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Trucking, Taco Bell

Why the Trucking World Is Getting Excited Over This Taco Bell

In trucking, you’ll find a wider variety of news than virtually any other industry. Truckers have a way of getting their names in headlines for good and for bad. One recurring theme among headlines, however, has to do with drive-thrus.

For most truck drivers, going through a drive-thru isn’t an option — the trucks are simply too big, as most establishments have a maximum height of around nine feet. Clearance bars are usually placed at locations to avoid property damage, preventing large vehicles from bumping edges of buildings.

Even so, some are completely unnecessary. Some fast food companies are realizing this and taking steps to cater to trucking companies.

This Taco Bell removed it’s clearance bar entirely, allowing semi-trucks to pass through and order food

It’s what all truckers want — fast food access at all times. There is a very small number of places that cater to truckers but generally speaking, they’re out of luck. Fortunately, those who pass through Nebraska will now have the option to get fast food.

A video posted to YouTube by Natasha Trucking showcased a Taco Bell that knocked down the clearance bar, allowing truck drivers to pass through the Taco Bell drive thru.

Unfortunately, as seen in the video, the speaker system at this Taco Bell has not been altered, so drivers have to open the door and step down to order and receive their food.

Still, it’s pretty convenient for big-rig drivers who are used to parking and ordering inside of restaurants.

Trucking Yard

This Simple Trucking Issue is Contributing to the Driver Shortage

The trucking industry is as steady as any industry in the world. As long as goods need to be shipped around the world, which should be forever, there will always be trucks driving around. Unfortunately, there are at least two obstacles here — autonomous driving and the current driver shortage.

Are these two issues connected?

So far, it’s not entirely clear why people aren’t as eager to drive trucks as they used to be. The numbers are clear — there will be an estimated shortage of 160,000 drivers by 2030 — but if companies knew how to combat this issue, it wouldn’t be an issue. So where do these companies start?

The issue of Gen Z not wanting to join the industry is simple — the solution is not

The one common denominator in trucking, which all drivers will attest to, is the emergence of technology. In the industry, technology threatens to take away jobs by introducing autonomous driving. This is a concept that would make any prospective driver weary of joining the industry. After all, the primary benefit of becoming a truck driver right now is that you have your pick of the litter when it comes to companies due to the shortage.

If that’s taken away, what is left? How do you sell driving positions as a company? Perhaps this is what is going through the minds of Gen Z, a generation that refuses to join skilled trade industries. According to CCJ, for every six retiring baby boomers in a skilled trade position, two people from younger generations are joining positions. This is concerning, as nearly half of the workforce consists of Gen Z or Millenials, according to FreightWaves.

But it still doesn’t add up.

There are obvious layers to this. Members of Gen Z tend to be more stagnant than those of the generations before them — this means more time spent on their phones or looking at screens and less time adventuring out in the world. There’s also not a necessity for younger people to learn skilled trades. A large portion of Gen Z is working to go through college and find a salaried position. But is this the right path?

The beauty of the trucking industry is simple in that there are more than a handful of jobs available. Once again, I’ll point to the 60,000+ driver shortage that is anticipated to triple over the next seven years. If you want a job in trucking, you can be out on the road in a matter of weeks with no prior experience. Many companies will pay for your CDL training, so it seems like a pretty attractive deal.

Apparently not.

As things stand, trucking companies are still scrambling to figure this out. The leading theory is that advancements in technology in trucks will attract the younger generations.

CDL School, Whiteline Express

These 20+ CDL Students Were Left in the Dust After School Closed

Say what you want about the trucking industry — generally speaking, getting your CDL and working as a truck driver is a pretty reliable, simple path. Unfortunately, not everything goes smoothly and this is no exception.

This was best exemplified this week when a trucking school kicked all of its students to the curb.

The situation took place in Fort Lupton, Colorado, where the drivers were enrolled in the Commercial Vehicle Training Center. They paid and expected to finish school with enough experience to get out on the road. That didn’t happen.

These 20+ CDL students were left in the dark with no support

According to a CDL student, Esteban Hernandez, the entire class was cut with no warning at all. How did they find out? When they showed up for class, the lights were off and the door was locked.

When these students asked for compensation or for help enrolling in another class, they were left in the dark. The owner of the company offered to pay for a CDL test, which they are unable to successfully complete without finishing their classes.

At this point, this just feels like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

As things stand, the students are looking for a way to get their money back, as they weren’t given the services that were promised.

