Am I being unreasonable, or is my boss a jerk?

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

......

[btroj]

You typed all that on an iphone? I'm impressed!

My suggestion is to do what you think is right. What can you live with. Some guys are willing to play fast and free with rules, some aren't.

Never compromise your principles.

[Char-Gar]

My experience has taught me there are two kinds of employer reactions when told an employee is looking for a new position;

1. The kind that wants the best for their employees and will help them get a new position that suits their needs better. This includes good references and letter of recommendation. This is what I did.

2. The kind that take it personal and see it as an act of disloyalty and then seeks to make thing difficult for the employee seeking a change. This type is more common than the first.

I always figured that if an employee was looking for a change, for whatever reason, then they were not focused on the job at hand. It was in my best interest to help them move along and replace them with somebody who wanted to be here. I realize that folks make job changes and don't take it personal.

Due to human nature, it is probably best not to tell the boss you are looking to make a change, although in some cases not doing so looses you a valuable asset in making the change smooth.

You are in the situation you are in, so just do your job as best your can in a cheerful and non-confrontational manner. You no longer have a future where you are at, so why give the current boss reason to bad mouth you to a future employer.

The learning point in all of this is to learn to ask the right questions, such as "If I come though Donner on a sunny day, on a dry road and don't have the chains, am I going to get a ticket for the technical infraction.". The answer to that will give you a better basis to make a decision than whether or not a sign is posted. I would not think any Cop would give you a ticket for not having chains on a dry sunny day. I think you were splitting hairs.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

In the late 70's and early 80's I dove over the road. Before cell phones. What a rough life it was. I only averaged 1 day home a month the last year I drove. Two log books. Very little sleep........... you post gave me the chills. I finally quit driving and took a job as a janitor at a truck stop near home. It paid minimum wage but I was home every night. For me, over the road driving was just not worth the money I got and I got paid real good for that time period. Do what ya got to do but realize that you probably won't get a great recommendation from you company. I know it's not fair but that is the game a lot of places play.

[runfiverun]

your third option is to buy a set of chains on your own dime and make the run and get home.
if the job you applied for doesn't come through your gonna be worse off with this company than ever.
they are serious about the chain laws on donners pass.

[rbertalotto]

I believe you can rent a set of chains for the pass at each end. Cheap money and drop them off on the other side.

I think you just need to be in possession of chains. They don't have to be installed and I bet they don't check to see if they even fit...........:roll:

[jmort]

"They don't have to be installed and I bet they don't check to see if they even fit..........."

Aside from the fact that your company pushes or exceeds the legal limits, have a set of junk chains would be a good idea. They won't let you run with them anyway so what get some standard size used/junk chains and don't use them. Sounds like going to a new company would be best for all concerned.

[quilbilly]

Its a good thing the Sierras are having a dry winter and that should continue.

[Alstep]

Been there, done that. My driving was in tank operations, propane, gas, fuel oil in winter, milk and sugar in summer. The colder the weather, the more we hauled. It's not the driving that was so bad, it was the company that always gave you grief. Poor maintenance on trucks. They'd run you over hours, and then blame the drivers for going over. Then they would get a waver of hours from the ICC. Pulled over one time in a rest area to get some shut eye, trooper woke me up for a log book check. Was shocked by the over-hours. Asked me what I thought. Told him the ICC gave the company a license to kill. Asked me what I meant. Told him I'm dead tired, roads were all ice, and I had 9600 gallons of propane behind me. He told me to go back to sleep. A few days later, $hi! hit the fan. Come to find out the company altered the ICC's waiver letter about the over hours. They got fined big time.
That was over 30 years ago. Don't miss it one bit. All you are is a hunk of meat doing a job, and when you can't do it any more, they just get another hunk of meat to replace you. Everybody is expendable. All these trucking outfits are about the same. Never tell them about your intensions. If you plan a day off or vacation time, they'll go out of their way to work you. If you need a day off, call in sick.
You do what you gotta do to put food on the table.

[TXGunNut]

I like the rental chain idea. Do what it takes to get a load home, enjoy your vacation and get on with your life. If I'm unhappy with my current job I either find a way to be happy with it or move on. I seldom see the point in letting the current boss in on your decision to move on other than any required notice. It won't benefit you or them so keep it to yourself.
Hope you get home safely and have a nice vacation. Hope the new year brings you a job you enjoy!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

.,,,!

[AkMike]

You don't need 4 sets of iron. Just get a couple of sets of 3 railers and keep them with you. Possibly an extra single for the steer.

[300savage]

i would have already fired you.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

,,,,,?

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

l ...

[starmac]

When I ran the lower 48 I carried the cheap cables for several years. They were light and legal. I had no plans to use them, but I could look the dot in the eye and tell them I had chains without fibbing. This worked for several years,but some states require chains to be visible from the scalehouse. I would think hanging around a truckstop a guy could borrow a set to get over the pass when the road is dry, as most trucks carry more than one set. Get on the radio, someone will either loan, rent or sell you a set.

[cbrick]

Was a Teamster driver for 34 years but didn't haul freight over the road & gotta admit I never wanted to, tough, tough way to earn a living. It is both physically & mentally grueling. I worked motion picture & TV production & hauled film equipment to film locations. I did my best to stay local in SoCal but still had locations over a lot of the western U.S.. By union contract we couldn't drive excess hours while on the road but we were hourly and the company paid all motels & meals plus per diem. I sure missed out on a lot of what the long haul guys must endure.

