The saying {Drivers are dime a dozen** has always been BS in my book. Where I work we run 40 tractors and 70 refers, out of the batch of drivers there are five that are exceptional then it goes down the scale from there. I think the lowest would rate a 4.5. When the owner starts asking about the drivers I just point to the repair file for each truck and tell him, to look for himself. There are three drivers that will get 500,000 on a set of drive shoes and drums. Drive tires last longer, clutch's rarely need adjustment, less problems with steer axle alignment-steer tires or flats. And when trading in those trucks they bring a few more dollars. They just keep a good eye on things in general. So to heck with drivers are dime a dozen, they can make you or brake you. Truck Shop
Bring back 2 sticks for 2 boxes and that'll thin the steering wheel holders. A good lifelong friend and I have ran dumptrucks since age 18. Clutches don't wear out, the springs break. Transmissions go forever but the tower gets loose. Front end components still tight with 600k dump miles, engines with almost 30,000hrs. Trucks 30 years old still making money, looking better and in better shape than a 10 year old one.
It's rare to be able to keep good drivers in a company truck. Most of the good ones will end up as owner operators or go get a job that pays better/as well but lets them spend time with their family. When I worked in a truck shop, the owner operators who ran flatbeds and steps were the best of the best. They never missed a service. The trucks were usually clean. If you found a problem, they wanted it fixed ASAP. The worst ones as far as maintenance were the farmers. They used the trucks a few months a year and they did the bare minimum to keep them rolling. They weren't bad drivers, they just had a different set of economic factors than the day in - day out truck drivers.
I remember one time that a truck that I had been driving for some time had to have the engine pulled for something,we bought it used and they said that the inked letters on the clutch plates was still there.It was a Kenworth 400 Cummins doing construction duty,dump trailer,50 ton triaxle lowbed etc.Ron G
I agree with Truck Shop 100%. I have always said that you can't afford to pay the good drivers what they are worth. Mainly because the 'steering wheel holders' seem to be able to eat up most of the profit every month. That being said, I only have experience with running a few (3-6) trucks. Obviously the big companies are making good money. Just my $.02
I think they are making good money only because they have so many and can book enough loads all over to keep them busy. A long time coffee shop friend that owns a local over the road transport company near here says he averages about $400.00 profit per truck per month after all expenses. He now is up to 450 trucks so it works out. He says "What do I have to lose. Its borrowed money, I had none when I started, so the worst thing happens, I go broke and go back to working for wages." That was at least 20 years ago he told me that quote and he has not gone back to wages yet although he told me many days he would like to.
Cut throat companies perpetuate this in my opinion. No one cares to give feedback and fallow up. I don't know if I'm a good driver or not. I never heard that I wasn't from anyone
There are nine drivers that have been with the company for 15 plus years and eight with over ten, two with 20. The company pays decent, with health insurance long before ACA requirement. Payed vacation, 401 and profit sharing. And the top drivers get the choice of a new tractor when new ones are bought. I left out AFLAC is offered also. So with some companies your performance as a driver does matter. IMO Truck Shop
Here is a perfect example of ****** driving. Watch this video at around 1:19 where starts out loaded in 4th gear (10 speed). That thing bucks and shakes all over. He mentions that he never starts in 1st or 2nd even fully loaded. This guy has over 20,000 subscribers on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7DrDb7Nc0Q