Truck Yard Fire

This Truck Driver Set His Company’s Truck Yard on Fire

Another day, another bizarre trucking story. This time around, it involves a trucker who, according to police, set a fire at the truck yard of Estes Express Lines, his employer.

This comes on the heels of another fire that happened at an Estes Express Lines truck yard earlier this month. It’s unclear whether or not the two incidents are related.

The man’s name is Anthony Dick, a 39-year-old out of Lehighton, Pennsylvania. He has been arrested and charged with arson.

Why did Anthony Dick set fire to the truck yard in the first place?

There’s no true answer to that question. In fact, Dick wasn’t even entirely honest about the situation from the get-go. The truck driver initially claimed that he had nothing to do with the fire before shifting his tone, claiming it was an accident.

According to WFMZ-TV, authorities are claiming that it would be impossible for the fire to be started accidentally in corroboration with Dick’s story.

On the bright side, it doesn’t look like he’ll be starting any more fires — that’ll be tough to do from the inside of a jail cell.

Whiteline Express Dog

How Heartland Express’s Acquisition of CFI Could Leave Dog Owners in Limbo

Contrary to the norm, there is some positive news in the trucking industry this week. Rather than an animal thief or collapsed bridge, something productive happened in the industry.

That productivity involves Heartland Express, who recently acquired Contract Freighters Inc. (CFI) for $525 million. This gives Heartland Express 2,100 new tractors and 8,000 new trailers.

You’ll find details about this acquisition all over the internet. If you’re looking for specifics — you’re not at the right place. That said, we’re discussing entirely separate implications in this deal that will likely impact hundreds of drivers.

What will happen to all of the dog owners at CFI?

At Whiteline Express, we value our drivers’ happiness. It’s one of the reasons why our pet policy is so important to us — we want drivers to be able to take their lives with them across the country. But CFI drivers might be receiving the same treatment for much longer.

Unfortunately, Heartland Express does not allow pets in any of their vehicles. It’s pretty normal — fewer than half of the trucking companies in the United States allow pets. The issue here is that over 60% of drivers own pets and an estimated 30-40% bring pets with them in their vehicles. This means that, in all likelihood, hundreds of drivers from CFI, a company that allows dogs, will be forced to drive without their furry friends. So what options remain for these drivers?

This happens with virtually every major acquisition — a large handful of drivers will leave. Heartland might even find that a higher percentage leave when they find out that their dogs will not be accompanying them to a new company. That said, there may not be many complaints. A pet policy, a new sign-on bonus, and a new truck doesn’t sound like a bad deal to most drivers.

That said, it’s still unclear how Heartland Express will handle this. They may continue to allow drivers to bring pets in the 2,100 trailers than were acquired from CFI or they may extend the no-pet policy to the entire company. If that is the case, there will be a large influx of drivers who will look to branch out to a better situation.

CDL Trucking, Collapsed Bridge

A Collapsed Bridge Caused This Semi-Truck to Plunge Into a River

If it’s not already clear enough, there’s never a dull day in the trucking world. In the past couple of months, we’ve had a $100 million jewel heist at a truck stop, a driver smuggling wild animals, and a mysterious man throwing a bicycle under a semi-truck on the highway, to name a few. You guessed it — there’s another bizarre story in the news this week.

This time around, it involves a bridge collapse in Tretton that sent two people into a river in the early morning of August 15th.

Thankfully, everyone was okay. One of the victims of this bridge collapse was able to escape their car and swim to safety, while the truck driver required helicopter assistance. Both were safe.

What exactly transpired that led to this collapsed bridge?

Short answer — nobody knows.

In fact, this wasn’t even the first bridge to collapse in this area. According to the New York Post, another nearby bridge collapsed in 2016, injuring one truck driver. Both bridges were made of glued laminated timber (wood) and neither bridge was particularly old. After this, 11 bridges were closed and checked for safety before being re-opened. This included the bridge we’re speaking about in this article.

Still, the Tretton bridge collapsed, sending a regular vehicle into the water and leaving a semi-truck “nearly vertical” in the river. The bridge, which was built in 2012, was also checked in 2021, leaving many to wonder if these checks are effective at all. At some point, it becomes a big problem.

For now, that’s all the information we have.

CDL Truck Crash

Why Did This Guy Throw a Bike Under a Semi-truck on the Freeway?

