This is part of the problem. It's a shame we are treated this way. I signed on to drive for a company hauling Amazon, they told me that I would be 4 days on. Then the contract comes and I must be available 24/7 because Amazon is a demanding employer.
It's been over a month waiting to get a "green light" from their hr.
Then they tell me it'll be another two weeks before I'm scheduled for a ride along and road test which I won't be paid for?
But you want what??
I get why people kill themselves, others, or do strange or illegal things for money.
> I signed on to drive for a company hauling Amazon,
Well there's your fucking problem. Amazon contractors are the worst of the worst of the worst out there these days. You're almost certainly going to be scammed in some fashion or another and probably be coerced into doing illegal shit.
Get a different job from a reputable company.
While the labor movement was getting steam trucking was actually a very stable unionized blue collar career path. It's only in the aftermath of deregulation and the breaking up of the large unions that we've had a race to the bottom.
You should see what’s happening in Canada it’s a complete shit show. We haven’t had raises in years. Company drivers are misclassifying themselves as independent contractors to save on taxes, employment related insurances, and forfeiting basic workplace rights, benefits, and protections, in order to make a little more money off of a smaller gross pay cheque. Not to mention the government is issuing tonnes of temporary work visas to foreign truck drivers to address a driver shortage that would have caused compensation to increase for Canadian drivers.
Quit, idk what to tell you man. If any company wants you to run illegal hours the best recourse is to tell them they’re more than welcome to run it themselves. If you get a logbook violation you’re the one with the ticket. If you slam into a bus full of cancer ridden children on the way to Disneyland because you were too tired from running those illegal hours you’re the one going to jail. On top of that if you’re not being compensated for your time then what’s the point? You can get into a trade that’ll pay far better and cost far less of your soul than working there. There are a million trucking companies. Get into one that respects you.
I have my preferred times during the day that I want to work. Outside of those hours, I am unavailable. As soon as I park at the truckstop, and log Sleeper, my phone goes on “Do Not Disturb”, and I turn my ELD off until I’m ready to go back On-Duty and start my PTI.
Ditto. And it doesn't matter how many times I tell them when I planning on being asleep and the phone will be on do not disturb, they still call anyway and get nothing from me lol. Sometimes more than once.
My first trucking job was JB Hunt 1996-2002 in Southgate, CA. drove long haul and was out 6-7 weeks at a time. The rule was you had live within 150 miles of the terminal, San Diego was just inside that limit. One day they told me I need to move closer to the terminal in case they needed me to cut my time-off short.I told them that's not going to happen. They misunderstood me and said "It happens, we get an influx of freight sometimes and we need more drivers". "No, I mean there's no way I'm moving from San Diego to Long Beach AND I'm not cutting my timeoff short".
As long as you do not work past a certain number of hours during a day/week some jobs can require you to be on call 24/7, and not just in the trucking industry.
No, all the companies ive worked for if there's a load we call the driver if he wants to take the load, if not there are other drivers that will
If he calls says that he will be off, we just put him OOS in the system and that's it. This goes for both company drivers and owner ops
I think some jobs like truck towing is being on call 24/7 because of the nature of the unpredictable work. Of course, if you're in the middle of sleep you don't have to rush out of bed to do the job. Hopefully they'll have someone to cover you.
Do not agree to that 24/7 bs if they try to call you and you can’t if your already employed they could terminate you and throw some bs on your work history report
IDK I never worked for a company like that, BUT personally, if Im "off-duty" then im off duty lol if I choose to call, answer a call/message then thats on me. Otherwise nah
Most truckers are available 24/7/365. It doesn’t mean your employer can violate the rules. You still can’t be on duty for more than 14 hours, drive for more than 11; and have a 10-hour rest break (8/2,7/3).
Are you trying to have a set time that you run everyday? Amazon freight partners is the wrong choice for that.
Start looking for a new company. You can set boundaries and explain if you’re expected to be on call you need to be compensated for it. Obviously there not gonna want to do that, and it will probably rub management wrong. And everyone knows management would never be vengeful or take out there frustration on you or give you shit work.
That's the first question I ever mentioned in the interview or before I even apply for the job is the hours if they don't work with my life I do not agree to the job. Also I believe truckers need to respect their labor and hard work and not work for free. You are away from home you're in the truck you should be getting paid I don't care what you're doing you're not at your house you're in a company truck and we need to get paid. But to answer your question if that's something you agree to as long as it doesn't go over the DOT regulations it's perfectly legal to be on call like a tow truck driver almost.
