Demand Better Driver Pay: It’s a Drivers’ Market

Now is the time for truckers to insist on better driver pay.

A history like ours cannot correct itself overnight.

But believe it or not, there’s good news for truckers.

The trucking industry now needs us more than we need them.

That gives us power.

They need us and need us badly.

This is not the first time in the history of trucking this has happened.

With the Drug Clearinghouse pushing out drivers and more recently the enforcement of the English language proficiency for truck drivers, there’s NEVER been a better time to take the reins and get the BEST out of a truck driving job!

Remember the truck shut downs 1970’s and ’80’s?

Truck drivers saw no tangible good results from these actions because their actions were marred by violence in every case and the violence blurred the goal. (No public support, no sympathy)

However, in the last 10 years, many drivers have reacted to the low pay, by leaving the industry and not returning. That’s never happened before.

Big trucking companies are just figuring that out.

Some like Swift are offering paltry wage increases because they’re beginning to see the writing on the wall.

But it’s too late for that strategy: offering a nickel when you really should offer a dollar. It’s just an insult.

We as drivers, need to and can leverage for the dollar.

We can control and profit from the driver shortage if we do it correctly.

They need us more than we need them.

Just keep saying that to yourself.

 How to Capitalize on the Driver Shortage

Truck drivers know there’s REALLY NO DRIVER SHORTAGE, but a shortage of drivers who will work for subpar wages.

There won’t be major reform anytime soon for this pay issue, but there are some ways you can do your best to combat the issue and get the most money you’re able from your driving job.

You’ve heard the expression, ‘time is money’.

It truly is.

• A CEO’s time is worth money.
• A teacher’s time is worth money.
• A mechanic’s time is worth money.

And so is the time of a truck driver.

The difference is, they’re getting paid for all of their time at work. 

The truckers are not.

Let’s correct this problem.

You Can Bring About Change – Action Steps for Truckers

Say ‘No’ to free waiting time.

All trucks need maintenance and repair. 

If you’re a company driver, waiting while the truck is in the shop, you’re waiting there at the company’s bequest.

First ask the company to pay your time by the hour while you wait for the truck.  If the answer is no, then fair enough, you’re then off duty and free to go shopping, or sight seeing or whatever. 

Say no to anything that doesn’t pay.

Don’t be too shy to ask or negotiate for better pay or conditions.

If a carrier is paying $10 per hour waiting time, try to negotiate that rate of pay upwards.

Often the offered compensation is a starting point of pay for the carrier with room to negotiate upwards. Cut your own deal.

The carriers cannot afford to lose good drivers. They’re too hard to replace. Just be clear with the carrier.

Expect to be paid fairly for all of your time

Don’t work for free.

There are lots of advantages in working for smaller carriers and this is one of those times.

The smaller carriers are for the most part, more likely to negotiate. 

Often the owner is on site.  It’s usually easier to reason directly with the owner, because he’s the guy who is most aware of your value to the company.

Often pay issues and requests get stifled by middle management and the owners never hear about the problem.

Remember, middle management doesn’t own the company and they don’t have a dollar invested.  They have their own agenda.  Seek answers from the top.

Say no to unpaid resets on the road.

 Mandatory on the road reset time for Hours of Service unpaid?

34 hours of sitting in a truck stop away from home, waiting to pick up a load for the company and it costs YOU money?

While getting paid all resets from the companies is not a likely scenario in the near future, the way to combat this is to start refusing loads which will run you out of hours away from home.

Tell the dispatcher that the load he wishes you to take, will run you out of hours away from home. 

Tell him you’re happy to take the load. But you want to be paid for your reset time. 

After all, the food you’ll need to buy just to sit there, costs you money.

He probably wants you to stay with the truck and trailer and guard the thing when there’s somewhere else you’d rather be on your time off. 

Okay, that’s fine. What does it pay?

If it pays nothing, politely ask for a different load that won’t involve an on the road reset.

It’s not asking a lot to be paid for your time. If more drivers did this, the money would be forthcoming.

At least ask the company to cover your hotel and meals. Any other worker away from the office but on the job would get at least that.

It’s not unreasonable. Remember, they need you more than you need them.

Yes, there will be lots of companies out there unwilling to part with any money for these situations, and you may have to change jobs. 

But chances are, those carriers shouldn’t be part of a long term career plan.

Do not settle for working at just ANY trucking company.

Remember, there’s a driver shortage. Take the time to research pay packages for as many carriers as you can.

Do your research and talk to presently employed drivers or owner operators with the company.

Seek out a company which pays waiting time, gives a cell phone allowance, and has a decent compensation package.  Researching 4 or 5 companies is a lazy effort.

Do your homework and be diligent.

There are good companies out there who realize that better driver pay, will attract good drivers and drivers who will stay with the company.

Aim for getting the most perks and pay for your efforts.

Driving a truck is a tough job. Get paid for what you do.

You’ve earned it and you deserve it.

Do not accept working for free.

The Time Is Right – The Time is Now

The driver shortage has created a chance for us to take advantage of the situation and capitalize on it.

Fair pay is what we want.

Fair pay is what we deserve. Period.

This ‘industry standard’ of not paying drivers for all their work time  has happened because we’ve allowed it to happen. It’s time to change that.

If enough drivers refuse to do free work for the carriers, the carriers will have to change.

In fact, it’s already happening in small increments. Industry standard will have to change.

Reform on this scale doesn’t and won’t happen overnight, but it will eventually happen if enough of us refuse to do work for free.

Expect to hear the response from the trucking companies: ‘the shippers won’t pay us for that’, or ‘there’s not enough money in the load to pay that.’

Well, that’s unfortunate.

That’s not the driver’s problem. The carrier bid on the freight to get the work. 

If they bid too low, that is not the driver’s problem, nor is it his responsibility to shoulder the loss.

Everyone deserves to be fairly paid for all the work they perform for their employers.

Better Driver Pay – You’ve Earned It

Being a professional truck driver is something to be proud of.

It’s a job that demands a great deal of skill and patience.

It’s a type of work where workers will always be in demand.  There’s excellent job security in trucking.

Over the road trucking can be a very attractive career choice, particularly for the young and single driver.

Older drivers will always be able to find local work which keeps them closer to their homes and families.

As professional drivers, we must band together now and start to solve the issue of low wages and working without pay.

The solution for the problem of low wages is in our hands. 

Let’s take trucking from being a good job in spite of the wages, to a great job with great pay.

Truck drivers are independent, hard workers by nature.

We’re survivors.

Get Paid Or Move On

We are fighting to be paid fairly for all our time at work.

The money belongs in our pockets, rather than in pockets of the trucking companies.

A couple hundred dollars per week more from paid waiting time on your paycheck each week will benefit you and your family.

It is money you’ve earned. It is money you’ve worked for. Be sure your company pays you for all of your time.

We’re not living in medieval times. This is the 21st century.

We are not living in a third world country. We deserve better driver pay.

Get paid for all of your time or go to a job that will pay you for your time.

You simply can’t afford not to.