By: ,
My husband drives a truck for a dedicated account where the freight is somewhat seasonal. This time last year, there were 5 drivers. This year, there are 6.
All the drivers got a memo yesterday that there may not be enough loads for everyone to work every day, Monday through Friday. They would each rotate not working a day during the week unless the company finds work in their other accounts. One of my husband’s co-workers didn’t have a load yesterday. My husband’s turn may be coming up.
I understand seasonal freight and I don’t want to see anyone lose his job. But is this situation a sign that my husband should look for other employment?
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Response from Vicki:
Hello,
Thank you for asking a question through the Truck Operations page of our site.
In this day and age when there are so many load boards online — some of which are free — it seems incomprehensible that any professional truck driver who desires to work would not have freight to haul.
If it is the case that one of your husband’s co-workers has already had to go without work — and if he normally worked 5 days a week — the potential income he lost could be 20% or more of his week’s take-home pay. Ouch!
Was the trucking company willing to pay this driver layover pay? If not, why not?
It is always good to keep one’s options open in the trucking industry. There have been numerous articles in trucking publications — and even mainstream media — about truckers who think that the primary motive for going to work for a particular trucking company is pay.
Having the day “off” may be attractive for some. However, for a driver who needs every penny earned, a loss of even part of one’s income could pose a serious financial burden.
Not quite 4 years ago, my husband Mike started work at a
local truck driving job. We would have thought that given the attractiveness of being home every night and being off every weekend would encourage truckers to stay put. However, there has been an incredible amount of turnover.
The turnover at my husband’s workplace was especially high when the company started “furloughing” drivers once a week some time back. So, I understand where you’re coming from. Drivers will take only so much before they are pushed into leaving.
Should your husband need to search for
another job, I wish him great success in finding what he’s looking for. In the meantime, we wish him safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.
Best regards,
Vicki Simons