I would take the advice given to not let an employer know my future plans any more than needed. Take this as a learning experience for the future. I would think that if they have loads to haul they aren't going to let the truck sit idle for too long, just not in their interest even if they want to for spite.

Let us know how it turns out & thanks for the reminder of why I never ever wanted to over the road haul freight.

Rick

[300savage]

because you wont quit,, everybody needs to be put out of each others misery.

[starmac]

Mike, most don't use 3 railers down there, and the chains they sell and do use are cheap junk, worthless to us. Cali and Or has some stupid chain requirements. I have seen Cali have the chain law in affect for single axle trucks only, shut the road down to one lane in a driving RAIN (no snow) so that a dot can stand out in the RAIN with a flashlight to make sure the single axle trucks had chains on. This created a 10 mile backup on the interstate.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

m ...

[freebullet]

Probably shouldn't tell them your leaving before having a start date for your new job. Tough spot you're in because of it. They are going to keep messing with you.

I would make the run sans chains, if conditions looked ok. Then I would quit, and look for both a long term & temp job. You will only have more drama with them, staying any longer & you can expect it.

At your next job, if they run fast and loose on regs don't give them more notice than required when you leave. If they are a good company but you have to leave give them all the notice you can.

[starmac]

Something tells me you are pulling a box trailer. If you want to run daytime hang a flatbed, stepdeck, or lowboy behind the truck and never look back. It is a lot more work, and requires more skill in some ways, but is way mo betta.

[starmac]

One more thing, and some will flame me for this, but if you want to stay 100% legal, be looking into a different line of work.

[jcwit]

Early on in my working career I always gave 2 weeks notice, then midway in my working years it dawned on me that no employer ever gave 2 weeks notice for laying anyone off or firing anyone. From then on when I was ready to quit, I was out the door, right then. Never seemed to hurt my finding work in my field which was sales or procurement. Always worked in those fields and/or management.

BTW I was never laid off and never fired, and work was always easy for me to find.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

r ...

[starmac]

I reckon if you been running 20 years then you know the ropes. I don't have the right attitude to pull a box, bought two of them, tried for six months, then parked them in the driveway until they were paid for. i always worked for the bucks, and it always paid me more with some form of platform trailer, way too many cutthroats in the box business.

[MaryB]

Find a load without them, get to where you need to, run it home even if you have to pay fuel and throw the keys in the door...

[Superfly]

Mary he cant just find a load home. All most all loads are found through a broker who takes there cut He would need to fill out a contract have his Operating authourity his Ins cert his Dot # mc # a rate confermation And well with out that you are not getting a load put on your truck that you will get payed for. unless you are sitting in a truck stop and some one says hey ther would you haul this load and go to prison. It is probably already stolen or some other bad deal.


He would be better off to just put some fuel in the tanks And put it in the wind and return to his terminal and QUIT right there.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

ng ...

[Crawdaddy]

+1 thats what I would do, and as soon as something better came along, jump on it.

[snowwolfe]

Like to hear your bosses view point before rendering an opinion. Lot of whining going on.

[Gelandangan]

Good luck friend.

[starmac]

Like to hear your bosses view point before rendering an opinion. Lot of whining going on.

A truck driver whine,,,,,, surely your pulling our leg. lol

[leeggen]

When I was in the service ,it was their way only. Got into civilian life and it is still that way. If you want work you do it their way as legal as you can be. Driving truck is ruff and you have to do what you think is best for you and your job. Sometimes it is more for the job you have than for yourself.
CD

when your deep in pooh, look straight ahead and keep your mouth shut.

[daniel lawecki]

It's that way in most jobs the boss tells you to shovel s**t you simply ask him where to put-it. 28yrs in union shop right or wrong he's the boss. My brother haul's dairy cream he's home every night but works 6days a week his only day off is sundays. Worked every holiday for the last 10yrs. I tell him he's crazy but he likes the money. The company has only 14 tankers but they run 7days a week 365 days a year.I think trunk driving is'nt and easy job there is alot of things you must give up to bring home the cheese these days . Good luckI hope it works out for you.

[snowwolfe]

A truck driver whine,,,,,, surely your pulling our leg. lol

OK:) I deserved that:)

[mac60]

Reading this thread brought back some painful memories. It all came to a head and I got the truck where they wanted it and quit. I vowed right then and there I'd never allow anyone to put me in that kind of predicament ever again. I had just enough money in my pocket for cab fare to the airport in Tulsa. I had my wife get me booked on a flight home. I took a job driving a delivery truck until a slot came open in a big truck. That was 14 yrs ago. Best decision I ever made. I'm home every night, make more money than I ever made over the road, and get 4 weeks vacation, every holiday off. The company I work for will absolutely not tolerate you doing ANYTHING illegal. We run 100% compliant. The longest trip I make is about 450 mi. round trip (gravy with no lumps). There are good companies out there, but they're few and far between. I feel for you brother, I really do. I wouldn't abandon the truck under any circumstances. Have you tried to get on with a freight company? Do yourself a favor - find something local.

[MaryB]

Yeah lots local companies here that run grain to camp cargill in MPLS. 2-3 loads a day of grain, home in bed at night most nights.

