Cisco’s Big Layoff Only Weeks Away (7% of workforce may get cut)

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

And it's a job most can't/won't do, thus the high demand.

Did I leave out fire dept., police dept., postal workers, and other government jobs? I'm sure more will come to mind...

[luckytxn 2,265]

That depends. OTR doens't always pay great, and a lot of owner operators are taking it up the ####### with fuel prices and repairs. A lot of guys eat beans and rice while their trucks eat steak. Teamsters on the other hand that drive for grocery outlets make bank. That and if your doing OTR it can be a family breaker. While the guy is driving across the states, his wife is making breakfast for the mail man...

Union electricians make $36+ an hour as do union pipe fitters and plumbers. Natives,..blacks, people of color or whatever along with women get points for being ....not white when it comes to getting into the apprenticeship. Iv'e seen people of color and women have no other experience other than working a quickie mart or gas station get into the apprenticeship while the white guy who took blue print classes, algebra classes, and had welded for years not get in for the fact they only take X amount of apprentices a year. Your talking about jobs that can pay well over a $100,000 year if the works there.

They drop like fly's. Some don't make it two weeks before they drag up. You can see it in their eyes when they are asked to do something that might get them dirty...lol. We used to make bets on how long they would last. The ones that do last are great workers and do good but they are in the minority.

The pay can be good but as at anything it takes training and time to learn the ins and outs. At first you start out at the beginner scale and then it is hard because you now must try to get the miles to make money but how do you get this load from point A to point B in the time frame given. Also my first year or two it was hard to drive many miles a day before getting tired. Over time I learned a lot and can now do anything that is asked within reason. I know I am among the best in the industry and my company knows it and tries very hard to make sure I am happy. A little over a year ago I was unhappy with my driver manager and asked for a new one. The manager balked at first so I said a new Driver manager or I walk. 30 minutes later I was chatting with my new driver manager. He is still my driver manager and he is maybe the best I ever had in my career. He ensures I am happy and I try to make him happy. I make real good money with him and on my end I make him happy that I am able to do the impossible many times. It is all experience at this point.

Many owner operators should not be owners I have found. I have a real good friend that just bought his 4th truck and even asked me to come work for him driving it. He has what it takes to succeed and I applaud him. He is black by the way and I admire him. He has had it tough in life but as he tells me, "It is the past and I don't like history ruling me."

They give fuel surcharges and if they can't put money away for possible breakdowns then get away from that truck and be a company driver. No one should be eating beans out here ever.

As for my wife we have an understanding. When I come home her boyfriends stay away and it is all about me.

Edited July 12, 2011 by luckytxn

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

[quote name='luckytxn' timestamp='1310503724' post='4776709'

As for my wife we have an understanding. When I come home her boyfriends stay away and it is all about me.

I fly back and forth to work a lot and I used to tell the ex..."I don't care what you do, as long as you don't cook for them seeing how you don't do it for me".

It was when I came back early from a hitch that I discovered cooking was the least of my worries.

Edited July 12, 2011 by Why_Me

[luckytxn 2,265]

I fly back and forth to work a lot and I used to tell the ex..."I don't care what you do, as long as you don't cook for them seeing how you don't do it for me".

It was when I came back early from a hitch that I discovered cooking was the least of my worries.

Well my wife is an excellent cook and I want her cooking for me. I would be happy if that is all she did for me so all the extra happiness she brings me is icing on the cake.