NYS to ask CDL drivers if they want to drive a school bus

[1075tech]

That's a fairytale inflated figure. That is an overly optimistic highball estimate based on a driver traveling tge maximum distance allowed under the hours of service regulations. It does not take into account delays at shippers/receivers, traffic, construction, weather, breakdowns or delays in getting dispatched onto new loads. It also doesn't account for hometime. At a $.62 per mile rate I could probably hit 85k a year if I drove 620 miles a day every day, every week month after month. In reality that just isn't possible. You strive for a 500 mile per day average and even that is not possible sometimes, particularly in the Northeast.
I would say for a really on the ball, well paid OTR driver 70k per year is realistic. But you bust your balls for that. I'm paid $27 an hour, straight time. I'm home everyday and off on tge weekends. I average about 55 hours per week and I'm doing 60k a year. That is pretty typical.

They are likely adding in benefits, etc. My company tried to do that this year. They gave us a report for "total rewards" or some BS like that. Detailed how much the company spent on our benefits, cost of paying us for holidays not worked, etc.

Makes it sound much better than it really is. Yes, you cover a large portion of health insurance premiums, but the insurance is so crappy and I don't make enough to be able to afford to use it

 

[Podmonkey]

They are likely adding in benefits, etc. My company tried to do that this year. They gave us a report for "total rewards" or some BS like that. Detailed how much the company spent on our benefits, cost of paying us for holidays not worked, etc.

Makes it sound much better than it really is. Yes, you cover a large portion of health insurance premiums, but the insurance is so crappy and I don't make enough to be able to afford to use it

Absolutely correct. I forgot about the "total benefit" thing. That's why I like an hourly or fixed rate, you can figure your actual income without tge company trying to game it. If tge industry offered 80k yearly in an honest gross paycheck amount there would be no driver shortage and the quality of drivers on the road would increase dramatically.

 

[1075tech]

I have to decide very shortly if I am going to keep my CDL. Right now all I will need is get a doctor to give me a two year card. Hazmat is coming due also.

I haven't used it in over two years. Before that it was only class B occasionally, mostly class C trucks for 5 or so years. Can't remember the last time I needed the class A.

 

[STS556]

But it's for "the children".

Screw the kids. They can walk to school. They are so obese and out of shape from sitting home and playing video games they can use the exercise.

 

[STS556]

I hope you’re making good money since they are practically begging for you to show up to work right now.

My job pays very well. Plus all benefits including pension, annuity, health, dental, optical and legal counsel are paid 100% by the company. Nothing comes out of my pocket towards benefits.

Any hard working class American probably makes in one day what a school bus driver makes in a week. Although there are some school bus companies that are Teamsters. Maybe when I get tired of pushing around liquid nitrogen tanks and once in a while driving an liquid oxygen tanker around Manhattan and retire, I'll get a nice cushy Teamster bus driving job.

 

[1075tech]

Try $50,000-65,000. To get into six figure territory you need to be an owner-op and guess what? After they pay all their overhead they take home around $70,000 or so on average.

Did the O/O gig for a while. First year gross 97k. Taxable income 8k

 

[spat]

Are we supposed to start calling bus drivers "heros" now?

Hell, at this point anyone who actually shows up for work at any job qualifies.

We're all holding society together for the freeloaders.

 

[Cavalry]

I have to decide very shortly if I am going to keep my CDL. Right now all I will need is get a doctor to give me a two year card. Hazmat is coming due also.

I haven't used it in over two years. Before that it was only class B occasionally, mostly class C trucks for 5 or so years. Can't remember the last time I needed the class A.

I was in the same boat. I obtained non CDL trucks so not really a need any more. The only reason I kept it last time was to drive my buddy's semi truck toy hauler, but that was recently reclassed as a RV. Probably next time dump it and just get a R endorsement. Wonder how that works? Would I have to road test with a vehicle I have been legally driving for 10 years? lol

 

[Saltwater60]

They are likely adding in benefits, etc. My company tried to do that this year. They gave us a report for "total rewards" or some BS like that. Detailed how much the company spent on our benefits, cost of paying us for holidays not worked, etc.

Makes it sound much better than it really is. Yes, you cover a large portion of health insurance premiums, but the insurance is so crappy and I don't make enough to be able to afford to use it

You might think it’s BS but it does help a lot. I worked for another company and I was making $20,000 more at my last job. I switched thinking wow that first pay check is going to suck but my health insurance was so much cheaper and I get an actual pension so by the time I paid 25% less for better health care and stopped putting 20% in my 401K it was dollar to dollar so this does matter.
Funny thing is in the 4 years since I left my health care has only gone up $2.00 but at my last job it was going up $50-$60 or even once $200. I’ve also received $20,000 in raises and my checks will continue to climb. Total package does matter.

 

[Saltwater60]

Here is what’s happening in the UK.