[tommag]

This surprises me a bit, given who you work for. They have a pretty good reputation, financially.
Unfortunately, companies are comprised of individuals. Get in a urinating match with the dispatcher and you will get wet. I can't imagine not allowing chains, you have to carry them in most of the western states for 5 months, whether you need them or not.
Not to say that it doesn't happen, but I have never been bothered for using 3 sets of singles, sometimes less. Frequently, I will use one set of singles on a drive axle, and one set of drags. Never chain the drives without at least one drag, preferably 2.
I have my own authority, tractor, and trailer. I am only accountable to my own conscience and local

law enforcement, a little different story than yours.
Pm me if you'd like some guidance on making a pretty good profit with your own. Not trying to sell you a thing, but willing to let you know how I do it.

[AkMike]

Mike, most don't use 3 railers down there, and the chains they sell and do use are cheap junk, worthless to us. Cali and Or has some stupid chain requirements. I have seen Cali have the chain law in affect for single axle trucks only, shut the road down to one lane in a driving RAIN (no snow) so that a dot can stand out in the RAIN with a flashlight to make sure the single axle trucks had chains on. This created a 10 mile backup on the interstate.

No wonder those flatlanders seem to go ditch diving so often! No clue how to do what needs to be done!

[GabbyM]

Have not read this thread and I’ll keep this short.

Last summer I had surgery on three hernias at the same time. My belly is jut screen wire now. After returning to work in a machine shop. They were nice for about nine days. Then they placed me on the hardest job in the shop. I am older by half decade than the next oldest and have thirty years on the rest. Well whatever. My left testicular swelled up because that’s what the hernia is about. I had to tell them I couldn’t do the work. So they fired me on the spot. Now I was supposed to have health insurance also. Bill is 50 grand and the Insurance has paid less than two thousand and I’m on the hook for the rest.

This of course was in a non union shop.

[leadman]

Gabby, from my experience as a heavy mechanic and then to safety and then to shop foreman, never tell them you can't do the work. Say I am sick and have to go home. Then to the doctor and get checked out. If the doctor fills out the paperwork saying you need accomadations to do your job take it to your employer. If they don't do that or fire you go to the Federal equeal employment opportunity commision and file a complaint. This usually gets their attention.
I had to do this once when I was a Shop Foreman working behind a desk. Had a joint taken out of my right thumb and when I was released to light duty the Superentendent said I could not come back until released to full duty. Typing was most of my job and I am left handed so could do my job. Told the super I was going fishing then. Stopped on the way home and filed the complaint and my employer called me after a couple of days to come in to talk. I had not told the boss I was going to Yellowstone (live in Az). Told them I would be back in time for my doctor visit in 2 weeks. Got back and talked with the eeoc with my job and they paid me back for all the time I used and put me back to work. Supers jaw dropped!

Benz, what probably happened is when you filled out the application for the new job they called your current employer for a reference and your employer did not like that. In the future ask if the new job will not contact the current employer just for this reason. I was involved in some hiring and had several requests like this.
My son worked for Swift for awhile and they did alot of the same to him. My Dad was a Teamster trucker and made good money and had a decent life. He drove for over 40 years.

[Randy C]

I have been hauling crude oil for years and I see a lot of what they are doing to you, That is why I don't run over the road any more. I hope you can get home, It would be nice if you could relocate to were there is a local driving job. I drive out of Minot ND most driving jobs start at 19 to 20$ HR. but the winters are hard and long the cost of living has sky rocked because the oil boom has turned this place into the wild west people are coming here from everywhere because there no work in most of the country. What they are doing to you is not wright. keep us informed

[Lloyd Smale]

had a cdl but want a trucker so i really dont know the job. I was a lineman for the power company. What i do know is that if every lineman in the country followed every safety rule that was shoved on us and did everything exactly the way the book said too that a good portion of you guys wouldnt have electricity for another 10 or 20 years.

[jcwit]

Have not read this thread and I’ll keep this short.

Last summer I had surgery on three hernias at the same time. My belly is jut screen wire now. After returning to work in a machine shop. They were nice for about nine days. Then they placed me on the hardest job in the shop. I am older by half decade than the next oldest and have thirty years on the rest. Well whatever. My left testicular swelled up because that’s what the hernia is about. I had to tell them I couldn’t do the work. So they fired me on the spot. Now I was supposed to have health insurance also. Bill is 50 grand and the Insurance has paid less than two thousand and I’m on the hook for the rest.

This of course was in a non union shop.

I feel sorry for you, but in reality I would not have worked for A Holes such as you describe in the first place, for any money.

I worked for a small wood working shop years ago. I was diagnosed with cancer and unable to work for a few months, my wife was told to show up every Friday, and received a check from the owner, nowhere near what I normally made, but I'll tell you it sure helped. There had been no agreement for them to do this, just out of the goodness of their heart.

Gabby, are you a Veteran? If so check into it.

[WILCO]

This of course was in a non union shop.

Shouldn't matter. Consult an Attorney.

[jonp]

I have over 2.5 million miles otr. I have a few things to say about this.

1) Your first mistake was hiring onto this company. I took 5 guesses on the company you were talking about then I looked at the link you posted and Bingo! This company is widely known as a garbage company in the industry. CR England has a worse reputation on treating its drivers but not many more are in the same league.

