get a driverless sedan operating correctly.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 10:22:58 PM EDT
[#11]
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Sounds like BS. Before Clinton deregulated trucking. Anything shipped from someplace that had a railhead to another railhead, was priced at rail rate. Which was lower than truck rate under ICC regulations.
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Honestly don't know, but the guy was saying BNSF could double it's rail traffic if allowed. Again just going on what the guy said.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 11:13:21 PM EDT
[#12]
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 11:14:11 PM EDT
[#13]
We have a huge shortage for truckers not only nationwide, but worldwide

This guy has nothing to be afraid of for the next 20 years
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 11:27:46 PM EDT
[#14]
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My CDL has been very good to me, I've made a hell of a lot more money than I ever did in the Navy. Specialized trucking is the way to go.

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/119852/IMG-20170202-134336557-140980.jpg
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For us idiots, what is specialized trucking?

All I know is trucks like to block traffic when I want to pass
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 11:32:26 PM EDT
[#15]
Boo Hoo..... Government is no longer in charge of freight rates and the answer to the trucking crisis is we need more unions and more Government.

Fuck off. PBS.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 11:38:59 PM EDT
[#16]
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For us idiots, what is specialized trucking?
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My CDL has been very good to me, I've made a hell of a lot more money than I ever did in the Navy. Specialized trucking is the way to go.

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/119852/IMG-20170202-134336557-140980.jpg
For us idiots, what is specialized trucking?
its like the Navy Seals of truck driving.  Obtain skills and special endorsements to haul oversized or hazardous   freight. pay is much higher.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 11:45:02 PM EDT
[#17]
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For us idiots, what is specialized trucking?

All I know is trucks like to block traffic when I want to pass
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Specialized trucking is any thing other than your standard over the road dry freight/refrigerated freight. Hazardous materials, liquids, compressed gasses, oversized/overweight loads are considered specialized trucking (as well as a bunch of other stuff). It requires more training, experience and skill than your average freight hauler so the pay rates reflect.

I specialize in moving cranes and oversized/over weight loads.

Some of my work:
Drag Line Rev Frame Section - Platform Trailer


372,000 lb Transformer Project - Energy Crane & Rigging
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 11:55:54 PM EDT
[#18]
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Specialized trucking is any thing other than your standard over the road dry freight/refrigerated freight. Hazardous materials, liquids, compressed gasses, oversized/overweight loads are considered specialized trucking (as well as a bunch of other stuff). It requires more training, experience and skill than your average freight hauler so the pay rates reflect.

I specialize in moving cranes and oversized/over weight loads.

Some of my work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7zjU_PME9I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oifauUxi0t0
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Well, those moves are a few bucks a foot...

Edit

I run about 100 tanker trucks.  Straight and tractor trailer.
Link Posted: 1/27/2019 11:55:57 PM EDT
[#19]
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Quoted:
Specialized trucking is any thing other than your standard over the road dry freight/refrigerated freight. Hazardous materials, liquids, compressed gasses, oversized/overweight loads are considered specialized trucking (as well as a bunch of other stuff). It requires more training, experience and skill than your average freight hauler so the pay rates reflect.

I specialize in moving cranes and oversized/over weight loads.

Some of my work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7zjU_PME9I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oifauUxi0t0
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How do you break into something like that?

I’ve looked at the local community college truck driving school a few times, but I always got cold feet after seeing the companies that recruit.

My luck is I’ll get stuck driving for some shit company and want to die.

Do you have to spend a year or two at some place like TMC before you can move on to something else?
Link Posted: 1/28/2019 12:01:39 AM EDT
[#20]
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How do you break into something like that?

I’ve looked at the local community college truck driving school a few times, but I always got cold feet after seeing the companies that recruit.

My luck is I’ll get stuck driving for some shit company and want to die.

Do you have to spend a year or two at some place like TMC before you can move on to something else?
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Specialized trucking is any thing other than your standard over the road dry freight/refrigerated freight. Hazardous materials, liquids, compressed gasses, oversized/overweight loads are considered specialized trucking (as well as a bunch of other stuff). It requires more training, experience and skill than your average freight hauler so the pay rates reflect.

I specialize in moving cranes and oversized/over weight loads.

Some of my work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7zjU_PME9I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oifauUxi0t0
How do you break into something like that?

I’ve looked at the local community college truck driving school a few times, but I always got cold feet after seeing the companies that recruit.