Empty shelves, gasoline shortages and sky-high energy prices? Britain is facing a ‘difficult winter’

Britain has been plunged into uncertainty as issues over gasoline, electricity and food have prompted warnings of "a really difficult winter" for the country.

www.cnbc.com

 

[repete]

That's a fairytale inflated figure. That is an overly optimistic highball estimate based on a driver traveling tge maximum distance allowed under the hours of service regulations. It does not take into account delays at shippers/receivers, traffic, construction, weather, breakdowns or delays in getting dispatched onto new loads. It also doesn't account for hometime. At a $.62 per mile rate I could probably hit 85k a year if I drove 620 miles a day every day, every week month after month. In reality that just isn't possible. You strive for a 500 mile per day average and even that is not possible sometimes, particularly in the Northeast.
I would say for a really on the ball, well paid OTR driver 70k per year is realistic. But you bust your balls for that. I'm paid $27 an hour, straight time. I'm home everyday and off on tge weekends. I average about 55 hours per week and I'm doing 60k a year. That is pretty typical.

Sorry Podmonkey but those figures are obtainable. I personally run 597 miles a night5 nights a week I don't sit at either end. I do right about 58 hours a week with weekend off and home every day

You might think it’s BS but ....Total package does matter.

Yeah, so I've been told. NOW DROP IT!

 

[Podmonkey]

Sorry Podmonkey but those figures are obtainable. I personally run 597 miles a night5 nights a week I don't sit at either end. I do right about 58 hours a week with weekend off and home every day

Yeah, so I've been told. NOW DROP IT!

Who do you work for and where? I'm looking to up my game and am willing to move for it. Not to a blue state though.
It's frustrating to me, I have a decent amount of experience now with a pretty wide variety of types of trucking plus my military driving experience. I have a totally clean CSR, MVR and criminal record too with no accidents *furiously knocking on wood*. I should be able to land a higher paying gig.

 

[1075tech]

. Probably next time dump it and just get a R endorsement. Wonder how that works? Would I have to road test with a vehicle I have been legally driving for 10 years? lol

Not familiar with the R endorsement. However, I have a class A with X,T, and P endorsements. The P has a restriction to a vehicle with no more than 7 passengers capacity. Several years ago when I was working construction, (Teamsters) they were looking for drivers for busses to bring laborers to the job site.

I went to DMV to see how to get the restriction removed. I would have had to get a class B permit, and then take a road test on a bus. I never did. I ended up driving the powder truck for the blasting company on the project because I was one of the few drivers in the hall that could pass the ATF background check

 

[Cavalry]

Not familiar with the R endorsement. However, I have a class A with X,T, and P endorsements. The P has a restriction to a vehicle with no more than 7 passengers capacity. Several years ago when I was working construction, (Teamsters) they were looking for drivers for busses to bring laborers to the job site.

I went to DMV to see how to get the restriction removed. I would have had to get a class B permit, and then take a road test on a bus. I never did. I ended up driving the powder truck for the blasting company on the project because I was one of the few drivers in the hall that could pass the ATF background check

Typical bureaucracy lol. You can drive drive doubles with haz but cant drive more than a suburban full of kids without someone having to check you over.
The R endorsement is the scary thing they hand out to all these snowbirds to allow them to drive monster diesel pushers dragging a car (with or without the wheels locked up) behind it on a regular D license.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

Are we supposed to start calling bus drivers "heros" now?

You see how that worked out for nurses and healthcare.

 

[repete]

Who do you work for and where? I'm looking to up my game and am willing to move for it. Not to a blue state though.
It's frustrating to me, I have a decent amount of experience now with a pretty wide variety of types of trucking plus my military driving experience. I have a totally clean CSR, MVR and criminal record too with no accidents *furiously knocking on wood*. I should be able to land a higher paying gig.

You've already been here. I've been driving for Crete for about 15 years now and have had a dedicated run for almost all that time. My one and only 'stop' is 9 miles from my home and so a take my 10 hr. break there. I fell into this gig and know that I'm very lucky, I could(could being a key word) make more running OTR but that life is no longer for me. We've got several local places that need drivers and sound good but this is NY and as a conservative/gun owner/veteran you are not welcome here!
Keep looking and you'll eventually find a home, try the small dozen truck type places and when you get in make yourself indispensable.

 

[Deplorable Me]

How do you professional drivers feel about doing surgery after Hochul fires all the health care workers this week?

 

[BuffNiag]

How do you professional drivers feel about doing surgery after Hochul fires all the health care workers this week?

“Hochul hires former healthcare workers as bus drivers, former bus drivers as healthcare workers, for those refusing to get vaccine.”

More Babylon Bee material becoming reality.

 

[1075tech]

How do you professional drivers feel about doing surgery after Hochul fires all the health care workers this week?

I'll give it a try. I've seen things on the outside that were supposed to be on the inside and spare parts that were once attached

 

[diggs223]

How do you professional drivers feel about doing surgery after Hochul fires all the health care workers this week?

I have a torch, cresent wrench, hammer and a 10 mil socket, when do I start ?

 

[Deplorable Me]

I have a torch, cresent wrench, hammer and a 10 mil socket, when do I start ?

Awesome, orthopedic surgeon.

 

[Saltwater60]

I could do surgery I’m sure.

 

[Acer-m14]

i can close up a wound .. i got black powder and a bottle whiskey ..