Me And My Big Mouth! (How To Start A Fight At A Terminal)

Hey Burkley, grats on the Knight position. I just got the approval from my recruiter to start my orientation. Just waiting out the notice I gave at my current job. Depending on how quickly Knight needs me will determine how much notice this company will get.

Curious to know how you like it? I will be running reefer , super regional , out of Dallas, TX. Have you been able to get consistent miles? Has the pay been ok, or do you find it lacking?

This is one thing I am concerned about. I currently work in the oilfield. Last year I made just over $72,000, but since the downturn in the oil market, they reduced our pay by about $7000, so i'll probably be on track to make closer to $65k to $70k this year. Now I am looking into making a change into the trucking industry, and I know my pay will drop to around the $50k mark, however, I plan on getting out of my apartment, so that will save on rent, electricity, water, cable, internet, not to mention i'll end up spending less on the road that I would here at home, I hope, in addition to this, I won't be having to buy gas for my pickup. I'm hoping that with all of the savings, i'll end up breaking even.

I'm hoping that after taxes, insurance, and 401k, that i'll be able to bring home between $650 and $700 per week. Is this doable or will I be looking at less than that?

I'm hoping that after taxes, insurance, and 401k, that i'll be able to bring home between $650 and $700 per week. Is this doable or will I be looking at less than that?

For me to NET $700 (after taxes, insurances and contributing 6% of my GROSS to my 401K)... I need to GROSS about $1,100. To GROSS around $1,100 (at .39 per mile)... I need about 2,800 miles.

There is a Gross Up Calculator at Gross Up Calculator that you can use to do "what ifs." Just pick your State, enter your number of exemptions and pre-tax deductions for insurance and 401K.

I suppose it's really difficult to help someone when they have their head so firmly planted in their butt! OS, you are, for sure, a "super trucker" for your attempt to help this (not so) rare specimen. Good for you for not giving up on people!

I agree with the sentiment that others have given - please do not let it deter you in the least from wanting to help people the way you do! It's truly a gift that you and the others that are out there running hard everyday still go out of your way to help others the way you do. I'm sure since the incident you've thought of a thousand things you could have said at the time like, "Sorry man. Your paychecks are so much smaller than mine I was feeling bad for ya. Thought I could teach you how a real pro does it but now I can see you aren't capable of it anyhow."

But ya know what? You took one for the team because your story reinforces what we tell people all the time - you'll find far more happiness and success in this career if you do everything with a great attitude. Now I've always known that statement falls on deaf ears a lot. "Have a great attitude? What the h*ll kind of corny, rah-rah advice is that? Does he think he's teaching middle school or something?"

But I'll tell you what kind of advice it is - it's the kind that's going to put more money in your wallet, get you home on time, get you better runs, keep you moving when others are sitting, and lead to opportunities that other drivers will never be given. Here's why:

You see, the trucker stereotype of the loud-mouth, unprofessional, obnoxious jerk is very real. In fact, turn on channel 19 on the CB or sit in on the conversations at the company terminals or truck stops and you'll not only agree, but you'll be appalled that it's as rampant as it is. In fact, it's commonplace for truckers to walk into a customer's office smelling like a dumpster, looking like a bum off the street, and cussing everyone out when he doesn't get taken care of right away.

Would that type of behavior be tolerated in any professional environment? Of course not! Imagine someone walking into an office environment looking, acting, and smelling like that. They'd be fired on the spot! Instantly! No questions asked. And everyone that witnessed it would be appalled. And yet it's tolerated by these same professionals when truckers do it. Why? For the same reason that peeing on someone's mailbox is tolerated when a dog does it - because people don't expect anything better from a dog.

Truckers have such a low standing in our society that even the people running trucking companies tolerate smelly, ignorant, foul-mouthed jerks because they simply don't expect anything better from us. We're truckers - that's just what we're like. We're considered a lower class of people.

So as a trucker, if you decide to look, talk, and act like a true professional out there you really do stand out in the crowd. The customers are delighted, dispatchers will love you, and even the waitresses at the truck stops will surely appreciate it. In fact, you will find that often times:

• You'll be loaded or unloaded ahead of other drivers even though they arrived first
• You'll be given plenty of freight while other drivers are fighting for the leftover scraps
• You'll be given special favors from time to time like really awesome runs or an extra day or two at home that others won't get
• You'll be given special consideration by management anytime you run into problems you'd like to discuss with them

......and the list goes on and on. The waitresses will take better care of you, the friendlier drivers out there will make for enjoyable company, and everyone you come across will certainly respond in a friendlier way.

