An article from Business Insider from earlier this year summed it up pretty well what a lot in the transportation industry already know:
- Truckers say drivers are leaving the industry over its lack of benefits and low wages.
- Most don’t get paid for downtime at shippers and say trucking companies don’t treat them with respect.
- “They’ve chased off all the old-timers,” said a trucker who’s been driving for 20 years.
Without exception, drivers are the lifeblood of any trucking company or their own livelihood as owner-operators. It never ceases to amaze and sadden us how some drivers are treated so poorly or have a hard time making ends meet. It’s no wonder that so many drivers are leaving the profession.
While low pay and long hours required by many trucking companies contribute to drivers leaving the profession, other pitfalls can hurt them financially and emotionally.
Common things we know can hurt drivers are:
Leasing to own is often a scam (90% of all drivers who try their hand at it fail).
The risks of being an owner-operator are incredibly high.
Driving for companies that have incredibly high turnover rates (some are up to 300% annually!) We see it all the time…drivers are lured in with promises of amazing pay and benefits, but when they get in, the “promises” are really unattainable goals for the drivers.
At Hardy Brothers, it’s not rocket science what we do: treat everyone who works with us with respect, offer competitive pay and bonuses, and ensure everyone gets time with their families every week.
All of our new drivers receive a $2,500 or $5,000 sign-on bonus*, depending on experience.
Coast-to-coast team drivers earn $1,000 to $1,800 weekly, again, depending on experience. Trainers can earn $2,500 per week or more!
All drivers earn $15/hour while waiting on loads.
Regional drivers enjoy competitive pay from $1,000 to $1,400 or more per week.
Every driver drives a newer Kenworth truck, none of which is over four years old!
Add in health insurance after 90 days, a matching 401k, home time every week, and working with a company that treats everyone like family, we think we’re offering a pretty good deal.
We know, we know…you’re BS meter is flashing all kinds of red. The only way to know for sure if Hardy Brothers Trucking is right for your trucking career is by contacting us and submitting an application. We may not be the right fit for you, and that’s okay. We also don’t hire everyone who walks through our doors. But if we wind up being the right fit for each other, you can drive with far less stress than you may be accustomed to, get paid well, and put any bad experiences you’ve had driving in the rearview mirror.
As for safety…like we said, our drivers are our lifeblood…there is no higher priority than their safety, and that may be our biggest benefit of all.”
* This is a quote from the Business Inside story: Some trucking companies have dangled massive sign-on bonuses to attract new hires. But Colorado-based trucker Brian Stauffer told Insider that drivers often have to meet a certain number of criteria to get those bonuses. That may include driving an unrealistic amount of miles, while sign-on bonuses are often paid incrementally, drivers only getting the total if they stay on for a year.” Ask us about our Bonus Plan. It’s easier to obtain than you may have experienced with others. Contact us for details.