Driving For Major Carriers With Sleep Apnea

Why do you think you need to be worried about HR/Payroll issues?

I was going to start a thread on that this weekend.

The only reason I'd get into trucking would be for retirement income. I might be the only trucker in the country who doesn't want a weekly paycheck. An offshoot of that is I don't want money being taken out of my payroll post-tax to pay for tire chains, sleep studies, etc.

I don't want to be paid, except for $65/day tax-free per diem reimbursement. I'm willing to pay taxes on my 401k contributions above $24k/calendar year, but that means my paychecks will be negative, or more likely, I'll just have to make quarterly estimates outside of payroll.

And I want maximum 401k match from day one. For example, I'd rather be paid 28 cents plus 25% into my 401k than be paid 35 cents.

That makes me unusual, even weird, but I don't think it'll be a problem as long as it doesn't violate the 401k plan rules.

Wow, man. Just when I thought your list of demands or expectations couldn't possibly get any longer........

Picky much?

Geeeeez.

With all this fussin' over money you should've either been a millionaire ten times over or you should've realized there's no need to fuss over every last nitpicky detail of every dime going in and out cuz it isn't worth it. Trust me, I'm all about evaluating things. I'm a math and science guy and a data guy and all that but there's far more productive things you could be doing with your time.

Fussin over every dime is just too much wasted time and worry. Ever hear of the phrase "over-optimization"? With programming it's easy to fall into that trap where you spend countless hours trying to shave three thousandths of a second off of your database query when you're barely using 5% of your resources.

Lighten up, Joe!

We enjoy the questions, don't get me wrong. Helping people is what we do and we're more than happy to help ya all ya like. I'm just sayin for the sake of your own sanity, lighten up! If you want to maximize your income then stop worrying about things so much, get away from that keyboard, and get to work!

I mean all of that in the nicest way.

I wasn't ready to go there with this discussion, but Old School asked...

Yes, I'd be making unusual requests, but on the other hand, the biggest effect it would have on the employer would be a reduction of their payroll tax liability, with a side order of increasing the contribution ratio for non-highly compensated employees and helping the highly compensated employees meet the discrimination rules. Of course, I have absolutely no idea if trucking company executives ever run into that issue and get a forced return of their 401k deposits. If they don't, having blue collar workers contribute their entire payroll doesn't help them any.

Here's my situation: I'm 53 years old, and going downhill, but I'm healthier now than I was five years ago, due to finally treating my OSA six months ago, and my aging/physical decline seems to be slower than it was when I wasn't sleeping for the past 10-12 years. SSA tells me if I keep going as I have been for another 14 years, I can expect benefits that will pay my property tax, utilities, and Medicare Part B premium. My IRA is not capable of supplying the rest of my living expenses, even if I keep putting $6500/yr in it. If I can handle OTR for 2-5 years, and if every penny I make over $65/day goes straight into 401k/IRA/Social Security, then maybe I'll still have my house in 20 years.

Well let me just give you the heads up that most carriers are not interested in custom tailoring each individual's financial strategy with the company, you know what I mean? It's more like, "Here's your pay, here's your benefits, and here's a couple options you have to customize it" and that's it. Take it or leave it.

Keep in mind these are huge corporations with huge turnover. The overwhelming majority of drivers don't make it a year in this industry, and every company turns over every driver on average each year. So there's not going to be much in the way of, "Let's sit down and haggle out a financial plan for you." It's just not going to happen.

And in fact it may or may not hurt to ask for a lot of specifics, especially in the very beginning of your career. Why? Because trucking sees no shortage of hard-headed individuals with very specific requirements and a "my way or the highway" attitude. Well those people normally get the "highway" option pretty quickly because trucking simply requires a huge amount of tolerance, compromise, and sacrifice. That's just the nature of the job.

So if a newbie shows up saying, "I want to be a truck driver and here's my list of requirements" they're pretty much going to schedule you for a bus ride home the next day because you're not going to be around long.

None of this is personal to you, understand. I'm just saying in a career where most people drop out quickly, no one is going to spend a lot of time catering to someone until they've proven they have what it takes and they're going to be around for a while.

To be clear, I'm not saying you shouldn't discuss any of this with the various companies. But just be aware of your position coming in as a brand new driver in an industry with a huge failure rate and turnover rate.

Also you are assuming you are eligible for 401k and vested right away. I've seen companies that do not start contributing until the emoloyee is there FIVE years!!! And that was a mortgage company.

As Brett just said....that is never with 50% of new drivers and many drivers change companies the second year, delaying more.

At Prime my class became eliigible for 401k after a year and they contributed right away. I THINK the max you can put in is 75%... But I'll ask (as well as the cpap machine... I didn't need one when tested so I don't have one). Recently they changed and said you can enroll in 401k after six months. I put in 20% I think... But I don't want to see it cause then I'd be thinking I should give less and spend more lol

Don't ask me specifics...I'm not a money person. My pay stub tells me how much I put in and how much they did. Lol We have the ability to change our contribution percentage all year, taking affect the next quarter--- better than what I had a federal employee where we could only change once a year. They use Fidelity Investments.