My luck is I’ll get stuck driving for some shit company and want to die.

Do you have to spend a year or two at some place like TMC before you can move on to something else?
No.

I hire right out of truck driving school.

Getting your hazmat out of the gate, is key.

Turn over is typically pretty low in specialized freight. Whether it's tanker, over sized, etc.  However with *good* driver shortage right now, if you have a CDL with hazmat you can pretty much pick your way.

My last few turn overs:

Outside of work injury. (Guy had a farm. Incident there.)
Left to be owner operator.
Oil field guy, wanted to work 90 hours a week, yadda yadda yadda yadda, stopped showing up to work after 9 days.
Showed up to work 4 out of 10 days before he was dismissed
Left to be owner operator
Left to join county road crew.  Daughter was disabled - county has better pension / time off / hours for that.
Left because he hated dispatcher. (Dispatcher has since been let go)
And then we lost alot to the oil field before that.  They were taking my guys and paying $25-35 an hour to haul water and such.

Over sized / over weight is a different game than tanker.  I can't comment on that.
Link Posted: 1/28/2019 12:06:38 AM EDT
[#21]
Its still possible for truckers to break six figures.

If they are smart and live a frugal life style and are able to invest 50%+ of their income they can retire early.

If they really went all in they could not own a car, not own a home, and just live out of their truck, possibly saving as much as 90% of their after tax income they could easily retire in 10 years or less. Start working at 18, be retired before 30. Could work part time doing something you love after that, like 20 hours a week just for some fun money and health insurance benefits.
Link Posted: 1/28/2019 12:35:30 AM EDT
[#22]
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How do you break into something like that?

I've looked at the local community college truck driving school a few times, but I always got cold feet after seeing the companies that recruit.

My luck is I'll get stuck driving for some shit company and want to die.

Do you have to spend a year or two at some place like TMC before you can move on to something else?
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A little luck, a little networking, a little timing and whole lot of try.

I retired after 20 years in the Navy, moved to Michigan and built my retirement home right as the economy in Michigan came crashing down. I spent a couple of years building my home and struggling to find any work in the NW part of Michigan. I finally got my CDL and went to work OTR for Stevens pulling refrigerated trailers. It sucked, the pay was crap, they treat their drivers like crap and I was never home.

I was a Construction Mechanic in the Navy Seabees so I worked on heavy equipment, drove semi trucks, operated heavy equipment, learned how to run cranes as well as a bunch of other weird stuff like boats, amphibious trucks and loading/unloading ships and aircraft.

Through family I heard of a Crane/Heavy Haul company in Wyoming that was looking for drivers, they trained within and just wanted hard workers that would stick with the job. I moved to Wyoming and started as a counter weight hauler and crane rigger. I worked my ass off and after 6 months stated moving more oversized loads. After 1 1/2 years I got training on a Scheuerle hydraulic platform trailer (the one in the videos) and 13 axle trailers and other specialized heavy haul trailers. Through attrition and a lot of hard work I moved up through the ranks, after 6 years I was one of the top heavy haul drivers in the company. The same company trained me and paid for my NCCCO crane certification, so now I drive and also run cranes part time.
Link Posted: 1/28/2019 1:03:17 AM EDT
[#23]
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How do you break into something like that?
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Worst thing to do is get a CDL and drive for one of the big freight companies, the pay sucks, they treat their drivers like shit and you'll burn out quickly. CDL schools will usually try push you into one of those type of jobs.

There's a bunch of smaller trucking companies that are willing to train a new driver. Many are just looking for someone that bathes regularly, shows up for work on time, can pass a piss test, won't tear up the equipment and is willing to work hard and learn. Crane companies that train within are almost always short of drivers, everyone wants to move up to running cranes and drivers usually are doing grunt work and rigging when they aren't driving, most steering wheel holders don't want to do that kind of work.

Best advice is get you CDL and max out every endorsement, a new CDL holder that takes the extra effort to get all the endorsements will get a few more doors open to them. Even though my company doesn't haul tankers or hazmat I still have the endorsements. Start looking at the company names on the trucks you see doing the kind of work you want to do, contact them, drop a resume see if they bite.

I see dog tags in your profile. Military service can also open up some doors. I was lucky and my .gov job gave me some prior experience before going commercial. Regardless of your MOS being prior military tells a company that you can dedicate to something, you have some discipline and work ethics, you're trainable and have successfully dealt with hard/stressful situations. This alone puts you ahead of many other applicants.
Link Posted: 1/28/2019 1:43:37 AM EDT
[#24]
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Lower class is anyone who has to answer to a boss imo.