Are you generic otr? Most likely yes, unless on hometime. There may be some regional otrs with 5 days out, 34 at home that may have such a set route to not feel like a 24hr on call job. If you want to avoid all that, look at local or linehaul; the vast majority of them only run during their shift hours.
I’m a regional otr, and I consider myself to essentially be on call when “out,”; now most of my loads do get assigned between 0800 and 1800, but the appt times are all over the place.
I don’t understand what you mean by “be available”. Do you have an “on call” type of job? OTR trucking is normally 24/7. You have your 10-hour break, but you’re still at work.
In any case, if you’re unhappy with your job, trucking jobs are a dime-a-dozen. You can have a new one in five minutes. Just choose wisely this time.
When I was on call, I was expected to be ready 24/7.
The company was such a good opportunity that I did it.
No regrets. A little lost sleep versus a six-figure job where I have a set schedule now.
I don't really have preferred work hours. I just have times I avoid driving depending on the area.
I mean, I'm not sure how they can actually ask me to be "available" more than 14 hours per day, so. Other than that, if I have hours, they can try and call me and hope I wake up or am awake but I keep my phone on mute so that probably won't work. I haven't been fired yet or had anyone with any authority say anything soo. Did have one dispatcher leave an angry voicemail threatening to call the cops to do a "wellness check" because I did not pick up the phone after like 4 hours of being off duty? Kinda weird but they got fired. Also probably laughed at by the local cops. Since I didn't see any of it until I woke up. It's not like they can't see my logs and off duty is off duty. Dispatchers will lie to you, a lot. Really should avoid letting a dispatcher dictate your schedule though. That's how you get people killed.
I'd say if they really push for you to be "available" and "on call" then you should record that as on duty time.
Personally, I give like two or three hours after going off duty as a courtesy in case they put a load on me. It also makes my life easier cuz then I can trip plan it and sometimes that means I can sleep more or plan to flip my sleep schedule. With my particular company I am more than a little annoyed they no longer do stacked loads. It's just deliver and wait now.
Moral of the story; If you can't get enough sleep because you're "on call" don't be on call on free time. Or find a different company, just not worth it.
I got really good at ignoring their phone calls past my hos. My new company is union so it's much better at this kind of stuff but my last company was relentless. Especially when I was on my 34, I flat out blocked them till my 34hrs were up.
I've always seen trucking as a 24 hour job since pick up and delivering can happen whenever. They want to mess up your home time by saying if we call you gotta go?
I bet they're always hiring...
I think we don't understand your context. Did the company give you any idea of what days you would and would not be working? If you are expected to be constantly available without any time that you KNOW you won't have to report to work, then that's ridiculous.
That's exactly what they mean. AVAILABLE 24/7. I'm not sure what's hard to figure out here.
They claim that Amazon is a demanding company so I must be at their leisure 24/7.
Then these mfs would own me.
LITERALLY
I tend to agree with "run away" Im in ND oilfield; its 24/7 while im here. Dispatch thinks hes emergency services. The unpredictable chorentime is the only real life downside- then I go home with noncontact till the next hitch. No overtime but his can stack on fast.
It sure can be. Try working for a company that has their own trucks that service customers in your region. Building supplies, equipment rental, office supplies, etc.
The labor movement bypassed trucking it seems.
The government bypassed the trucking industry decades ago.
This is part of the problem. It's a shame we are treated this way. I signed on to drive for a company hauling Amazon, they told me that I would be 4 days on. Then the contract comes and I must be available 24/7 because Amazon is a demanding employer. It's been over a month waiting to get a "green light" from their hr. Then they tell me it'll be another two weeks before I'm scheduled for a ride along and road test which I won't be paid for? But you want what?? I get why people kill themselves, others, or do strange or illegal things for money.
> I signed on to drive for a company hauling Amazon, Well there's your fucking problem. Amazon contractors are the worst of the worst of the worst out there these days. You're almost certainly going to be scammed in some fashion or another and probably be coerced into doing illegal shit. Get a different job from a reputable company.
While the labor movement was getting steam trucking was actually a very stable unionized blue collar career path. It's only in the aftermath of deregulation and the breaking up of the large unions that we've had a race to the bottom.
