Late-Recognition5587@reddit

This is exactly my issue. I ran OTR and had more of a life. My current company can't keep drivers because of their demands. So, I worked out a bit better schedule. I still push the max, but get 3 consecutive days off.

Either get your company to agree to something better for you, or, look for another job.

But know this, you're not alone. Less work does mean a smaller pay cheque. But, for my family, it's worth not missing everything. Highway had me gone for 2 weeks, back for 2 days. So, this is about the same now for me.

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

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ear_cheese@reddit

I’ve done your grind. Working for a small company delivering housing. I frequently maxed out on Friday. Then they’d ask me to come in Saturday and sign in as someone else.

I worked there so long because it was steady work, and I was used to it, and was scared I’d find someplace worse. But I did leave, and now I’m making similar money doing 50/55 hours a week.

So much happier.

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ctsmith76@reddit

Then they’d ask me to come in Saturday and sign in as someone else.

That blatantly violates so many labor laws (assuming you’re in the US), they should be imprisoned.

Meanwhile your significant other is complaining about how you never do anything around the house, your kids never see you, and you never do anything together. Your one maybe two day weekend is supposed to be used to mow the grass, fix things that broke throughout the week, be a super dad, super husband, pick up the dog shit, and clean the cat's litter box. Go to church on Sunday, and fix your relationship all in a short period on the weekend.

Your friends ask you, "What are your hobbies these days?" and you answer, "I enjoy paying my bills, getting bitched at for not doing enough, and a bit of sleep."

All of this while driving local.

I quit a local job because new management came in expecting maxed out 70s every week. I was fine doing 50-55 hrs a week but they were expecting 6 days on use up your full clock. Fuck that.

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mistman1978@reddit

49 CFR § 392.3 – Ill or Fatigued Operator

No driver shall operate a commercial motor vehicle, and a motor carrier shall not require or permit a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle, while the driver’s ability or alertness is so impaired, or so likely to become impaired, through fatigue, illness, or any other cause, as to make it unsafe for him/her to begin or continue to operate the commercial motor vehicle.

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Definitely a learning experience.

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CLETrucker@reddit

It's not uncommon. But it's not like that everywhere. I max my hours because I have the financial incentive to do it. Most of the drivers at my terminal are 45-60 hours depending on if they are on a 4 day or 5 day shift.

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ohmygodbees@reddit

I did a temp gig for Sutton for a few weeks. did the first 2 weeks at 10 hours because that's what they wanted. The guy above the guy I reported to came and told me they do 12 to 14 hour days and I need to, too.

I feel your pain. I haul propane (semi, not bobtail), and during the winter time, we get an HOS exemption. No rules apply except for "sleep if you need". You'd better bet dispatch milks those two months for everything they're worth.

At the very least, during that time, what would normal force me to sleep out on the road doesn't. I'm home every night, even if I work 18 hours in a day.

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Independent-Fun8926@reddit

Brutal, man. I hate how exploitative the industry is. We’re so fucked

I was supposed to be home yesterday. But they planned me on this bullshit load. I made it to the yard today. But I don’t have the hours to drive home. I was supposed to drop this load at the yard. But dispatch didn’t bother to plan anyone to deliver it tomorrow. So now I have to take it to Miami and unload it. Then drive back to the yard to drop the trailer. Then drive home.

So hopefully I’ll make it home tomorrow. I already missed my dentist appointment today. And I’ll miss my doctor appointment tomorrow. Had them scheduled months in advance. Been out for two months.

At least I’ll be home… maybe.

Fuck truck driving. If I could quit, if I could do almost anything else, I would right now, this very second, tell these cunts to go fuck themselves. And I would never step in a truck again

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Q7017@reddit

If you dropped the load off at the terminal and you're completely free of it, couldn't you PC home?

Pending your own fatigue level and if your company allows it anyway. I've heard there are carriers out there that either flat out prohibit PC movement or limit your PC mileage per day.

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Independent-Fun8926@reddit

I think since I dropped it at the terminal, then yes, I could PC home. I think the FMCSA allows PC for commuting to/from the terminal.

Regardless, my company has a limit on PC length. I live a couple hours away. So no dice, has to be drive time. Otherwise I’d be gone lol.

I found out at another company that PCing home after delivering to a customer was a violation of the PC rules. FMCSA considers that a continuation of the trip. So it has to be on-duty time.

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Q7017@reddit

PC from consignee to home post-delivery is... a gray area, honestly. I've done it before and my boss doesn't care, but there is a possibility of a DOT official interpreting the law how they want and then being hung for it.

I usually note on my PC flag "NO DISPATCH, RELIEVED OF LOAD, COMMUTING HOME", tell my boss not to dispatch me on our trip app (so it doesn't look like I'm advancing to the next pickup since the shippers are usually in the same direction as home) and so far it hasn't been a problem, but I absolutely wouldn't blame anyone that wouldn't want to risk that.

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Independent-Fun8926@reddit

Yep. I did it all the time. Old company didn’t care. Doubt any DOT cared if they looked. But then one day logs yanked everyone’s PC rights. Said dispatch would have to approve the use and then turn on PC for us to use it. Explicitly said that PCing home after delivery was against the regs. I was gonna go toe to toe over it because if I’m two hours from the house, why the fuck should I complete a 10 hour break or a 7 hour split just to go home? It’s bullshit.

Trucking is a terrible industry because drivers would rather max out their hours so they can pay their bills instead of simply fighting for better wages / overtime.

One of the best local jobs I worked for LG Electronics was like this. Was great until management damanded we start taking two deliveries, daily.