Middle class are your working business owners

Upper class is the filthy rich.

It's not about the money made, it's about being able to be the boss, to have an affluent status.
You can make 1 million a year and still be a slave, and no one gives a shit about you or your opinion, because you're a slave, a nobody.

If you own your own business people will treat you differently.

If you're "fuck you money" rich, people will treat you differently to an even greater degree.
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Most working class (also referred to as low class or poor) people in America falsely think they are actually middle class.

An easy way I define it.

Poor: has nothing.

Working class: depends solely on work, and can't save.

Middle class: depends on work and some assets, and can save.

Upper class: doesn't depend on work due to large assets (passive income).
Then there are a whole lot of Americans who are working class, that choose to drive fancy cars and live in expensive homes; rather than move up a class.
Lower class is anyone who has to answer to a boss imo.

Middle class are your working business owners

Upper class is the filthy rich.

It's not about the money made, it's about being able to be the boss, to have an affluent status.
You can make 1 million a year and still be a slave, and no one gives a shit about you or your opinion, because you're a slave, a nobody.

If you own your own business people will treat you differently.

If you're "fuck you money" rich, people will treat you differently to an even greater degree.
I wouldn't pretend to be middle class but when I went self employed instead of getting a steady paycheck people started treating me very differently.

I am also able to save and own my home free and clear but it's all very modest, definitely not what you think when you think of middle class.
Link Posted: 1/28/2019 3:26:51 PM EDT
[#25]
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So you are lower class if you aren't the boss?  I have a neurosurgeon friend that might disagree with you. I also have a daughter that is a nurse-anesthetist. She owns her own home, drives a Jaguar, just renewed her contract for $170K a year. She is definitely not a boss, has to take orders from a MD. She is definitely not lower class.
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Quoted:

Lower class is anyone who has to answer to a boss imo.

Middle class are your working business owners

Upper class is the filthy rich.

It's not about the money made, it's about being able to be the boss, to have an affluent status.
You can make 1 million a year and still be a slave, and no one gives a shit about you or your opinion, because you're a slave, a nobody.

If you own your own business people will treat you differently.

If you're "fuck you money" rich, people will treat you differently to an even greater degree.
So you are lower class if you aren't the boss?  I have a neurosurgeon friend that might disagree with you. I also have a daughter that is a nurse-anesthetist. She owns her own home, drives a Jaguar, just renewed her contract for $170K a year. She is definitely not a boss, has to take orders from a MD. She is definitely not lower class.
It's not about money or stuff owned. It's about status.
If I am the doctor, and own those people, I will he treated differently at a party than those who work for me.
Link Posted: 1/28/2019 4:16:23 PM EDT
[#26]
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We're still a long way from driverless trucks.
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HeHe.  About 7-10 years.  And they'll be electric.  That'll really blow your mind.

All they need is infrastructure terminals right on major interstates no more than 500-700 miles apart.  Stop, unload, charge, reload and hit the road.
Link Posted: 1/28/2019 4:23:24 PM EDT
[#27]
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Worst thing to do is get a CDL and drive for one of the big freight companies, the pay sucks, they treat their drivers like shit and you'll burn out quickly. CDL schools will usually try push you into one of those type of jobs.

There's a bunch of smaller trucking companies that are willing to train a new driver. Many are just looking for someone that bathes regularly, shows up for work on time, can pass a piss test, won't tear up the equipment and is willing to work hard and learn. Crane companies that train within are almost always short of drivers, everyone wants to move up to running cranes and drivers usually are doing grunt work and rigging when they aren't driving, most steering wheel holders don't want to do that kind of work.

Best advice is get you CDL and max out every endorsement, a new CDL holder that takes the extra effort to get all the endorsements will get a few more doors open to them. Even though my company doesn't haul tankers or hazmat I still have the endorsements. Start looking at the company names on the trucks you see doing the kind of work you want to do, contact them, drop a resume see if they bite.