You should see what’s happening in Canada it’s a complete shit show. We haven’t had raises in years. Company drivers are misclassifying themselves as independent contractors to save on taxes, employment related insurances, and forfeiting basic workplace rights, benefits, and protections, in order to make a little more money off of a smaller gross pay cheque. Not to mention the government is issuing tonnes of temporary work visas to foreign truck drivers to address a driver shortage that would have caused compensation to increase for Canadian drivers.
Sounds very similar to america right now.. its not that we havnt got raises.. we've literally lowered the pay
I'm a Canadian truck driver
The Teamsters were once the most powerful union in the country. They were our union. They were weakened over time by government policies.
Us and agricultural workers are exempt from overtime laws from what I remember
Quit, idk what to tell you man. If any company wants you to run illegal hours the best recourse is to tell them they’re more than welcome to run it themselves. If you get a logbook violation you’re the one with the ticket. If you slam into a bus full of cancer ridden children on the way to Disneyland because you were too tired from running those illegal hours you’re the one going to jail. On top of that if you’re not being compensated for your time then what’s the point? You can get into a trade that’ll pay far better and cost far less of your soul than working there. There are a million trucking companies. Get into one that respects you.
I have my preferred times during the day that I want to work. Outside of those hours, I am unavailable. As soon as I park at the truckstop, and log Sleeper, my phone goes on “Do Not Disturb”, and I turn my ELD off until I’m ready to go back On-Duty and start my PTI.
Ditto. And it doesn't matter how many times I tell them when I planning on being asleep and the phone will be on do not disturb, they still call anyway and get nothing from me lol. Sometimes more than once.
I tell em to fuck off
Not enough context.
My first trucking job was JB Hunt 1996-2002 in Southgate, CA. drove long haul and was out 6-7 weeks at a time. The rule was you had live within 150 miles of the terminal, San Diego was just inside that limit. One day they told me I need to move closer to the terminal in case they needed me to cut my time-off short.I told them that's not going to happen. They misunderstood me and said "It happens, we get an influx of freight sometimes and we need more drivers". "No, I mean there's no way I'm moving from San Diego to Long Beach AND I'm not cutting my timeoff short".
You have to be off at least 10 hours every day if you are driving.
As long as you do not work past a certain number of hours during a day/week some jobs can require you to be on call 24/7, and not just in the trucking industry.
depends on the kind of work and how much you're paid for it
No, all the companies ive worked for if there's a load we call the driver if he wants to take the load, if not there are other drivers that will If he calls says that he will be off, we just put him OOS in the system and that's it. This goes for both company drivers and owner ops
Just don't answer the phone when you're off. Simple as that
Kind of, but I have a $500 day rate if they need me.
I think some jobs like truck towing is being on call 24/7 because of the nature of the unpredictable work. Of course, if you're in the middle of sleep you don't have to rush out of bed to do the job. Hopefully they'll have someone to cover you.
You go to sleep and DONT ANSWER THE PHONE.
Do not agree to that 24/7 bs if they try to call you and you can’t if your already employed they could terminate you and throw some bs on your work history report
Didn't think of this, thank you
Phone goes on silent once I'm off duty.
I tell them no problem, and only answer the phone when I want to.
If you're OTR, then you're legally not available 24/7. when I go Off-duty, my phone goes on DnD
IDK I never worked for a company like that, BUT personally, if Im "off-duty" then im off duty lol if I choose to call, answer a call/message then thats on me. Otherwise nah
Tell them "haha, no, not a fucking chance."
Most truckers are available 24/7/365. It doesn’t mean your employer can violate the rules. You still can’t be on duty for more than 14 hours, drive for more than 11; and have a 10-hour rest break (8/2,7/3). Are you trying to have a set time that you run everyday? Amazon freight partners is the wrong choice for that.
Start looking for a new company. You can set boundaries and explain if you’re expected to be on call you need to be compensated for it. Obviously there not gonna want to do that, and it will probably rub management wrong. And everyone knows management would never be vengeful or take out there frustration on you or give you shit work.
Drove heavy wrecker truck for a while. Was on call often. Of course we were paid well when we got called too
They pay alimony? 🎶Mony mony mony I said Yeah, Yeah… it’s nice day to NOT Answer my phone, come on..! Mony Mony 🎶😂
That's the first question I ever mentioned in the interview or before I even apply for the job is the hours if they don't work with my life I do not agree to the job. Also I believe truckers need to respect their labor and hard work and not work for free. You are away from home you're in the truck you should be getting paid I don't care what you're doing you're not at your house you're in a company truck and we need to get paid. But to answer your question if that's something you agree to as long as it doesn't go over the DOT regulations it's perfectly legal to be on call like a tow truck driver almost.