2) Your second mistake was telling the company you were looking at another company. The first they should find out you are doing this is when the company that is going to hire you calls them to verify current employment. Your current company is not going to give you long runs away from home and risk a truck abandonment.

3) I used to run Donner quite frequently. I am surprised that your company does not have a chain bank set up on either side. On the infrequent times after I ran regularly out west I would pick up a set in Reno, cross and drop them off so they were on the truck but I never really sweated it. I don't recall being asked for them if the weather was nice either. You were within your rights to refuse to run over the pass without them on the truck but I think you were making a mountain out of a molehill because you were upset about the company and not running Christmas.

4) If your miles and money decreased substantially because of this incidence you can file a complaint under The Surface Transportation Assistance Act. A company cannot force you to run in violation of the law. Any law which includes your situation.

5) If your a company driver why are you calling a broker and do you think your company is going to let you set up your own freight like this?

6) It seems to me that this whole situation was escalated because you are not happy with your company. If the company has frequent overnight freight and you don't like it why are you driving for them? It is not their fault that is what they do. Find a company that does not run overnight and go with them.

7) If carrying chains is that big a deal then buy a set of cable chains and put them under the bunk. These are tax deductible as a work expense so in essence will not cost you anything. You don't have to use them but if someone asks you sure have them.

7) I always remember a conversation I had with a fleet manager at Swift when I started out over 20yrs ago. I told him that the conditions were pretty nasty and I didn't think I should be driving regardless of chains, this was out west somewhere maybe Cabbage Patch, and he told me "you are the Captain of your ship. I'm not there so you make the call". Never let a company push you into something your not comfortable with. It's easy for someone 1,000 miles away to tell you to run something but they are not on the ground where you are. You have the rest of your life to deliver a load somewhere. Nothing on your truck is worth your life to move and if the company does not agree then leave but don't be silly about it.

Driving calls for moving the truck in bad weather. That is just the nature of the job. You can't shut down just because it looks like it might snow but you are also entitled to have the tools you need to do the job legally. If the law says you must carry chains then you should carry chains. You are right that the ticket now will be on your CDL and follow you around. This kind of stuff was not such a big deal not too long ago but is a very big deal now and some companies just have not realized it yet. When this came up your first call should have been to Safety. Period. Do not be hysterical about it but just say that your fleet mgr, dsr or whatever wants you to do this....and its against the law. That should be the end of it. You should request a meeting your immediate supervisor and his/her boss to take this up. If that does not work go over their head and keep going but if they are not willing to do anything then drop it and move on.

Always, Always, Always ask to have whatever they want you to do sent to you on the Qualcom. I have ended many conversations about "stretching the log a little" or "running the back roads" with a message to the company stating what they just asked me to do and wanting to verify it. I went into this once with a genius when I was sitting in Calgary. He wanted me to pickup a load and deliver it to Idaho Falls. I had no way to do this the same day legally and while I would have stretched it in the states I was not going to cross through customs like that and he told me to do it. I managed to get him to send the entire conversation over the computer and he finally took me off the load and told me to bring it to the border for a relay. I figured that since he took me off the load it was not my responsibility anymore and I would not get paid to move it and was out of hours anyways so promptly dropped it and parked next to it in the truckstop. The next morning my boss called me up and asked me what was going on and that that idiot had told him I had refused a load. I told Kent, my boss, to check out the qualcom and after a couple minutes of silence he said "oh, ok, no problem I'll take care of it" and that was the last I heard about it.

Many companies problems are not with the companies themselves but poorly trained DSR's who have never seen a truck before. They see a load going from point A to point B in X amount of time and can't understand why you can't do it.

You are now labeled a problem driver by your company, rightly or wrongly. Find another job as quickly as possible as they will find a reason to get rid of you.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

fully ...

[WILCO]

Best Wishes Shawn. Hang tough.

[jonp]

Something tells me you are pulling a box trailer. If you want to run daytime hang a flatbed, stepdeck, or lowboy behind the truck and never look back. It is a lot more work, and requires more skill in some ways, but is way mo betta.
Yup. I loved a flatbed and never ran into problems like the op when I hauled one. More work but better loads, better places to pick up and deliver and better people to deal with.

[jonp]

Update.

OK, I caved!

Yesterday morning I got a message asking if I was going to take a load that runs me over Donner, or sit there till spring?

I replied I would take a load IF he would get me home by Saturday.

He agreed that he would try, but I had already lost a day, I told him if he would to his best, so would I!

I figured that it really came down to money ...

If I put fuel in and drive back to the terminal I would be out about $420.

However if I bought Chains $449.78 (tax included)
Then sell them for $300
I would be out $150, but legal!
Then I would get a 700 mile paid trip to the LA area, at $0.40 a mile ... That's $280, so $130 a head, and then only 340 miles from the terminal, if he could not get me a load back. And if I get a load back the the Phoenix area that's another $136 paid for a total of $266 ahead, instead of $420 in the hole!

So I agreed to the trip, just before I got to the CA border, he canceled my load, I stopped and asked what was going on? He replied back to just sit tight! 1.5 hours layer he gives me a different load ... And I roll into CA ... The scale house is open, but very few trucks there ... I am the only one close by as I creep up at the posted 5 mph in the empty lane, I get the red light, and hear the officer say to pull around back to bay three ... They give me the level one safety inspection, which is a the highest level that they do ... They look for anything and everything ... Creeper under the truck, flashlight, gloves, take measurements ... Fortunately ... I pass with no violations ... Being prepared is a good thing! ;)

I am now in Santa Nella, on my way to the LA area, I do not have an appt on this yet (org was the date of Mon) so I will probably drop it in a drop yard down there, I already have a trip lined up to pick up down there in LA, which goes to Buckeye, AZ 25 miles from our terminal ... Looks like I will be home sometime Saturday late afternoon if all goes well! I still don't trust this guy!