I hope this helps. Each company will have completely different options. And like Old School said...the companies aren't about "gouging" you as some of the miserable drivers complain about on the net. MOST of the larger carriers truly are concerned about health and safety. Prime has an exercise guru and a weight loss plan that is customized for your diet and exercise. Yes it costs money...but meet the goal and you get it back. Heck...the Swifties joke and send the new drivers on a wild goose chase to search for the steam showers with various heads. When I read that I busted out laughing cause we DO have that in our day spa in the terminals....where we can get cheap massages and facials to relax. We even get rewards points as bonuses to get free ones!!

I say all this cause I want to dispel the preconceived notion that carriers are out to get us ;). They want us happy, rested and relaxed so we make them money...safely...or they lose money. And although there is a high turn over rate...when it comes to good, safe drivers....we get lots of special treatment.

If you call primes main number, you can ask for Brandon in benefits and see what he has to say about the 401k. Worst thing he can do is hang up lol. If he answers your questions then maybe you will feel more at ease.

Keep in mind that all this is concerning you instead of grasping the issues and ability to perform. If you become a driver but get no miles cause you never learned the nitty gritty of truck driving then you won't be putting anything into that 401k.

Hope this helps.

My two cents, for what it is worth and to open myself up to laughter from others on here.... I created a 6-page spreadsheet of questions, down the left hand column, to ask recruiters. I call it my super-duper-recruiter bs spotting detection spreadsheet. I figured I'd spend an hour or more discussing their company at length as I am diligently seeking the right company to work for, just as diligently as they will investigate me. If they weren't willing to spend the time with me on the details, then they weren't worth my time in the long run. Most of the questions arose from spending way too many hours on this website as I researched this career change!!!! Also, just like shopping for a house, after looking at 2 or 3 in a day, they all start looking the same and it is hard to remember features about each one. That, and I didn't want to keep calling back or emailing to get questions answered. Hence, the spreadsheet.....

It served me well as I applied to 17 companies, covered everything from 1st day of orientation through the first year of employment, and all but one recruiter didn't seem to mind my questions. Several said they had never been asked certain questions before, such as HSA vs. FSA on health plans, or 401k vesting schedule, etc. but were willing to provide an HR contact and phone number within their outfit to get my questions answered. At 58 years old and recently laid off from a lifetime in the Oil & Gas Industry, this ain't my first rodeo and I'm shopping for the best fit for my family. My needs are certainly different than most young guys entering this industry and I wasn't about to go in blind or ignorant.

For what it is worth, some companies don't have a 401k program, profit sharing or stock options, but most do. Enrollment period for 401k and health benefits ranged from 30 - 90 days after hire. Matching contributions to 401k ranged from none (profit sharing returns only contributed to 401k in that company), to 50% match of up to 3% employee contribution, to the usual 50% match of up to 6% employee contribution, with some having an annual match limit. I got the full range of answers. So, it pays to ask. I even educated a few younger recruiters on the personal financial benefits of 401k plans in general and the differences/advantages of HSA & FSA health plan options. Like I said, this ain't my first rodeo and it is never too early to start saving for retirement as 401k's can grow to massive amounts over a lifetime of employment. And it ain't what you make, it is what you save, that matters.

Super duper recruiter bes detector !!! Lol

That's awesome. I'm sure a lot of recruiters either don't know or might not have up to date info. I will tell you prime seems to change things often. For example the referral bonus structure this year is completely different from last. We used to need a year to get the 401k now its six months. That sort of thing. The changes are usually good ones though...but I would imagine its tough for recruiters to keep up.

Good luck to you ;)

It is amusing at times watching all the newbies as they over analyze everything when trying to make a start in this business. I do get a kick out of those who create spread sheets, and try to analyze the data they come up with. I understand it totally, but as much as they think they are "figuring it all out," they are literally just adding stress onto themselves unknowingly, and are laying a foundation for unexpected disappointments.

There are two main things that should concern you when looking for a trucking job.

1) You need to have some kind of idea what type of freight it is that you think you would prefer (even that might change with time)

2) You need to have some kind of idea of the frequency and duration of home time that you need.

I like what Rainy pointed out, that all the benefits and perks are constantly changing, so those things are often times a moving target. These big companies change their policies and programs some times more quickly and frequently than Lady Gaga changes her outfits.

Look, I understand all the over analyzing, I did it myself as a new comer. I was determined that TMC was the absolute best place for me to be. Lo, and behold they wouldn't have anything to do with me - I got sent home from two of their orientations, and then denied the chance to come to my third one! My point is: All my research was wasted time and effort that was totally fruitless.

Here is what I discovered in my own personal quest to become an American Truck Driver...