I see dog tags in your profile. Military service can also open up some doors. I was lucky and my .gov job gave me some prior experience before going commercial. Regardless of your MOS being prior military tells a company that you can dedicate to something, you have some discipline and work ethics, you're trainable and have successfully dealt with hard/stressful situations. This alone puts you ahead of many other applicants.
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What about ABF Freight?
Link Posted: 1/29/2019 12:28:53 AM EDT
[#28]
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What about ABF Freight?
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Quoted:

Worst thing to do is get a CDL and drive for one of the big freight companies, the pay sucks, they treat their drivers like shit and you'll burn out quickly. CDL schools will usually try push you into one of those type of jobs.

There's a bunch of smaller trucking companies that are willing to train a new driver. Many are just looking for someone that bathes regularly, shows up for work on time, can pass a piss test, won't tear up the equipment and is willing to work hard and learn. Crane companies that train within are almost always short of drivers, everyone wants to move up to running cranes and drivers usually are doing grunt work and rigging when they aren't driving, most steering wheel holders don't want to do that kind of work.

Best advice is get you CDL and max out every endorsement, a new CDL holder that takes the extra effort to get all the endorsements will get a few more doors open to them. Even though my company doesn't haul tankers or hazmat I still have the endorsements. Start looking at the company names on the trucks you see doing the kind of work you want to do, contact them, drop a resume see if they bite.

I see dog tags in your profile. Military service can also open up some doors. I was lucky and my .gov job gave me some prior experience before going commercial. Regardless of your MOS being prior military tells a company that you can dedicate to something, you have some discipline and work ethics, you're trainable and have successfully dealt with hard/stressful situations. This alone puts you ahead of many other applicants.
What about ABF Freight?
Is ABF still union?
Link Posted: 1/29/2019 1:09:41 AM EDT
[#29]
Link Posted: 1/29/2019 1:11:53 AM EDT
[#30]
Link Posted: 1/29/2019 11:35:35 AM EDT
[#31]
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Is ABF still union?
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They are and I think they are the only one.  Maybe one other?  Friend has driven for them for 20 years.
Link Posted: 1/29/2019 11:54:21 AM EDT
[#32]
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When was truck driving ever middle class, seems solidly working class to me.
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^^^This and driverless trucks LOL, maybe in 20 years.
Link Posted: 1/30/2019 12:29:15 PM EDT
[#33]
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This exactly.  The college for everyone push has hurt the country.
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I have a friend who drives for FedEx freight.  We've been friends for almost 40 years and graduated in the same class at the same school.  We both started the same college.  He dropped out in the 2nd quarter of college and started driving a truck.  I kept going, graduated, and have worked hard for 26 years in IT.

Since then, I've taken two pay cuts (one 15%) and have had crappy raises for the last 10 years.  In 2016, I had to start over in my field by taking a job that I could have gotten right after college if I had wanted to.  My friend, who dropped out of college, has seen his salary steadily increase and now makes about $30K more than I do while driving a truck.

I'm really starting to think that I was the chump for going to college.....
Link Posted: 1/30/2019 2:37:23 PM EDT
[#34]
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I have a friend who drives for FedEx freight.  We've been friends for almost 40 years and graduated in the same class at the same school.  We both started the same college.  He dropped out in the 2nd quarter of college and started driving a truck.  I kept going, graduated, and have worked hard for 26 years in IT.

Since then, I've taken two pay cuts (one 15%) and have had crappy raises for the last 10 years.  In 2016, I had to start over in my field by taking a job that I could have gotten right after college if I had wanted to.  My friend, who dropped out of college, has seen his salary steadily increase and now makes about $30K more than I do while driving a truck.

I'm really starting to think that I was the chump for going to college.....
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Toss in a metric shit ton of student loan debt and that's a no-brainer.  Lots of good jobs, money and benefits in trades and blue collar.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 5:57:15 AM EDT
[#35]
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I have a friend who drives for FedEx freight.  We've been friends for almost 40 years and graduated in the same class at the same school.  We both started the same college.  He dropped out in the 2nd quarter of college and started driving a truck.  I kept going, graduated, and have worked hard for 26 years in IT.

Since then, I've taken two pay cuts (one 15%) and have had crappy raises for the last 10 years.  In 2016, I had to start over in my field by taking a job that I could have gotten right after college if I had wanted to.  My friend, who dropped out of college, has seen his salary steadily increase and now makes about $30K more than I do while driving a truck.

I'm really starting to think that I was the chump for going to college.....
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This exactly.  The college for everyone push has hurt the country.
I have a friend who drives for FedEx freight.  We've been friends for almost 40 years and graduated in the same class at the same school.  We both started the same college.  He dropped out in the 2nd quarter of college and started driving a truck.  I kept going, graduated, and have worked hard for 26 years in IT.