But we're all doing this to make money and I'm telling you that you'll make more money and have a lot more fun out there if you'll maintain the standards of a true professional and treat others with kindness and respect. That is a fact. It won't happen every single time with every person you come across, but overall it certainly will happen.

Old School you are appreciated far beyond what words can convey because you've helped many thousands of people understand what it means to be a true professional out there. And now those people are out there, or preparing to head out there, and their lives and careers are so much better off because of your guidance. Sure, every once in a while you'll run into a jerk that doesn't get it and never will. But part of what makes a person a truly great mentor with great character is that they don't let those people deter them from their mission to help others find more happiness and success in their lives and their careers. Keep doing what you're doing and don't change a thing. We would all lose in a big way if you stopped being you and doing what you do.

More loads for me!

They may not appreciate you, but we do old school. You have taught me a lot as well as Brett and others. By following yalls advice I have been doing well. I try my best to have a good attitude and it has got me loaded early quite often. I say let the whiners whine, we don't have time for it because we are actually driving!

Hey Burkley, grats on the Knight position. I just got the approval from my recruiter to start my orientation. Just waiting out the notice I gave at my current job. Depending on how quickly Knight needs me will determine how much notice this company will get.

Curious to know how you like it? I will be running reefer , super regional , out of Dallas, TX. Have you been able to get consistent miles? Has the pay been ok, or do you find it lacking?

This is one thing I am concerned about. I currently work in the oilfield. Last year I made just over $72,000, but since the downturn in the oil market, they reduced our pay by about $7000, so i'll probably be on track to make closer to $65k to $70k this year. Now I am looking into making a change into the trucking industry, and I know my pay will drop to around the $50k mark, however, I plan on getting out of my apartment, so that will save on rent, electricity, water, cable, internet, not to mention i'll end up spending less on the road that I would here at home, I hope, in addition to this, I won't be having to buy gas for my pickup. I'm hoping that with all of the savings, i'll end up breaking even.

I'm hoping that after taxes, insurance, and 401k, that i'll be able to bring home between $650 and $700 per week. Is this doable or will I be looking at less than that?

I'm really liking it so far. I'm at the Katy terminal right now but I'm out of Columbus Oh. It seems like they will give you all the miles you can handle. Everyone is really easy to talk to. Heads up though this zonar thing is kinda funky.

But thw thing is that you do t have to do 600 per day to make money. 7 x 400 = 2800 moles per week. Not stressing... taking time for breaks showers sleep. Wtf is this guy's problem?

I guess I never felt the need for pushing for payday either. At prime we can take a pay advance for a couple hundred dollars. It comes out the next week... so if I needed $ I'd have it and it would be covered by thw long run that didn't make the payday cutoff

But thw thing is that you do t have to do 600 per day to make money. 7 x 400 = 2800 moles per week. Not stressing... taking time for breaks showers sleep. Wtf is this guy's problem?

I guess I never felt the need for pushing for payday either. At prime we can take a pay advance for a couple hundred dollars. It comes out the next week... so if I needed $ I'd have it and it would be covered by thw long run that didn't make the payday cutoff

Exactly !!! "This week might be light, due to the run extending over the cut off date, but damn, next week is gonna be huge since I now have a week and some extra. .."

Omg I thought of this post today. Yesterday I was 120 miles from the terminal and asked the weekend dispatch if I could come in to get supplies fuel and washout. I wanted some things from the company store as well as wiper fluids trip sheets and more.

They said "definitely get a washout" ... uh.. yeah but WHERE was the point. I said screw it and found a BB then parked.

Night dispatch tried to send me a 1700 mile load I couldn't do with my hours. Then my FM comes in at 0700 and gives me a load that picks up in springfield at 0900. They had to change the Appt time for me to make it. Thw load is 1500 miles an I still can't finish it.. but I'll get a big chunk of it.

The kicker.... a bunch of prime drivers are on FB griping about how they can't get loads out of there. I got 2 loads in 4 hours while I was on break....of more than 1200 miles... hmmmm. I get there and 3 are sitting in the cafe bashing dispatch about not giving them loads... and they were company drivers not lease. They said only the "favorites" get loads.

Guess I'm a favorite.... wonder how I did that.... oh yeah.. I remember I freaking show up on time lol