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Truck drivers earning $150 K - Good for them.

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Truck drivers earning $150 K - Good for them.

Old 23rd Sep 2022, 00:15
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Truck drivers earning $150 K - Good for them.

So the day has arrived that due to a severe shortage of truck drivers, companies are offering up to $150,000 pa for experienced drivers. No sims, no medical, no CVR, DFDR and no security screening.

So aviation managements are not reading the room. Every company I know is short of pilots. Now companies really will have to compete with each other to attract “talent”.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/20...lary/101409144


This is the company they refer to…https://www.facebook.com/PepperLivestockTransport/
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 00:52
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Nothing new here.
Good multi combination drivers with respected industry reputation have been earning that level of coin for a good few years now.... and are worth every cent.

Maybe "No sims, no medical, no CVR, DFDR and no security screening.", but they have similar challenges and responsibilities to line pilots.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:09
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And if you've done this sort of work you would also say that $150k is not enough. Another example of pilots comparing their salaries to something they know little about. It's hard work and no family life, constantly away. If you want to earn similar coin driving with better conditions and support apply for mine site work. In any case getting the experience up driving you will be on a lot less for a long time.

BTW there are medical requirements and the rigs are tracked, and most likely if you prang it or damage it, it will come out of your pay packet or you'll be fired. Pilots are pretty well indemnified for all but the most intentional of damages.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:15
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Agree with BK above.

If you think driving "long haul" is easy. Give it a crack!

You might just find yourself in a months time wanting to come back to sitting in the flight deck and doing a sim a check twice a year.

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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:18
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Another example of pilots comparing their salaries to something they know little about
Another example of a poster here ASSUMING my lack of knowledge about a subject. How do YOU KNOW that I do not have close family ties to the trucking industry and that is why I posted this?

have been earning that level of coin for a good few years now.... and are worth every cent.
You will get no argument from me on that. However, somewhat different stresses to having 150 plus passengers behind you, no?

BTW there are medical requirements and the rigs are tracked
Is there a medical required every 12 months and every 6 months after sixty years of age? Is tracking the same as your every word and action being recorded? No it is not.

If you think driving "long haul" is easy. Give it a crack!
Show me anywhere above where someone said driving long haul was easy.

How about you start trying to see the forest for the trees?
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:26
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Another example of a poster here ASSUMING my lack of knowledge about a subject. How do YOU KNOW that I do not have close family ties to the trucking industry and that is why I posted this?
I've driven trucks and know the deal. Comparing road train hauling with flying aircraft is just not comparable. That's why I added that a mine site job driving would be better for somebody wanting income and driving big machinery.

Is there a medical required every 12 months and every 6 months after sixty years of age? Is tracking the same as your every word and action being recorded? No it is not.
There is if you have a medical condition, its a self declaring system and once you hit a threshold you are required to do stress tests, regular tests, etc, all at the drivers cost. All good while you are young fit and healthy. I do my pilot medical stress tests at the same place the truckies do theirs.

The truckie lifestyle is really hard to maintain fitness as you age, both the long stints of sitting, sleeping, eating road stop food, it all adds up. Then there's the delivery deadlines and so forth meaning its all worked out to the minimum rest profile.

There's also the stress of other drivers and the inevitable prangs. Bit like train drivers, eventually somebody will step out in front of you, not an if, but when.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:31
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Do you ever listen 43 inches?

No one is arguing truck driving is a hard lonely life.

If you care to answer my questions, the answer is no, there is no regular medical required, or two or four sim sessions a year to validate skills. Secondly how do YOU know what I KNOW? You don't right?

Comparing road train hauling with flying aircraft is just not comparable.
NO ONE was comparing them. You are arguing against yourself.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:40
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If you care to answer my questions, the answer is no, there is no regular medical required, or two or four sim sessions a year to validate skills. Secondly how do YOU know what I KNOW? You don't right?
Medical requirements are dependent on the company, more than by law. By law you only need medical proof if you cross a threshold, then yes regular medicals may be required. Certain companies also have regular medical requirements and drug testing. As for regular sim testing, that's pretty obvious, they don't do truck sims, but your performance is assessed on every delivery, and depending on company how tight things are can vary wildly. The job is also very much less stable and job security is only as good as your reliability. A few occurrences and you will get a DCM very quickly. If you work on mines you will have to follow strict rules monitored by CCTV constantly with mistakes leading to DCMs.

I'm not sure why you are advertising truck employment on an aviation site if you were not somehow comparing it to pilots jobs.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:48
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Originally Posted by Icarus2001
You will get no argument from me on that. However, somewhat different stresses to having 150 plus passengers behind you, no?
Is there a medical required every 12 months and every 6 months after sixty years of age? Is tracking the same as your every word and action being recorded? No it is not.
Depends what stresses you I suppose. Often 180 head behind you with no cabin crew to help if they start going down.
Most of the bigger outfits have live cameras on the drivers that monitor everything, and a vibrating buzzer in the seat to remind you that you are being watched. As stated earlier Dangerous goods and known medical conditions (like sleep apnea) have recurrent medical requirements.