Since then, I've taken two pay cuts (one 15%) and have had crappy raises for the last 10 years.  In 2016, I had to start over in my field by taking a job that I could have gotten right after college if I had wanted to.  My friend, who dropped out of college, has seen his salary steadily increase and now makes about $30K more than I do while driving a truck.

I'm really starting to think that I was the chump for going to college.....
If he drives for Fedex freight then he is making about $1800 a week plus awesome benefits.   He could be making more than that but thats probably about average depending on market.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 7:05:25 AM EDT
[#36]
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If he drives for Fedex freight then he is making about $1800 a week plus awesome benefits.   He could be making more than that but thats probably about average depending on market.
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This exactly.  The college for everyone push has hurt the country.
I have a friend who drives for FedEx freight.  We've been friends for almost 40 years and graduated in the same class at the same school.  We both started the same college.  He dropped out in the 2nd quarter of college and started driving a truck.  I kept going, graduated, and have worked hard for 26 years in IT.

Since then, I've taken two pay cuts (one 15%) and have had crappy raises for the last 10 years.  In 2016, I had to start over in my field by taking a job that I could have gotten right after college if I had wanted to.  My friend, who dropped out of college, has seen his salary steadily increase and now makes about $30K more than I do while driving a truck.

I'm really starting to think that I was the chump for going to college.....
If he drives for Fedex freight then he is making about $1800 a week plus awesome benefits.   He could be making more than that but thats probably about average depending on market.
I have an interview tomorrow for a local driver position with FedEx, so wish me luck.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 7:12:18 AM EDT
[#37]
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We're still a long way from driverless trucks.
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This, I drive dump truck and there's no way in hell it's taking my job over anytime soon...
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 7:38:53 AM EDT
[#38]
I interact with truckers daily. There is definitely a lower social (seperate from economic) class elements in trucking. Inkies, Poor hygenie, filthy trucks, dirty/stained white trash clothing choices, sloppy fat, obvious poor dental hygenie. I caught a driver taking a bird bath in the one sink in the bathroom. This isn’t all truckers. But the guys presenting themselves more professionally are more of a rarity than the norm. But alas I am a serf that makes $87k per year in hazmat/occupational safety.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 8:02:14 AM EDT
[#39]
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I think it’s similar to other fields such as manufacturing, welding, etc. Beginning in the 1980’s, “Society” deemed it to be an undesirable career for uneducated low achievers and it was represented as such. It was the dead-end hell that the movie protagonists were trying to escape. Everyone had to go to college so they could work in an office and not get their hands dirty.
Fast forward a generation, and here we are. Baristas with PhD’s and skilled trades desperate for anyone with a pulse.
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The wife used to spend summers preparing kids for College that shouldn't have even been graduating high school.

I have tons of respect for the trades and feel that I would have been more fulfilled being a mechanic than an IT monkey. Hell, after 4 college degrees my plumber neighbor takes home more than I do.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 8:27:06 AM EDT
[#40]
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Quoted:
I interact with truckers daily. There is definitely a lower social (seperate from economic) class elements in trucking. Inkies, Poor hygenie, filthy trucks, dirty/stained white trash clothing choices, sloppy fat, obvious poor dental hygenie. I caught a driver taking a bird bath in the one sink in the bathroom. This isn't all truckers. But the guys presenting themselves more professionally are more of a rarity than the norm. But alas I am a serf that makes $87k per year in hazmat/occupational safety.
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It's precisely this reason why I don't introduce myself as a "truck driver.". I'm a Carhauler... For the best outfit in the industry.

And I'm among the best where I am.  5 out of 5 rating- Quality, safety, productivity, everything.  I just got my jacket this week.

Attachment Attached File
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 8:32:52 AM EDT
[#41]
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 8:46:39 AM EDT
[#42]
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It's precisely this reason why I don't introduce myself as a "truck driver.". I'm a Carhauler... For the best outfit in the industry.

And I'm among the best where I am.  5 out of 5 rating- Quality, safety, productivity, everything.  I just got my jacket this week.