And can leave for vacation on schedule to see my Dad! Hopefully ...

ok, so now you just trained the company that you will run illegally and they can treat you and other drivers anyway they want. Leave as soon as possible.

[jonp]

One more thing, and some will flame me for this, but if you want to stay 100% legal, be looking into a different line of work.

and once again, Yup!

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToRR8plLtwk

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

,,,,,

[Linstrum]

You are being used by an immoral and dangerous scumbucket. Anyone working in the United States trucking industry knows what is legal and what isn't, and any boss who requires employees to break the law as a condition of employment is breaking the law him/herself plus is a sociopathic dirtbag on top of it. If you have a lot at stake, hire a lawyer to document that you are being forced to break the law to keep your job and get yourself out without getting a black mark on your record. If quitting won't give you a black mark, then just walk away from these dirtbags, they are making money by hurting good honest drivers and don't deserve any loyalty from you.

I'd bet that the people at the trucking company who are causing you grief are somewhere around 30-50 years old, this kind of "I don't give a flying f--- about you" lack of morals is unusually common in that generation and in part is what is messing up the country.

rl 1,208

[jonp]

I guess you have learned a couple of valuable lessons. A recruiter will say anything to get you to orientation. Once you walk into that door their job is done and they get paid. Be highly suspect of what they tell you.
You went from Werner to your present company and you expected something to get better? You know by now that you should have done more research and talked to more drivers from your present company before making the switch.
The things your mgr said may be caused by the mgr not knowing the law. Consider this a teaching moment and move the conversation upwards to the next level.
I would encourage you to give a 2 weeks notice and stick it out those two weeks. I have 'cleaned out my truck" myself a couple of times but giving a notice is always the better course. I gave my present employer a 2 week notice to try something different and never made it past orientation. I came home, called my old boss back up and was in the truck the next day. You never know.

[starmac]

Two things in play here.
One is you have been driving for twenty years and still believe anything that comes out of a recruiters mouth, why are you even talking to recruiters????
You actually live in a terrible place to make a living in a freight truck, without being gone from home two or three weeks at a time.

[onceabull]

Once you dumped this firm onceandforall time, Don't waste effort throwing mud at 'em on the internet sites. Find what so-called analysts follow this firm for which brokerage house and share your.exp with them.. When these guys/gals call the firm for answers,the calls are not answered by 25-35 year olds. The stock looks to be under "distribution" to retail investors anyway, which is,in itself, a self-fulfilling event... Onceabull

[grumman581]

7) If carrying chains is that big a deal then buy a set of cable chains and put them under the bunk. These are tax deductible as a work expense so in essence will not cost you anything. You don't have to use them but if someone asks you sure have them.


I have heard that sort of thing a lot over the years, but I have to wonder if the person saying it has ever actually done their taxes themselves. What actually happens with something tax deductible is that you get to deduct the amount off of your income, but not directly off of the taxes that you owe. For example, let's say that the chains are $400 and a person is in the 25% tax bracket (i.e. married, filing jointly, income of $72,500 to $146,400). If you can deduct this from your taxes, you will pay $100 less in taxes for the year, not $400 less. You're getting a discount on the item, but it will cost you something. If you are in the next lower tax bracket ($17,850 to $72,500 and married filing jointly), you will only get a 15% "discount" on the item on your taxes.

[jonp]

I have heard that sort of thing a lot over the years, but I have to wonder if the person saying it has ever actually done their taxes themselves. What actually happens with something tax deductible is that you get to deduct the amount off of your income, but not directly off of the taxes that you owe. For example, let's say that the chains are $400 and a person is in the 25% tax bracket (i.e. married, filing jointly, income of $72,500 to $146,400). If you can deduct this from your taxes, you will pay $100 less in taxes for the year, not $400 less. You're getting a discount on the item, but it will cost you something. If you are in the next lower tax bracket ($17,850 to $72,500 and married filing jointly), you will only get a 15% "discount" on the item on your taxes.

yes I have done just that. The money comes out of your income as an expense similar to other expenses and reduces your overall tax burden. And you have a nice set of cable chains with you.

[jonp]

If I had a dollar for everytime I have heard a similar story such as the one the op put up from a driver, "do this load or you'll sit until you do" then I would not still be in a truck. Large companies treat drivers like **** and always have then wonder why they can't fill seats. Lying to get drivers in the door and mistreating them on the road figuring they had no options to get home except the truck is rampant in the industry.
I've had conversations with several companies similar to this man's. I ran hard but would not do anything I thought was not safe or made me leery and I can tell you I have, ummm...stretched the law on several occasions to get somewhere but always did it safely. I had a talk with my boss at another company several years ago like that one where he pulled something similar in a "sit until you take that load cause thats all your getting". My reply was something to the effect that I had a Credit Card with a line large enough to fly me anywhere in the free world. Don't threaten me as that will get you nowhere. I will run hard and take a load anywhere but when I say I can't run something or have to shut down due to conditions or need to get home you had best listen to me.