As far as getting started goes, you take what you can get as an unproven greenhorn rookie. Try to go with a company that meets your two main concerns, that is type of freight, and home time requirements. You are not some hot commodity that can expect to be getting the top pay at the best company. You are going to make some mistakes, and they know and expect that far better than you do. We all think we are going to be the best driver they have ever had, and they should be really glad to have us on board. That is all fine and good, but the proof will always be in your results, and most rookie results are dismal at best. We got lost, we get homesick, we struggle with the whole change of lifestyle, we tear stuff up, we get frustrated, we are usually totally unprepared for what we just got into. That is a very short list of the disastrous way that most of us got our start in this crazy business.

I started at a company that had the absolute worst and most voluminous terribly negative internet reviews from former drivers. Read that statement again, and let it sink in real good...

Guess what? I was extremely successful there, and built a good solid foundation for my future trucking career there. I always had more miles than I thought I was going to be able to handle, and made way above the average rookie's pay for my first year. All of that, and I started at .27/CPM!

Look at all the odds that were stacked against me...

- My top choice in companies would not take me.

- My First Company had a terrible reputation.

- My starting pay was pathetically low.

- I didn't have a clue yet how to succeed at this thing called trucking.

- Every driver I met at this company told me they were here just to get some experience, and then they would move on.

- I never met another co-worker who was happy, much less even slightly content with his job - negativity was the norm.

It is a wonder that I ever stuck with it this long! I met a driver from my same company one time as we were delivering some steel to the same job site. He began to immediately complain to me about how he was not getting enough miles, and that he was going to leave just as soon as he could. He told me that in six months he had never had more than 1,800 miles in a single week! Well, I knew what the problem had to be, but he wasn't giving me that information. So, I asked a few questions to sort of pry it out of him, and my assumption was dead on. He refused to work on weekends! He said that was his time. Here we were, emptying out early Friday morning, and he was not going to accept a load, but go and hang out at a truck stop until Monday morning, and enjoy "his time." And then he is going to moan and groan about how the company is not doing him right on his miles!

I went all around in circles here to make a point. You can analyze, and scrutinize all the perks, the benefits, or even the pros and cons of how to handle your taxes and/or your per diem options until you are blue in the face, and the truth is that it all amounts to pennies in difference in the over all scheme of the dynamics involved in becoming a successful professional driver.

There is one vital thing that matters in this career, and that is YOU, and how you approach this stuff. If you and I work at the same company and make the same pay rate, while getting the same benefits. There is a huge possibility that one of us will do much better than the other. If you can lay hold of the "why" part of that statement, then you are going to be very successful at this no matter which carrier you get started at.

Everybody seems to think that their particular situation is special and there are reasons why they need to get the most benefits one way or the other, but in the end what is critical is your bottom line - that is how you prepare for your future retirement benefits - you make some scratch and you put it back for when you are going to need it.

It is amusing at times watching all the newbies as they over analyze everything when trying to make a start in this business. I do get a kick out of those who create spreadsheets, and try to analyze the data they come up with.

Yeah, that's my general theme this morning, too. Everyone is totally obsessing over the wrong things. It's the classic "stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime" thing.

We have these long, OCD-like discussions on per diem and people are talking about how much time they spent creating spreadsheets or grilling recruiters and all sorts of other nickel and dime stuff and noone is asking a single question about how to maximize their time management skills, how to squeeze every minute of available time out of their logbook , how to build better relationships with the right people in their company, how to stay motivated enough to perform consistently at the highest levels, how to get loaded or unloaded early, or how to work their way into the higher paying and more elite divisions within their company.

I was just saying in another thread that I know for a fact I was making $5,000 - $10,000 more per year than many of my peers who were making the exact same mileage pay because I was far more motivated, more savvy about time management, and had better relationships within my company.

And this whole "analyze every company to death" thing. Listen, the profit margins are about 3% in this industry. Every company uses basically the same trucks, same fuel, same highways, and even pull the same freight for the same customers under the same laws. How much differentiation do you think you're going to find between companies when they're all doing the same job the same way?

Very little.

The difference between a happy driver making $55,000 and a miserable driver making $42,000 is the driver, not the company.

1) You need to have some kind of idea what type of freight it is that you think you would prefer (even that might change with time)

2) You need to have some kind of idea of the frequency and duration of home time that you need.

That's it right there. Once you narrow down your choices to the companies that hire from your area, hauling the freight you want to haul, getting you home on your schedule there's only going to be a few choices. At that point you look at pay, benefits, and equipment. At that point it will either be an obvious choice or a coin flip.

In 15 years of driving I never did 10 minutes of research on anyone I went to work for. I didn't need to. I landed my first job during a graduation pizza party at my school because a recruiter from a large carrier said "follow me to the terminal , we'll get your physical and drug screen out of the way today, and have you on the road with a trainer within a few days or a week." And that's what I did. And it worked out great.

After getting some experience I knew how to perform at the highest level so I knew I'd be earning top pay and top miles no matter where I went. So I wasn't worried about finding a company that was good enough. Any company with several hundred trucks or more can be an awesome place to work. So I found one that had the freight and hometime I wanted and went to work.

And remember, every week you spend researching instead of working costs you about $1,000 that you'll never get back.

And remember, every week you spend researching instead of working costs you about $1,000 that you'll never get back.

Amen! Go do some analyzing on that statement - it is true!