The two industries are similar in many respects. The work can be hard and rewarding and the pay can be good.
Perhaps the biggest similarity is that you meet some of the best people you will ever encounter , but unfortunately also the biggest dickheads

Last edited by BEACH KING; 23rd Sep 2022 at 02:02.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:48
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Truck driving is hard yakka, much harder than being a pilot. There is no engineer to couple your trailer, pre drive inspection no refuel let to fuel the tanks and worst part is that, you’re scrutinized much more than a pilot Police are very unforgiving if your load is 10mm over the side etc.

Ill take my two sims and medical any day if the week.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:50
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A few pilots stood down over Covid were able to gain employment as truck drivers or FIFO minesite dump truck drivers. Relatively easy recruitment and training that took a only a few weeks, 6 figure salaries etc. But very long hours on a shift and far more time away from home than even a long haul pilot.

No surprise that every single pilot I know that was working in ground based driving over Covid rushed back to flying as soon as they could, even though that meant partial stand downs and doing isolation, sim checks, medicals etc.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 01:55
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I get the point that you are highlighting that they are short of experienced drivers, and have to pay more, just like aviation. But this is the same all across the board, especially with trades and transportation. Drivers, mechanics even general laborers to load the things are in short supply across the scene. Part of the problem is the 'two speed' economy as they keep referring to where mining is sucking those after financial gains into mine-site work on good pay. Why would you work as a shop mechanic in the city on $30-$50k when you could go to the mine month on/off and earn $100k+. Same reason Perth transit was advertising for housewives to drive busses during the week part time. Now with the older workers leaving no one wants to do the local stuff.

The train driver strikes rolling in Sydney are a good indication of where it gets to eventually. The lib gov have now given up and gone to threats rather than appease the union which has them behind a giant 8 ball. Like pilots the drivers could just walk off the job and what would anyone do?
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 02:14
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Originally Posted by 43Inches
And if you've done this sort of work you would also say that $150k is not enough. Another example of pilots comparing their salaries to something they know little about. It's hard work and no family life, constantly away. If you want to earn similar coin driving with better conditions and support apply for mine site work. In any case getting the experience up driving you will be on a lot less for a long time.

BTW there are medical requirements and the rigs are tracked, and most likely if you prang it or damage it, it will come out of your pay packet or you'll be fired. Pilots are pretty well indemnified for all but the most intentional of damages.

This... A friend of mine drives road trains. His gross salary is 187k, he is only home 2 days a month.
Toll Ammonium nitrate drivers are on 145k per year but their roster is 16 days away 2 days off then back to 16...
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 02:37
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guessing these are Aus dollar figures?
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 05:39
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Simply an observation: most employees (especially in aviation), no matter what they do or their level of qualification, think they are worth more than they currently earn.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 07:12
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Driving on the roads, actually is one of the hardest tasks a human can carry out.. Why you ask. Will they havent got A.I., to do the job, with any degree of safety as yet. I am retired from flying and I do driving to make ends meet. I can tell you driving day in day out is a damned sight tougher than flying. You cannot relax for one moment, considering the idiots trying to run you off the road, agressive idiots in souped up cars trying to kill you, as well as themselves,Etc., etc.I could carry on. Now big trucks or juggernaughts must be even more demanding.
Flying, for me was relatively easy and straight forward. Truck drivers? They earn every penny/cent.

Last edited by RichardJones; 23rd Sep 2022 at 08:04.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 09:21
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Originally Posted by 43Inches
Comparing road train hauling with flying aircraft is just not comparable.
Comparing is not comparable?
Yes, everyone in the country should be getting $150,000 p.a., or more. Everyone's earned it.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 12:59
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I doubt the "No medical" is happening or legal.
Since the dump truck incident in Glassgow an employee is liable for any driver who kills someone and has an undisclosed medical issue. By liable that could mean corporate man slaughter and jail.
Medicals for drivers are now mandatory unless the driver signs a document to state he has no medical conditions.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 13:27
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pilots in Australia, where there is a shortage, are falling over themselves signing on for paycuts.
Do you have a few examples of these pay cuts?

Medicals for drivers are now mandatory unless the driver signs a document to state he has no medical conditions.
This is an Australian part of the forum. Are you in the UK? Be careful making sweeping statements as every jurisdiction is different.

So signing a document removes the requirement, ergo, there is no requirement.
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Old 23rd Sep 2022, 21:19
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No auto pilot in trucks (yet)
No FA bringing coffee or snacks
Break down and wait hours for tech in 45 degree heat
No GA at 38,000 feet, plenty of "GA" all around you on the roads with no ATC keeping you apart
Triple + the hours for the same pay
No work life balance
Sleep in the box
No roos at 38,000 feet
No FO to help out
Pre flight walk around gets you dirty
Blue singlet uniform
Pie and coke for lunch
No weighbridges at 38,000 feet, nor airway patrol

One benefit is that you can cop a gobby at most truck stops
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