17(+2)/88/107 - UPDATE & Fleet Option Change

Everyone is making a bunch of awesome points. I'm quite interested in the dynamics of this myself.

Average miles for the 7days is 3000. What the Fleet manager/dispatch is going to be doing is keeping you running hard for 7days and working hard to burn up ever bit of your 70hrs. A person has to be ok with putting in long days and driving long miles.

I like that aspect of it. If I'm workin - I wanna work. If I have to be out on the road then by God keep me rollin. I had a job where I was out 5 days and then home on weekends. I ran as much in those 5 days as most people did in 7 (paper logbook - I lied a lot). I worked hard while I was out, I relaxed when I was home.

How do your benefits with the company change? i.e. do you pay more for insurance/s? Longevity raises etc…

That's a good question too - especially benefits. I'm hoping the benefits don't change.

I mean making $25000 or so a year or less AND being gone for half the year does not make a whole lot of sense. I understand what your family means to you but you could make more money at a normal job and be home every night.

That is indeed an excellent point. I would say one benefit of it is it still counts as OTR experience which might be exactly what he needs right now to qualify for a local job. So you're only gone from your family half the time but you're getting full experience and soon enough you can land something local.

I just know my children are a priority, my marriage is something I treasure & being gone so much does have an effect on every part of that. WE can use the extra cash if I were to continue at the same pace i've been running but at what price?

And that, of course, is more important than all the other points put together.

There's a lot to consider for sure and every decision is going to be a compromise.

Guyjax, I don't think your missing anything...Steve has chosen to forsake the higher income for the chance to be a father to his children in their formative years, and a husband and helpmate to his wife, who sacrifices as much as he does. I can really respect a man and his wife for doing with less so that their children can grow up with both parents at home atleast half the time. Truck drivers never know what they have missed, until the years have gone by, and they wonder why they don't have a close relationship with their children. Its all those years out on the road, when they put making the almighty dollar ahead of being there for the children when it means the most. Its a hard choice to make in this economy. You will find new ways to pinch that penny. But years from now, Steve will have his children close to his heart, and a wife who appreciates all the sacrifices. Theres really no choice to make, when you see the love in your children's eyes, and have heard them crying when you have gone out the door to go back out on the road.

1) Benefits: I'm still able to purchase affordable health care. However, being p/t it will cost about $60 more per month. Raises will continue on performance (delivery on time, safety, fuel), however, I won't acquire vacation paid time off. Where else can you average a 3 1/2day work week and have the opportunity to purchase decent health care?

2) I'm able to continue to gain OTR experience while looking for something to open on the local market. But I can be choosey (is that a word) and not have to jump quickly.

3) The enjoyment/fun of driving OTR. There is a fun factor in driving a rig and seeing the country. I was really getting burned out driving a school bus and the pay I was making driving bus is about 1/2 of what I'll make p/t on the 7/7 plan.

4) The family is important to me. I just want to head out and spend a weekend at a campground w/ them, do a little fishing and be able to take that after breakfast nap in the tent with my wife by my side. Being home only 3days ever 11 that wasn't going to happen.

Starcar, thanks for the encouragement - these are hard choices but this is the life I have the opportunity to live.

Excellent rundown brutha! I totally agree with your reasons for doing it. They're solid.

When looking for a local job, be very particular. A lot of local jobs mean really long hours, possibly unloading freight, and not very good pay. Not all, but some.

Remember, they can expect 70 hours behind the wheel every 8 days. That's a brutal work week. When you factor in the time you'll be working but not having to log driving time (sitting at customers, fueling, etc) that's like having 2 full time jobs. You'll actually spend less time with your family doing some of these local jobs than you would running 7 on/ 7 off or even a regional job that you're out 5 days and home every weekend.

I've had local jobs like that. It's miserable. You have no life and you're exhausted all the time. By the time you get home you eat, shower, sleep, wake up, and leave again.

Brett....I do one of those "local jobs" every year...I haul grapes from the field to the crush...and I feel privileged if I don't have to work over 12 hours a day. The average is usually 16-18. And since it is designated as farm labor, no log book for me. but I get paid very well, and overtime is paid...so I have learned to nap in my day cab every chance I can....I've seen those day runner drivers doing those grocery delivery jobs...the parking is scarey, the manual labor is intense, and I don't wanna work that hard for what I know they pay....give me the open road, a light load, and good music...I'm happy.

Yeah, local jobs can be brutal! It's awesome you're getting overtime working for farms like that. Those are usually about the worst paying jobs around but it sounds like you've gotten in with a good one.

My sister lives on a road where the farm trucks fly by day and night during harvest season. It's intense. Once they start picking crops, they don't stop til it's done!

I think that no matter what job you do work is Work and you must be happy in doing it or it isn't worth it no matter how much money you make. If you can make a decent living working at something you love then that is half the battle, and also be able to spend time with loved ones. I am going to be taking on this journey called trucking next week when I start school for CFI and I am looking forward to learning a new skill and becoming a good driver. I am willing to do what is necessary to try and accomplish my goals. Nothing ever worth doing is ever easy, I believe that if one believes in themselves and works hard then nothing is impossible.

I think this is a great oppurtunity especially if u need home time 20k is actually not bad or but not great it’s just like u said if family is priority then it should work out I wish I could find an account similar to that I’m just starting out with werner and hoping to get some what of some down time I’m also a college student online so ima need to try to fit that in especially since I will be graduating in November hope all goes well for u tho

Since leaving for orientation I've been home 17days in the last 107days. There was a family obligation where my wife and children picked me up from a terminal and I was with them for 2days. So that means I was out trucking for 88days of the 107. This last tour I was averaged right at 400miles a day. I keep learning all the time and I am totally amazed at how much I've learned since starting CDL school back in Jan. I so much enjoyed being one of three trucks at a rest area in eastern MI for a night where I could open the windows and hear the night sounds while in the sleeper. A lot better than being in s. AL with the heat & humidity while at a dollar DC and many trucks in the staging area.

Bottom line it has been a long & challenging time to get to where I am now. One of the reasons I chose the company I chose is to eventually switch my home time option or get something local after putting in the time needed (1yr - right Brett?) So I'm home for 3days and starting next WED I'll be on a 7/7 fleet. I've got children,4, and a bunch of projects here at the house.

AGAIN, thanks for all the encouragement from this site!!!