so many class A license holders are driving dump truck

so i have been into the dump truck think for a little while. i have noticed that almost no dump truck drivers have class B licenses and probably 80%+ dump truck drivers have class A licenses. why is this? is it because dump trucks NEVER have sleepers and these guys are just like me, refuse to drive OTR?

i was thinking about it today. i grossed $1019 last week. would it be worth leaving home for the same amount of money, but now you have to pay for food, showers, laundry and all of that other stuff you have to have. is it worth missing the family, pool, yard, and dogs?

i think in order for long haul trucking to attract some of these drivers back to that lifestyle the pay would have to go up significantly. then the average wage of the dump trucker would go up as well, as they too would have to attract drivers. in some way the entire industry is cause and effect. the fairly low wages of long haul (not enough additional pay over driving a dump truck) directly cause the drivers to move into dump trucks OR some other form of local work.

i think in order for long haul to be worth it, it would have to pay at least 2x what you can make locally. not even close. i am also not the only one that thinks this way. the amount of trucks going into that one quarry that i visit regularly is mind boggling, and its just one medium sized quarry.

 

i know what job satisfaction is. i pulled 6 loads today, 7 yesterday. i went home feeling productive and tired, like i did something. my current boss might be a jerk but the job itself is very satisfying. i also got to spend some time with my dogs and take a jump in the pool. i also got to drive home in my camaro with the t tops out.

i guess different things make different people happy, but i have been criticized on here for refusing to drive OTR.

the point i was trying to make is the pay for OTR is not nearly enough to make it worth it. its no surprise they cannot keep drivers. OTR pay must increase to a level that attracts drivers. if i would honestly make $80-90K per year doing it, i would consider it.

if you like OTR that's fine, if you like local that's fine too..... but the pay should reflect the level of sacrifice, sadly it does not.

 

also the fact that allot of the dump truck guys, and yes even one woman that i work with...... all from different companies working the same jobs mostly have class A licenses.

why would they get a class A if their intention was to drive a dump truck. i dont think their original intention was dump truck. i guess it wasnt mine either. it just ended up being what would get me home.