CNN poll. Nearly all Americans living paycheck to paycheck.

[Penumbra]

I also think truckers take on a lot of risk. I am not sure about this, but I think they are paid by the trip or the mile, not by the hour. So there's no "overtime" and you are also away from home all the time without a per diem to cover travel expenses.

Not to mention the health risks of being a trucker, sitting for hours upon hours, years upon years, even more than office folk, and with fewer chances to walk around every 15-30 minutes or so.

I don't blame people for expecting to be well-compensated for it, or looking elsewhere.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

It is probably gross.

Yes, likely. With higher gas prices, higher food costs, and rising insurance rates, too. All while spending time away from family and taking on risk.

 

[MoonWater]

I also think truckers take on a lot of risk. I am nor sure about this, but I think they are paid by the trip or the mile, not by the hour. So there's no "overtime" and you are also away from home all the time without a per diem to cover travel expenses.

Plus, at least looking at the article, at least one of the truckers had to pay his gas and repairs out of pocket. I forget if he was working freelance and yeah he still makes $150k a year but still that kind of money is rare in the industry. I'd hate to think how the average trucker would get by if he also had to pay for any of the gas or repairs out of pocket, even if he would be later reimbursed by the company it wouldn't change the fact that he likely just wouldn't have that kind of cash on hand at the time.

I do find it laughable that they have the gall to call $37k a year "good pay" these days

 

[Alceste]

Plus, at least looking at the article, at least one of the truckers had to pay his gas and repairs out of pocket. I forget if he was working freelance and yeah he still makes $150k a year but still that kind of money is rare in the industry. I'd hate to think how the average trucker would get by if he also had to pay for any of the gas or repairs out of pocket, even if he would be later reimbursed by the company it wouldn't change the fact that he likely just wouldn't have that kind of cash on hand at the time.

I do find it laughable that they have the gall to call $37k a year "good pay" these days

Yeah, maybe for a teenager. Jeez. Try even buying an apartment with that kind of money, and forget about trying to have a family.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Yeah, maybe for a teenager. Jeez. Try even buying an apartment with that kind of money, and forget about trying to have a family.

My mom and I live on less than half of that. :/

 

[Alceste]

My mom and I live on less than half of that. :/

So did my husband and I for about 3 years. We weren't paying rent or mortgage though - we were living with my grandmother, one heart attack away from homelessness. And we STILL kept slipping deeper and deeper into debt as we picked up the grocery and gas budget shortfalls with my credit card. We had to move to the city for work that pays enough to get us where we want to be in life.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

So did my husband and I for about 3 years. We weren't paying rent or mortgage though - we were living with my grandmother, one heart attack away from homelessness. And we STILL kept slipping deeper and deeper into debt as we picked up the grocery and gas budget shortfalls with my credit card. We had to move to the city for work that pays enough to get us where we want to be in life.

We leave on our own. We're not too far from homelessness, either.

 

[esmith]

I do find it laughable that they have the gall to call $37k a year "good pay" these days

Yeah, maybe for a teenager. Jeez. Try even buying an apartment with that kind of money, and forget about trying to have a family.

So did my husband and I for about 3 years. We weren't paying rent or mortgage though - we were living with my grandmother, one heart attack away from homelessness. And we STILL kept slipping deeper and deeper into debt as we picked up the grocery and gas budget shortfalls with my credit card. We had to move to the city for work that pays enough to get us where we want to be in life.

Let see now that is just about our annual income and we have a home mortgage, car payment, sat TV, smart phone and dumb phone(cell), wireless internet, and can do just about anything we want. I don't see a problem with that.