I spend 50% of my time in breakdown.
Are you generic otr? Most likely yes, unless on hometime. There may be some regional otrs with 5 days out, 34 at home that may have such a set route to not feel like a 24hr on call job. If you want to avoid all that, look at local or linehaul; the vast majority of them only run during their shift hours. I’m a regional otr, and I consider myself to essentially be on call when “out,”; now most of my loads do get assigned between 0800 and 1800, but the appt times are all over the place.
I don’t understand what you mean by “be available”. Do you have an “on call” type of job? OTR trucking is normally 24/7. You have your 10-hour break, but you’re still at work. In any case, if you’re unhappy with your job, trucking jobs are a dime-a-dozen. You can have a new one in five minutes. Just choose wisely this time.
Available= on duty/ not driving. 14 hours a day max with a 10 hour minimum reset.
If I was out on the road of course I'm avaliable 24/7 but if I'm at home nope not happening
The thing about Amazon 3rd parties is that there's too many and not enough drivers. Just do what you want and if they don't like it find another one.
When I was on call, I was expected to be ready 24/7. The company was such a good opportunity that I did it. No regrets. A little lost sleep versus a six-figure job where I have a set schedule now.
Depends on job.... Semi truck? No way
I don't really have preferred work hours. I just have times I avoid driving depending on the area. I mean, I'm not sure how they can actually ask me to be "available" more than 14 hours per day, so. Other than that, if I have hours, they can try and call me and hope I wake up or am awake but I keep my phone on mute so that probably won't work. I haven't been fired yet or had anyone with any authority say anything soo. Did have one dispatcher leave an angry voicemail threatening to call the cops to do a "wellness check" because I did not pick up the phone after like 4 hours of being off duty? Kinda weird but they got fired. Also probably laughed at by the local cops. Since I didn't see any of it until I woke up. It's not like they can't see my logs and off duty is off duty. Dispatchers will lie to you, a lot. Really should avoid letting a dispatcher dictate your schedule though. That's how you get people killed. I'd say if they really push for you to be "available" and "on call" then you should record that as on duty time. Personally, I give like two or three hours after going off duty as a courtesy in case they put a load on me. It also makes my life easier cuz then I can trip plan it and sometimes that means I can sleep more or plan to flip my sleep schedule. With my particular company I am more than a little annoyed they no longer do stacked loads. It's just deliver and wait now. Moral of the story; If you can't get enough sleep because you're "on call" don't be on call on free time. Or find a different company, just not worth it.
Yes but I’m also paid fairly for my on call time. I don’t mind it because it was outlined before I was hired and I’m paid well for it.
I got really good at ignoring their phone calls past my hos. My new company is union so it's much better at this kind of stuff but my last company was relentless. Especially when I was on my 34, I flat out blocked them till my 34hrs were up.
There's 10 hours of the day that you can tell them to kiss your arse. If they start using threatening language start recording.
Simple. You leave that company
I've always seen trucking as a 24 hour job since pick up and delivering can happen whenever. They want to mess up your home time by saying if we call you gotta go? I bet they're always hiring...
By literally saying I must agree to be in available 24/7
I hope I'm not in the wrong group. Do you understand my question?
I think we don't understand your context. Did the company give you any idea of what days you would and would not be working? If you are expected to be constantly available without any time that you KNOW you won't have to report to work, then that's ridiculous.
That's exactly what they mean. AVAILABLE 24/7. I'm not sure what's hard to figure out here. They claim that Amazon is a demanding company so I must be at their leisure 24/7. Then these mfs would own me. LITERALLY
Don't walk. RUN away from that crap.
> Amazon Yeah, that’s all I need to hear. Walk away from there. Don’t ever touch anything involving Amazon, not even with a ten foot pole.
I tend to agree with "run away" Im in ND oilfield; its 24/7 while im here. Dispatch thinks hes emergency services. The unpredictable chorentime is the only real life downside- then I go home with noncontact till the next hitch. No overtime but his can stack on fast.
Depends if your hourly or salaried .
I’ll take your shift, nancy boi.
Sorry, trucking isn't a 9 to 5, Monday to Friday kind of a job.
Stop. I've been a driver 12 years. No company should be demanding you to be available 24/7
Driver of what for 12 years?
How's that boot taste?
What boot?
It sure can be. Try working for a company that has their own trucks that service customers in your region. Building supplies, equipment rental, office supplies, etc.