5-7 hour days started turning into 7-10 hour days, on salary, no extra pay. All while seniority got to go home after three hours. Still salty that job blew up in my face before I could get paid for 8 hours for only working 3, but now I know there are golden jobs like that out there, still.

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AccomplishedHour8399@reddit

At my company the new guys all get the days off when no loads and the earliest deliveries so they can be hole first. Its backwards as fuck

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Riiakess@reddit

Thank you for sharing! That's awesome, and a rare find! You're living my goal 😁

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Thepopethroway@reddit

There's a lot of jobs that will work you a standard 40 hours. You gotta look for the greedy employers who don't want to pay overtime.

Personally, I'd greatly prefer the 14 if I'm hourly. Why?

I'm here to make money.

14 hours a day = fat check at the end of the week.

It's not normal and ofcourse you are tired nonstop

I started trucking fresh and end up in the worst possible company for new driver where I barely slept even 5 hours per 24h

Ofcourse non of it was legal, only 2 months out of 2 years was l on legal schedule with normal brakes.

Years later I now work less than 9h/5 day a week and earn more.

The world is one big asshole and it will correct itself by force like it is corrupting itself by force today.

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robexib@reddit

I had a couple local jobs like that, and both of them paid mileage.

Find an hourly gig with OT after 40. They're a lot more likely to be a 9-5 M-F gig.

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tvieno@reddit

I'm local, and I usually put in a consistent 10-11 hour days. Occasionally, it might stretch to 12 or 13 hours but that's rare. If I really wanted to work 14 hours a day, the bosses could definitely keep me busy but I’ve learned to draw the line at 10. That’s what I tell new hires too, especially those coming in with that OTR mindset of having to run 14-hour days. If you run like that constantly, you’re going to burn out. It's important to find a work/life balance that’s sustainable.

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valboots@reddit

This situation is why I can't rationalize working local unless it's for a good union job with an amazing pay scale.

Work 14 hours. Probably at the yard for an extra hour or two. Home for maybe 6. Rinse and repeat.

14 hours at work

30-60 minutes of commuting time/day

Daily hygiene, eating, chores at home

6 hours of sleep

AroundGoesThe18@reddit

Grocery delivery gig i had in S Louisiana years ago was 40hrs, 5 days. Perfect balance to have a life off work. Problem is it didn't pay well at all.

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blistersexist@reddit

I do class b fuel delivery and I work 8 to 10 and go home. Money is OK not great but not bad. In the upper 20s per hour. I have a class a but after I did it for a little while it's not worth it. What I work is more like a normal job no need to do 14 hr days. Maybe look into it you'll be happier

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Professional-Cat9500@reddit

Fuck that. I’m about to go to a day position that wants me to do 11.5-12 hrs a day and I was thinking that’s a lot, manageable though. When you’re over the road it’s not that big of a deal, but I’m going to home daily so I can hopefully have a life. 14 hours is bullshit. You still have to commute, so your days are even longer than OTR.

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Sufficient_Tooth_949@reddit

All the local jobs seem to be just as much of a scam as otr in my area

"Day rate" Chinese overtime and they are gonna want a good 10 to 14 hours 95% of the time, super rare to "just" have an 8 hour work day

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Darth_Hidious2581@reddit

I’m mad I even wasted 2 years of my life trucking. Fortunately I didn’t waste anymore and took my cdl to construction. Though I only drive truck to and from the job site so maybe 2 hrs driving while the other 6 I spend outside working. But I love it. Pay is good. OT after 40. Home every day. I have time for family and the gym after work too. I served in the army before trucking and I thought nothing could be worse but I honestly think trucking is worse. At least in the army I made some damn good friends that were in the shit with me. Idk how y’all do it. Those 2 years drove me insane. Way too much work and hours for the atrociously low pay. I’d go as far as to say trucking is a straight up scam.

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miatadvr@reddit

Nah, plus remember it’s YOUR clock not theirs. You will burn out at that rate. Find an employer that matches what you want.

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I'm going merchant marine. I did some years doing inland work and the days could be brutal, but the pay and time off were far better.

Nope, I do 8-10 generally and go home. Like our contract allows us to do, go home at 8 if we want. And if I choose to work longer, I’m on OT after 8 hours every day no matter how many hours in work on a week.

union strong

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Last_Cable4726@reddit

Wow, that’s awesome. What company? That’s how OT should be.

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Outlandah_@reddit

Trust me bro I’m ex-Amazon. Every day was 14 hours. Me and like 8 other dudes all left because of this and other reasons. Don’t feel bad.

Hell no. Quit that shit.

But as I said, lighter schedules do exist. I have a few drivers working those kinds of assignments right now. But the key to landing one, is to understand that an assignment that works 8 hours is not likely to pay the same as an assignment that works 12 hours.

And I know that probably seems obvious, but you would be shocked at how often I talk to drivers looking for a job and they tell me they're looking for an 8 hour/day schedule but when I ask how much they're looking to make, the answer is always a number that only my 12-14 hour/day guys are able to land. You can't expect 14 hour/day pay for 8 hour/day work. Again I know that seems obvious but for many, it is clearly not obvious at all.

Now I should note that I'm a dry van company hauling commodity freight. The rates on that are what they are. If you want to go haul fuel or hazmat or specialty/oversize rates will be different. But the work will also be different. If you want to just drive and swing doors and bump docks and then get home within 8 hours, that work exists. But expect the pay to reflect what the work is.

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TwoToadsKick@reddit

No, just depends on how much you wanna work and make. Local, can make around 600-800$ working a 14 hour day.

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TaperingRanger9@reddit (OP)

Im lucky to make 300 per day lol, I need a new job man wtf

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mwonch@reddit

First you want time and now you want money?