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/69748/IMG_20190128_142126_jpg-827875.JPG
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Got a bunch of 5 year safe driving patches that I haven't sown on to anything yet, along with a $30k+ (before taxes) bonus. Was easy enough to get; do your job the way the company wants, no tickets, no violations, no write-ups, easy peasy. Working on getting my 10 year bonus which will be even bigger.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 8:50:21 AM EDT
[#43]
He's doing a job where the vast majority of his peers completely hate their job and are not all that long from being replaced by a computer.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 8:58:06 AM EDT
[#44]
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Walmart is starting to hire drivers at $90k a year, but if minimum wage is $15 an hr and you work 70 hrs a week, can you be a retard still? Yes you can.
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I'm not up on the current regs, but there are limits to how much you can work and a lower limit of how much you can drive.  I want to say it is 60 hours a week.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 9:10:04 AM EDT
[#45]
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I have an interview tomorrow for a local driver position with FedEx, so wish me luck.
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This exactly.  The college for everyone push has hurt the country.
I have a friend who drives for FedEx freight.  We've been friends for almost 40 years and graduated in the same class at the same school.  We both started the same college.  He dropped out in the 2nd quarter of college and started driving a truck.  I kept going, graduated, and have worked hard for 26 years in IT.

Since then, I've taken two pay cuts (one 15%) and have had crappy raises for the last 10 years.  In 2016, I had to start over in my field by taking a job that I could have gotten right after college if I had wanted to.  My friend, who dropped out of college, has seen his salary steadily increase and now makes about $30K more than I do while driving a truck.

I'm really starting to think that I was the chump for going to college.....
If he drives for Fedex freight then he is making about $1800 a week plus awesome benefits.   He could be making more than that but thats probably about average depending on market.
I have an interview tomorrow for a local driver position with FedEx, so wish me luck.
Good luck, I'm going to apply there when I get my Haz-Mat
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 9:19:27 AM EDT
[#46]
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Quoted:
I'm not up on the current regs, but there are limits to how much you can work and a lower limit of how much you can drive.  I want to say it is 60 hours a week.
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Quoted:
Walmart is starting to hire drivers at $90k a year, but if minimum wage is $15 an hr and you work 70 hrs a week, can you be a retard still? Yes you can.
I'm not up on the current regs, but there are limits to how much you can work and a lower limit of how much you can drive.  I want to say it is 60 hours a week.
Most drivers are 70hrs a week, 11hrs able to be on-duty drive status a day, 14hrs to be on-duty status a day. There is an special rule we can use, which allows us to go up to 16hrs one day, once per week. But that is only used if we get stuck somewhere because of an accident, weather, etc. But it doesn't add on to your 11hr drive time. So if I hit up central Wyoming (about 3.5hrs driving, and maybe 4.5hrs on-duty) and I-80 closes for a few hours. I could be sitting out there for about 8 hours then start driving back and once my clock hits 14hrs, the computer recalculates my drive and on-duty time, giving me enough time (as long as I didn't exceed 11hrs driving) to make it back home, or to a hotel (Day Cabs)

For us (specifically my guys) to burn through 70 hours in a typical 5 day work work, something went way wrong. We usually work about 45-55 hours or so.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 9:22:19 AM EDT
[#47]
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Got a bunch of 5 year safe driving patches that I haven't sown on to anything yet, along with a $30k+ (before taxes) bonus. Was easy enough to get; do your job the way the company wants, no tickets, no violations, no write-ups, easy peasy. Working on getting my 10 year bonus which will be even bigger.
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Rock on, driver
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 9:23:05 AM EDT
[#48]
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All of the following info was stolen from Google.
Middle-class income is between 67 percent and 200 percent of the average median income. In 2016, middle-income households earned between $45,200 and $135,600 a year.

Student truck drivers earn $41,000 a year on average. CDL truck drivers can expect to earn $66,000 a year on average. OTR CDL truck drivers earn the most, with salaries averaging $82,000 a year. Team truck drivers earn an average of $71,000 each per year.
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Quoted:
All of the following info was stolen from Google.
Middle-class income is between 67 percent and 200 percent of the average median income. In 2016, middle-income households earned between $45,200 and $135,600 a year.

Student truck drivers earn $41,000 a year on average. CDL truck drivers can expect to earn $66,000 a year on average. OTR CDL truck drivers earn the most, with salaries averaging $82,000 a year. Team truck drivers earn an average of $71,000 each per year.
I'm not sure how much is you and how much is where you are copying the data. But...

All of these are sometimes called "average". Most people are referring to the mean when they say "average".

