It use to be better

I'm sitting at the Gordon terminal in Modesto California. My truck is broke down. The fuel temperate sensor is bad, so the truck won't start. And they can't get the part till tomorrow.

When I first started driving a truck, if I was in this position. I'd go get a motel till the truck was fixed. Because I actually made more money back then, then I do now.

But now the trucking companies don't pay what they should be, they tell you that they'll pay you break down and put you in a motel, if needed.

If your truck will actually run, air conditioning and heat will work. You've got somewhere to sleep. But last night it got pretty cold without heat. And every time I brought up a motel, they'd try to push it off on someone else, and now they're talking about having me take a loaner truck to do a couple short runs while waiting for my truck to save the motel money.

The problem with a loaner truck. They don't have empty trucks sitting around. If they give me a loaner, it's actually someone else's truck, all loaded and ready for then to come back to work. So if I drive that truck the other driver can say I stole his, whatever he/she wants to say I stole. Or I end up spending weeks in this other truck and by the time I get back. My stuff that nobody wanted is in a box, and someone else is driving my truck.

Then, if I do end up in a motel. They'll wait till the last minute to put me in one. So instead of resting up to be able to get out and make some money when my truck is ready. I'm sitting in break room, waiting. Guess it makes since to someone.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T