Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

Memphis TN -  from a large room with king sized bed and private bath at the Best Western across from the KW dealer. The fine mechanics there took 6 hours to tear apart both doors to try and figure out why the passenger side window and both power mirrors don’t work properly. Parts are on the way via FEDEX overnight service that will hopefully resolve the problem – tomorrow. Time for a motel and pizza.

Are you seeing what’s going on? Do you have your eyes open? OTR driver turnover has skyrocketed. Drivers who were laid off by carriers hit particularly hard by this “decession” who took jobs with other companies are having a hard time living on 1250 miles a week and $400 paychecks. They are turning in their trucks after being on the new job after 3-6 weeks. The level of dissatisfaction is that high.

When I first came on board with the carrier I’ve now been with for the past five years, you had to have a minimum of 2 years OTR experience. A year’s flatbed experience was preferred. We recently had a hiring freeze that lasted about two weeks. With so many drivers leaving, we needed someone – anyone to fill the seats. And so we have the new guys. I worked with one today.

About 5 of us had picked up loads of coiled wire up in NJ. I don’t recall seeing this new guy loading. Tarping this type of load is not necessary with the better weather between March and October. It clearly says so on the bill of lading. Each coil requires a strap for securement. For added protection it is advisable to add an extra strap to the front and rear coils on the trailer. And you’re on your way. For an experienced driver, it’s a fairly straightforward procedure.

As we were waiting on line to be unloaded this morning in Memphis, the new guy pulled up behind me. His load was covered with 3 separate “heavy weight”  tarps tightened with over 100 bungee cords. Each coil was secured by a coil rack, two 5000 lbs. rated straps and a chain and binder. The load could have rolled over the side of a mountain and it would have remained with the trailer.

The driver, a seemingly nice young man, barely spoke English. He was from some enchanting, I’m sure, Caribbean Island. He had been driving a box truck – his only driving experience -somewhere – for six months.

We had to move him off to the side to allow incoming trucks to bypass him so they could get unloaded. Without assistance from myself and another driver, he most likely would still be there now trying to figure out how to get all the securement off. He had trouble with the tarps – we folded them for him – and the 22 straps he used – since he had no $12 strap winder – he had to roll up each one manually. Quite honestly, I’m amazed he found his way from NJ to Memphis. Since he had a “communications” problem the shipper gave him an extra 2500 lbs. coil – everyone got 11 – he got 12 – that I’m sure made him well over 80,000 lbs. Luckily many of the scales were closed this weekend. He must have driven around Virginia.

The drivers I meet with my company on the road have ALL been driving less than a year. They’re coming from carriers like US Express with very limited experience. I want people to succeed. I want them to be able to support their families. But I am NOT a paid trainer. I do not work for the safety department. I don’t get paid extra to roll other drivers tarps or put away their securement. I’m not an equipment salesman that tells other drivers what they need to do their job. I’m a nice guy, but I certainly have my limits. This new guy shook my hand while hugging me for the help. In broken English, he looked up to the cloudy sky and blessed God twice for my being on the scene. Hopefully someone else will be there to help him the next time.

So again, like the coming of the birds to San Juan Capistrano, the new guys are here. It happens every summer. Many more so this year with the way “things” are. Maybe they can live on 1250 miles a week and those $400 paychecks for the short term. But I’m betting they’ll all be gone by Winter. And more new guys will be waiting in the wings to take their place.

Photo credits: http://fileserver.tinker.com/tinker/events/5/5244_main_image_1246051943.jpg, http://shopboppy.com/shop/images/Newborn-Lounger.jpg, http://shopboppy.com/shop/images/Newborn-Lounger.jpg, http://www.myteeproducts.com/?gclid=CKGjkJDu05sCFRJexwodAW2qmg