I would never recommend anyone get into the industry now. The pay has not gone up in 20yrs, the hours suck, companies treat you badly, the new rules make it next to impossible to earn a good living, etc...

[jonp]

Yeah, it's a dry box ... Run me days, then one morning when I empty out ... They tell me to take my 10 hr break, and be ready for 22:00 for an overnighter ...

The company I applied for also runs dry boxes, but I can run in the day, I have talked with another driver from the same company, he told me the reason they are hiring now is that they just recently switched to electronic logs, and the old timers don't want to switch from the paper ... It is a 250 truck company with seven terminal, mostly in the southern states.

I've been living off my CDL for over 21 years ... Just about 50 ... Hard to find work that will keep the bills paid starting a new career ...

I hate to point this out but the old timers are not quitting because they don't want to switch from paper to electronic logs its that the old timers are taking a look at the payscale, the new HOS and the elogs and leaving the industry to avoid a massive pay cut.

[Randy C]

The trucking industry has gone to pot. I have given a 2 week notice every where I've worked but I had 1 company tell me I would forfeit my last check If I didn't give them a 2wk notice and I told him you can call every company I have worked for the last 10yr's and every body will tell you my history, you ether have a established route to run or you don't. I did not sign the paper work and went to work some where else. I told him if he sent me some where and left me there I would tell him to go xxxx xxxxxxx when I got home and I would quite no notice. He agreed with me they did not have work for me at this time. At least he was being honest.

[grumman581]

yes I have done just that. The money comes out of your income as an expense similar to other expenses and reduces your overall tax burden. And you have a nice set of cable chains with you.

But it does not reduce your tax burden on a dollar for dollar basis. It's easy to see when you use TurboTax, not so easy if you still do your taxes by hand. My taxes have gotten complex enough over the years (depreciation, business expense, stocks, and such) that I would really hate having to do them by hand again. As far as I'm concerned, anything more complicated than the 1040EZ form will not be done by hand. :)

Now, I drove through the Donner Pass a couple of weeks ago when I was driving from San Francisco to Salt Lake City and it seemed OK to me. I wasn't driving a large truck though. For the cars at least, the traffic was averaging 70-75 mph on both the uphill and downhill legs.

[jonp]

But it does not reduce your tax burden on a dollar for dollar basis. It's easy to see when you use TurboTax, not so easy if you still do your taxes by hand. My taxes have gotten complex enough over the years (depreciation, business expense, stocks, and such) that I would really hate having to do them by hand again. As far as I'm concerned, anything more complicated than the 1040EZ form will not be done by hand. :)

Now, I drove through the Donner Pass a couple of weeks ago when I was driving from San Francisco to Salt Lake City and it seemed OK to me. I wasn't driving a large truck though. For the cars at least, the traffic was averaging 70-75 mph on both the uphill and downhill legs.
Not to highjack this thread with a tax thing, although I am about to do it, but if you decrease your overall gross by deductions your tax burden comes down does it not? I use Turbo Tax and have had good luck with it I think but I am not a tax lawyer and don't play one on tv.
Donner is funny. It can be nice on the bottom in Reno and you wonder what the fuss is about and then you need chains. More than once I started up, saw the chains required sign, turned around and enjoyed the nice all you can eat buffet at the hotel until it was down.

[grumman581]

Not to highjack this thread with a tax thing, although I am about to do it, but if you decrease your overall gross by deductions your tax burden comes down does it not? I use Turbo Tax and have had good luck with it I think but I am not a tax lawyer and don't play one on tv.

Yes, your tax burden decreases somewhat, but it is not a 1 to 1 reduction, thus it's not like you are getting the item for free. If you are in a 15% tax bracket, you are getting a 15% effective discount on the item. I've just seen too many people over the years that say that when you can write someone off on your taxes (i.e. deduct it), it means that you get it for free. That is just not the case. It reduces your adjusted gross income (AGI), upon which your taxes are based, but it does not directly decrease your taxes by the full purchase price.

As a truck driver, are you a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor? As a 1099 contractor, you would have more opportunities for deductions, but they will still work the same way.

I am not a CPA, but as an independent contractor (engineer), I have picked up a bit of knowledge over the years as to how the tax system works on these matters while not getting creative and thus drawing the attention of the IRS. I'm sure that there are some people who are very creative on their taxes and get away with it, but I don't need that sort of potential headache.

[jonp]

Yes, your tax burden decreases somewhat, but it is not a 1 to 1 reduction, thus it's not like you are getting the item for free. If you are in a 15% tax bracket, you are getting a 15% effective discount on the item. I've just seen too many people over the years that say that when you can write someone off on your taxes (i.e. deduct it), it means that you get it for free. That is just not the case. It reduces your adjusted gross income (AGI), upon which your taxes are based, but it does not directly decrease your taxes by the full purchase price.

As a truck driver, are you a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor? As a 1099 contractor, you would have more opportunities for deductions, but they will still work the same way.

I am not a CPA, but as an independent contractor (engineer), I have picked up a bit of knowledge over the years as to how the tax system works on these matters while not getting creative and thus drawing the attention of the IRS. I'm sure that there are some people who are very creative on their taxes and get away with it, but I don't need that sort of potential headache.

