Cops aren't under paid infact state patrol or a county in a county that isn't PO' dunk make more than drivers...Plus most cops aren't out saving the world or doing anything heroic or self sacraficing in nature...


Teachers are not under-paid they make from 40k-100k depending on where/what they teach and have 50% of the year off ...no real sacrafice there .

 

You are so blind. The median STARTING wage for a police officer is $35-40k, unless you've been on the force for 10s of years, you're not making $100k a year. Kinda like pilots. You start out making $30-35k. and only after you put some time in, does it go up.

Teachers get half the year off? If you think that, then either you were a high school drop out, or home schooled, which explains alot. Teachers start preparing for the school year weeks ahead of 'first day of class'. which is normally late August, so teachers are 'working' 2nd week of August. And the school year isnt over till late May? and if they teach summer school, (granted an extra bonus to their salary) they only get a month or two off. So from Mid-August to lets say mid-May. they are working 9 months. that is more than 50% my friend. if you want me to send it to you outside of this 'story problem' format, i will.

 

And, in many cases, teachers are required to take summer courses at a university to keep their certification. Sure blows the summer away.

 

"I'm looking for a long-haul job. I want to run coast-to-coast and none of that short haul crap."

Most companies are moving toward eliminating long haul runs and going more to the short to medium haul freight. That's where the money is. Technically, it's been where the money has been for a long time. It's just that in today's market with fuel being what it is, the profit margin for long hauls has completely vanished.

(All well and good but a 200 mile run almost everyday dont make me no $$$ even if the load pays $5000 I still only get CPM)

"My truck must have an APU."

Granted, it would be nice for all trucks to eventually have APUs and perhaps someday we'll be there as an industry. But APU's are still a wild card. Several states have banned them and/or considering banning them. Most of the larger companies are taking a wait and see approach until they know what the eventual standard is going to be. By the same token, though, if a company doesn't have APU's on their truck, their idling policy needs to be along the lines of "use common sense."

( All I say is no sub. ie apu idleair home or its nice out dont cry about idle time )

"I need to take my dog Scooter with me."

Pet policies will soon be a thing of the past. Most companies are getting rid of pet policies due to the excessive idling that is needed to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for said 4-legger when you are not in the truck... ie. showering, eating, playing video poker, etc.

(amazing they find maintaining a safe and comfortable environment a bad thing, I know more then a few that took pets so they could stay in such environment )

"I must be able to use an inverter. I can't afford to eat out all the time."

Inverters are another animal. A few companies still accept them, but that is a dwindling list. The fire hazard that inverters create have pushed a lot of companies to banning them outright. On top of that, there is a pretty big liability involved, too. If a company still allows them and has their shop install them, there is still that human element. If a shop-installed inverter malfunctions and burns the truck to the ground with the driver in it, they might as well hand over a blank check to the family of the dead driver.

As to the issue of not being able to afford to eat out all the time, go buy a 12V cooler. I know a lot of guys that go that route, pack it with the basics every week and then eat healthy and well the entire time they are out on the road. If you want an inverter for your microwave, George Foreman grill, coffee-maker, Belgian waffle maker, and espresso machine, go buy your own truck.

( cooler works great if your going to be home every week and during said wk. But wks away from home and I would like to heat something up )

 

It’s really this simple:
If you are a newbie, shut up, sit down, drive the truck and get experience. As long as you are not being forced to violate the law, you deserve absolutely zero consideration in what goes on. I was just happy to have a job years ago when I got into this business. Your first year or two, your number one job besides doing what your company asks you to do is to learn this business. It’s unfortunate that very few anymore ever do actually learn how to be a good driver or how this industry works.

If you pay attention and learn a few things and get a couple of years of good experience, have no accidents or tickets, then you have the right and the option of shopping for a company that meets your “standards”. Otherwise, why would a company go out of its way to accommodate your needy, whining butt when you are the run of the mill, know nothing, don’t care to know anything steering wheel holder?

 

I suggest you save your money and buy your own truck. That way you can do whatever you want with it. You can get your own authority and take any animal with you that you want. When you work for a company it is not up to you to dictate to them how to run their business. A truck is a place of business and is no place for pets. There are a number of reasons why people need to keep their pets out of a truck, but the bottom line is that when you drive someone else's truck or lease to a carrier you either follow their rules or go find something else to do. Some states are looking at restricting idling even when pets are in the truck. I think that if you need to take a pet with you that you are not ready for the independence of the road. You should stay at home with your pet and find a job you can do where you can be home every day to take care of your animal. It is not fair for the animal to be couped up in a truck 24/7. It isn't fair for the employer to have do deal with the aftermath of having a pet living in their truck. As someone new to this industry you will find that carriers are not so willing to bow to an inexperienced driver's demands. Most companies will lay out their rules in the beginning. I don't think you will find ANY carrier's who are willing to accept rules or demands from new employees.

 

I'd be hard pressed to think of any employer, of any kind that would accept demands short of some perks for a big $$$$ executive gig.

___________________________________

BOT:
I don't see the big deal.
All you have to do is your homework and find a good fit.
Keep moving on till you find the right one.

I'm with a carrier that lets me have:
An inverter (installed by our shop), an APU (on most of the trucks), pets and most importantly to me, no driver trainer when starting out.
Newbies sink or swim.
If I had been trapped in a truck for weeks with a DT, he would have committed suicide.
Whether he wanted to or not.
That would have been my story and I'd have stuck to it.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Flyer:

The excuse that an inverter will start a fire is weak.
Many trucks have a wabesco heater and they are a much bigger fire hazard.

Of course the heater saves the company lots of fuel over idling, whereas a driver that drops dead early from clogged arteries after eating a lifetime of fast food never collects a pension.
And who cares if it costs more to eat out when you are the one who goes home every night from the
front office?

Company bean counters have to keep their priorities straight.

 

All I want is to use a Qualcomm again.

I only like to keep my cell-phone for minimal use, not the life-line for work.

 

No one said a cop made 100k...learn to read !...And most cops make about 40k 1st year= plenty of money for the profession of driving around in a county vehicle handing out traffic tickets...most cops are in less danger than than the aveage truck driver making a delivery in bad area...And far less than C-store attendants ...Teachers once again not underpaid...they still get the time off you listed plus the holidays,So...MY FRIEND...teachers are not underpaid heroes.

 

I know this is not a Teacher Board but Big Jeep i don't know how long you have been out of school but as me being only a few years removed teachers are really UNDERPAID.. Trying to get a young man who doesn't give a damn about school to pass a simple ass test and if you can't do that you lose your job?? Trust me you do not no how much stressful a teacher job is.. Especially High School.. Elementary School teachers might get what they earn but when you get to middle school and high school teachers are way unappreciated and underpaid... Especially teachers that teach in bad city schools!! you just dont know man.. but hey if thats your opinion oh well