Mean - the average (add the numbers together and divide by the number of numbers)
Median - the middle number (string all the ordered numbers together and take the one in the middle)
Mode - the most common number (count how many of each number occur and report the most common)

You really want all three numbers, along with min and max to get a realistic feel for the data.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-fair-society/201111/how-lie-statistics
Let's take a brief look at some of the many other kinds of statistical gamesmanship. One of the most common and well-known tricks could be called the magic of averages. Anyone with a basic knowledge of statistics knows that averages come in three different forms—mean, median, and mode. Thus, in the year 2000 the mean family income in the U.S. (total income divided by the number of families) was a respectable $45,000. But if we look at the median income (the mid-point between the highest and lowest), it was a less impressive $33,000. And if we look at the mode, where the largest number of family incomes was concentrated, it was an anemic $22,000.  Moreover, all of these averages mask the extreme distribution of wealth and poverty in the U.S. In 2006, the bottom quintile (20 percent of the households) earned less than $19,178. The top quintile earned more than $91,705.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 9:29:47 AM EDT
[#49]
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Quoted:
This exactly.  The college for everyone push has hurt the country.
View Quote View All Quotes
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
I think it’s similar to other fields such as manufacturing, welding, etc. Beginning in the 1980’s, “Society” deemed it to be an undesirable career for uneducated low achievers and it was represented as such. It was the dead-end hell that the movie protagonists were trying to escape. Everyone had to go to college so they could work in an office and not get their hands dirty.
Fast forward a generation, and here we are. Baristas with PhD’s and skilled trades desperate for anyone with a pulse.
This exactly.  The college for everyone push has hurt the country.
So has the trades being stuck in the dark ages. Unless you're willing to work for crap wages for years or decades, the trades aren't worth it if you can get a decent paying white collar job. It certainly doesn't look like the trades are hurting for employees, from the outside.

Similar applies to white collar compare to government jobs. Two waitress sisters I know became school teachers after getting their college degrees. The one who graduated first left a bank "executive" program and went back to waitressing until her sister graduated, because she was making more money as a waitress. And would still make more as a public school teacher in Texas.

Yes, there are exceptions to the above. But the general rule appears to hold. It also factors in a work-life balance. Working 70+ hours a week to make almost what I make doing 40 hours a week wouldn't make sense.
Link Posted: 1/31/2019 9:36:21 AM EDT
[#50]
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Most drivers are 70hrs a week, 11hrs able to be on-duty drive status a day, 14hrs to be on-duty status a day. There is an special rule we can use, which allows us to go up to 16hrs one day, once per week. But that is only used if we get stuck somewhere because of an accident, weather, etc. But it doesn't add on to your 11hr drive time. So if I hit up central Wyoming (about 3.5hrs driving, and maybe 4.5hrs on-duty) and I-80 closes for a few hours. I could be sitting out there for about 8 hours then start driving back and once my clock hits 14hrs, the computer recalculates my drive and on-duty time, giving me enough time (as long as I didn't exceed 11hrs driving) to make it back home, or to a hotel (Day Cabs)

For us (specifically my guys) to burn through 70 hours in a typical 5 day work work, something went way wrong. We usually work about 45-55 hours or so.
View Quote View All Quotes
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Walmart is starting to hire drivers at $90k a year, but if minimum wage is $15 an hr and you work 70 hrs a week, can you be a retard still? Yes you can.
I'm not up on the current regs, but there are limits to how much you can work and a lower limit of how much you can drive.  I want to say it is 60 hours a week.
Most drivers are 70hrs a week, 11hrs able to be on-duty drive status a day, 14hrs to be on-duty status a day. There is an special rule we can use, which allows us to go up to 16hrs one day, once per week. But that is only used if we get stuck somewhere because of an accident, weather, etc. But it doesn't add on to your 11hr drive time. So if I hit up central Wyoming (about 3.5hrs driving, and maybe 4.5hrs on-duty) and I-80 closes for a few hours. I could be sitting out there for about 8 hours then start driving back and once my clock hits 14hrs, the computer recalculates my drive and on-duty time, giving me enough time (as long as I didn't exceed 11hrs driving) to make it back home, or to a hotel (Day Cabs)

For us (specifically my guys) to burn through 70 hours in a typical 5 day work work, something went way wrong. We usually work about 45-55 hours or so.
We run about the same. 50-58 hours a week normally.

I've been pushing to staff so the drivers get 48-52 hours. But it's been a challenge.
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