Sharing my views on driver pay and leases to O/O’s

If private Bill 115 in Ontario passes the third reading and the proposed rule making of the FMCSA on EOBR’s takes place in the next two years, it’s all of the pay system that will need a serious look over and to be updated with these new realities. I always thought that for a same load, to a same place from a same shipper, an equal pay should be handed out. When a company I worked for changed from hub miles to practical computer miles, I was on the band wagon because, if two drivers taking different routes, the one that took the best way should not get a smaller pay then the one that did a detour for personal reasons. Now with all the demands of the large carriers associations, I changed my views. My life and work experience also have motivated my change of thoughts.

If I can quote CTA’s president Mr Claude Robert in his acceptance speech:” It’s time the industry takes seriously the hours of service rules” and he followed in the same speech saying that paper logs are out of control and a joke. I agree that EOBR’s are one good way for carriers to charge the waiting time to the shippers and receivers that will hold equipment to their docks for too long.

You all know the old comment we make that we are the only workers that can get a fine for working overtime. My thinking, well my new thinking doesn’t stop there now with the steps forward on the issues of EOBR’s and speed limiters.

I don’t claim to know the truth but, I will share my thoughts and my views with you, by using a logical approach to the problem.

Which part of our work is the easiest?

On a nice sunny day, cruising down a nice four lane highway, within the speed limits, this is when we rake in the most income. If you run 65mph, multiply that by your mile rate, and you will have your hourly pay.

Which is the hardest part of our work?

In a heavily congested urban area, like Toronto or Chicago, when to travel a distance of 65 miles, you can take two and a half hour at an average of 26mph. In this case you will earn less then half of your income with twice the stress and aggravation.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not in for unions either. I’m a free thinking person that enjoys his freedom of choice in a work field I love. More and more demands and rules in our industry are pushing me in these thoughts I’m sharing with you here.

And then, all the directors of human resources are still wandering why there is such a high turnover in our industry. I will repeat that I don’t know all the truth but when a person comes to our industry from a recycling or a career change, and that person always had an hourly pay, working conditions in agreement with the labour boards or a unionized field, that person quickly jumps to the conclusion that we are highly exploited.

I have learned a long time ago that for the work I do as a Professional Driver, I can not look at the fruit of my labour that way. I have to look at it as a whole, adding all income and extras, then I consider myself to make a more then average pay. If I add up all the advantages that comes with it, seeing a lot of the country, not having a boss looking over my shoulder or making sure I am productive. We are paid by the distance we go or by contract. The main goal is that we get the loads where they need to be in time and safely.