I get what you are saying now. I agree. After paying taxes all year if I can decrease my agi it seems magnified but we are still talking about my own money. I just can never seem to break even

[cbrick]

I get what you are saying now. I agree. After paying taxes all year if I can decrease my agi it seems magnified but we are still talking about my own money. I just can never seem to break even

You have an uncle that has his hand in your pocket and you expected to break even? [smilie=1:

Rick

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

data)

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

shawn,
enjoy your vacation and time with your Dad.
We'll still be here when you find a new way to be online ;)
Jon

[grumman581]

You have an uncle that has his hand in your pocket and you expected to break even? [smilie=1:


I suspect that the only way to break even is if you spend all your money and have no heirs that the government can harass and you are 6 ft under. Of course, to do it right, this needs to happen before April 15th and you don't file your taxes early nor do you pre-pay your taxes for that year. :)

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s220/ShawnVT/DannyHerman_zps826facd.jpg (http://s153.photobucket.com/user/ShawnVT/media/DannyHerman_zps826fa8cd.jpg.html)

[mikeym1a]

Seems someone was listening to your complaints, and offered a way out. Perhaps you should give thanks??

[jonp]

I don't hear much about DHT although I see their trucks once in a great while. I'll be interested in how it works out for you. The pay scale does seem kinda low to me but if the miles are there then you will average it out I guess. Heartland promised something like .54 in the "green zone" I think but if your only getting 1,000/week it might as well be $1

[Jimmy10mm]

Update.

While on vacation, (last Wed) I got the call from the one company that I had applied to after much discussion and questions asked/answered (from both sides) they offered me a job! I then called Heartless Express, and told them I found a new job, and would not be returning from vacation.

They are Danny Herman Trucking, they have a terminal near me (110 miles) and don't require me to drive overnight, and the owner is a Christian, and runs his company with Christian values! I start this next Monday

They sound like a good fit for me, they are a small company (Less than 300 trucks) and seem to care about the driver, I talked to another driver who was with them, who actually left, for a local job, but returned to Danny Herman in two weeks!



Proves what J.Vernon McGee said, "God is still on the throne and prayer changes things." Best of luck with the new job. I was a union ironworker in steel erection for 20 years. My dad told me when I was getting started in it that the contractor's philosophy is "don't worry about the mule, just load the wagon." Finding a job with a company that practices Christian values should be a blessing.

[Newtire]

Early on in my working career I always gave 2 weeks notice, then midway in my working years it dawned on me that no employer ever gave 2 weeks notice for laying anyone off or firing anyone.
Got laid off by the same company that I eventually quit 15 years later. Got rehired after existing management at the time I was laid off all got canned themselves. When it came time for me to go back to work, got to do it under my own terms and gave them 2-weeks notice when I quit. Don't feel guilty about looking for a new job and don't let the company know you are looking until you have the new job "in the bag" as much as that's possible these days. Probably a few exceptions but most corporate type situations want you to get off the premises once they find out that you are quitting.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

es ...

[jonp]

You have an uncle that has his hand in your pocket and you expected to break even? [smilie=1:

Rick

Sam is beginning to get on my nerves :evil:

[jonp]

Jon,

The green zone at Heartland offers "up to .52" most don't make that ... and that is the NYC area ... out here in the SW with my 8 years of verified OTR experience I was making .39 per mile + .01 because I have haz-mat ... avg miles per week under 1900 miles! Last calendar year I made a total of just under $48K which included a $1000 safety bonus (paid once per year if you have not had a accident in the last 12 months)

DHT is offering .35 per mile, plus .01 for haz-mat, If I run over 2540 miles per week (11,000 per month) I get a .015 bonus, and over 2770 miles per week (12,000 miles per month) another additional .015 per mile for a total of .39 ... avg miles 2,800 - 3,200 miles per week ... they also offer monthly fuel bonus, and quarterly safety bonuses ...

yes, thats my point. When deciding to take a job or not ignore the bonuses as it is not guaranteed money. Also beware of "if I run over....I get x extra" because you are not in control of the miles you run as long as someone else is planning your loads for you. This is a game most of the carriers play but some like Heartland are worse than others. They can promise you 2,500 miles a week but if you are stuck in New England/New Jersey are you going to do that? No way with the traffic and such.
I hope DHT works out for you. Please post how it goes for you on the forum and PM me if you get a chance to keep us (me) updated.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

it ...

[mac60]

Shawn - Do yourself a favor buddy. Find something local. If you look hard enough, you'll find something. Two things you don't want on your truck - 1. A sleeper. 2. a lift gate. If you have either one, sooner or later you're gonna have to use it. If I had to take my choice, I'd take a lift gate. If you find you something local, you ain't got to worry about all that b.s. The truck has to come back to the yard every day and you're home sleeping in YOUR bed. I'd drive a 10 wheel dump truck before I'd go back on the road.

[shooterg]

Worked at a truck stop when I was a kid - the truckdrivers were great, but I figured out then that truckDRIVING was not in my future plans. All of 'em had 2 logbooks then, the truckstop owner would cook the fuel receipts so as to give the drivers meal money . Later when I was going to Virginia Tech, many of those drivers I'd known since I was 14 would go out of their way to shuttle me back and forth to Blacksburg. They even stuck 20's in my pocket for helping unload at stops. Tough way to make a living !

[grumman581]

Worked at a truck stop when I was a kid - the truckdrivers were great, but I figured out then that truckDRIVING was not in my future plans. All of 'em had 2 logbooks then, the truckstop owner would cook the fuel receipts so as to give the drivers meal money . Later when I was going to Virginia Tech, many of those drivers I'd known since I was 14 would go out of their way to shuttle me back and forth to Blacksburg. They even stuck 20's in my pocket for helping unload at stops. Tough way to make a living !

I've made some long drives over the last couple of months (in a car). On one trip, I ended up putting around 5500 miles on my car. My longest leg was around 1500 miles over two days and I had other 500+ and 770 mile days. But that is with a car that is traveling quite a bit faster than what the trucks are allowed / able to do in the mountains and it was bad / boring enough that I was glad that I usually a week between major legs like that. As an OTR truck driver, I would be expected to be driving for 11 hours each day. I like driving, but not THAT much. The boredom kind of gets to you after awhile. I'm definitely glad I went to college and got my degrees instead of having to do something like that for a living. But, if all someone can do is get a high school education, I guess truck driving might work for them.

[starmac]

There are lots and lots of college degrees running the roads in big trucks. It is a lifestyle that fits some great, but some can't handle it too, education doesn't have a lot to do with it. 11 hours a day, it would be nice if that is what is expected . lol

[grumman581]

There are lots and lots of college degrees running the roads in big trucks. It is a lifestyle that fits some great, but some can't handle it too, education doesn't have a lot to do with it. 11 hours a day, it would be nice if that is what is expected . lol

There's a mandated 11 hours maximum of driving each day, isn't it? I'm just talking about the monotonous part of sitting behind the wheel for that long each day.

I have to wonder about what type of degrees the drivers might have which made them choose trucking instead of something related to their original degree. Probably some useless degree that you can't make any money doing. English majors, perhaps? Urban Studies, perhaps? History or Geography majors? Sometimes, the degrees that people get are not even worth the paper that they are printed on.

[starmac]

LOL I have known bank presidents that wound up driving, I am sure there are plenty of worthless degrees in the field, but there are plenty of others that have decided it is the life for them. There is no law requiring you to drive 11 hours a day, the law is 11 hours is the maximum, with a 10 hour break inbetween driving times, in every state but here, where we can drive 15 hours legally.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

money ...

[starmac]

Yea we got the new 34 hour reset rules, but were exempted for the mandatory breaks.

[jonp]

There's a mandated 11 hours maximum of driving each day, isn't it? I'm just talking about the monotonous part of sitting behind the wheel for that long each day.

I have to wonder about what type of degrees the drivers might have which made them choose trucking instead of something related to their original degree. Probably some useless degree that you can't make any money doing. English majors, perhaps? Urban Studies, perhaps? History or Geography majors? Sometimes, the degrees that people get are not even worth the paper that they are printed on.

BS Biology (fish and wildlife mgt) with a minor in Organic Chem. Not exactly Urban Studies my friend. Some of us do it because we have restless feet. You sound like you have the attitude that those of us that joined the military and jumped out of planes did it because we had no other options in life

[starmac]

If you ever see me jump out of a plane, you can bet your sweet ****, that I had no other option. lol

[jonp]

If you ever see me jump out of a plane, you can bet your sweet ****, that I had no other option. lol

^^^Thats why there aren't a lot of crazy paratroopers around :grin:

[grumman581]

BS Biology (fish and wildlife mgt) with a minor in Organic Chem. Not exactly Urban Studies my friend. Some of us do it because we have restless feet. You sound like you have the attitude that those of us that joined the military and jumped out of planes did it because we had no other options in life

As a pilot, I'm required to subscribe to the old saying, "Why would anyone jump out of a perfectly good plane?"... :)

I'm ex-Navy myself. I totally understand the "restless feet" thing.

Were you just not able to find a job in your chosen field and kind of fell into trucking? Considering the hours and the pay, I just find it difficult to believe that someone would choose it as a career when they had other options that could pay more.

[starmac]

I'm sure there are lots of truckers get into it, because they have nothing else to do that they can make a living at. A lot of them get into driving because they think it is an easy living. Most in these two categories doesn't make it work for them, and doesn't make it work for them.

As far as the money, it is just like any profession, you can have a job that barely makes you a living, or you can make more than a lot of professions, it all depends on ambition, but Govt has been trying to even the playing field like everything else.

[RogerDat]

You are not happy with them, they are not happy with you. In short a situation with more downside possibilities than opportunities. Time to go. Especially since if you reported accurately your employer can be a bit vindictive. Don't shy away from a less than optimum job because pretty much any job that pays the bills will have more potential than where you are given how you say it is going.

I was lucky for the years I was driving it was almost always local and hourly. Lot of plant to plant shipping in SE Michigan so it was more like a regular job than the OTR stuff my brother did.
Lot of financial incentive to bend, spindle and mutilate the rules means lots of pressure on drivers to cooperate with that approach. Lets face it you don't do that sort of work unless you have a strong streak of independence and prefer a job where you not the boss makes a lot of the decisions about how the job gets done. If your way and the employers way align it's good, if they don't it's the wrong company.

Obligation to let employer know about looking for a job depends on your duties, the relationship you have with your employer, and their respect for you. If they consider you nothing but meat for the seat to press the "go" pedal and easily replaced not telling them seems like it would have been the better course.