People get into the trucking industry for a few reasons. Some drivers are introverted people and enjoy their alone time while some simply like the money associated with it. A large handful, however, are in it for the adventure. Over-the-road drivers are able to take long trips and see all parts of the country.

Sometimes, that isn’t necessarily a good thing.

A few days ago, a clip was uploaded to the r/Truckers subreddit that showed one of the more bizarre moments caught on camera by a driver.

A pedestrian threw a bicycle into a semi-truck, resulting in… well, nothing.

We’ve heard of people throwing eggs, rocks, and pretty much anything that can travel through the air at vehicles. Even if you’re not a CDL driver, you’ve probably seen your fair share of strange things while driving at night. But this one is probably weirder than anything you’ve seen before.

The video, which will be linked below, shows a driver with a dashcam struggling to stay awake on a night drive. The beginning of the video almost makes you think that the driver is going to cause something to go awry, but he manages to pull himself together.

Suddenly, the driver squints and looks ahead in the distance — clearly, something has his attention.

Suddenly, a pedestrian comes into view with a bike by his side. He gives it a quick push, sending it directly into the path of the driver’s 18-wheeler. The truck runs over the bike and continues to drive. Nothing more transpires.

You can either download the video here or watch it on Reddit here.

What was the pedestrian trying to do?

Some believe that the pedestrian was trying to cause the truck to crash, allowing him to move in and steal the driver’s belongings or the truck’s cargo. It could have simply been a sadistic person who wanted to cause a crash for no reason.

Either way, it failed. Miserably.

If you’re a driver, this is a good reminder to keep your eyes peeled — especially if you’re driving at night. You can’t expect something like this to happen but it’s good to always be alert and aware of your surroundings.

Trucking, CDL

3 Industry Secrets for Brand-New CDL Truck Drivers

If you’re reading this article, you probably just earned your Commercial Driver’s License, or CDL. This means you’ve finished your courses, passes your driving tests, and you’re ready to dive head-first into the industry.

First of all, congratulations!

At this point in time, you’re probably at a spot where most new drivers find themselves — the “what now?” phase. Don’t worry – Whiteline has you covered. Here are three industry secrets for brand new CDL truck drivers.

Secret No. 1: The trucking industry is starving for drivers right now, so choose carefully

In most industries, jobs are hard to come by. If you get a job offer anywhere, it’s hard to reject it. The trucking industry tells a different story in the present day.

Right now, there’s a pretty severe driver shortage. According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the driver shortage currently sits at around 80,000. That number is expected to double by 2030.

For those reading this article, it’s great news — you’ll get your pick of the litter when it comes to the company you want to drive for. For trucking companies, it’s getting tough to find new drivers.

Secret No. 2: Trucking companies tend to have dishonest position/salary advertising

Okay, so you’ve got a few job offers — how do you know which one to choose?

For starters, this is not a decision to take lightly. While you can leave a company pretty easily, most have signing bonuses and other incentives that don’t kick in until you’ve been there for around a year.

This is also a decision that may not be what it appears to be on the surface. Look for a trucking job and you’ll immediately see salaries as high as $120,000. A salary figure that seems too high is almost always deceptive in some way.

They get you in the fine details.

When you look into the actual salary presented by companies, they require you to do more than you probably want. The “higher-paying” positions will have you taking nasty routes, working long days, and hitting tricky company-specific mileage goals. Sometimes these companies make it physically impossible to actually earn the salary that is being advertised.

Don’t undervalue yourself but remember one thing — almost any experienced truck driver will tell you to go with a company with a good culture that makes you feel at home. Salary is important but secondary.

Secret No. 3: You’re not stuck with your company

In more than a handful of industries, it’s easy to become pigeon-holed into a specific company. That company will promote you, give you pay raises, and give you comfortability in your spot.

This does, at least to an extent, hold true. Companies often give longevity bonuses and you’ll earn more as an experienced driver. Whiteline Express offers experienced drivers higher cent-per-mile rates and increases your earnings based on how long you’re at the company. That said, the industry standard usually involves company-hopping relatively frequently.

If you don’t get along with your dispatcher, aren’t getting the miles you want, or just don’t like the company culture, it’s not a big deal to pack up and find another company. According to Trucking.org, the turnover rate for truckers is a staggering 91%, meaning over nine of ten drivers leave their jobs in under a year.

If you’re not happy with your position, do not be afraid to leave.

Truck Driver, CDL

This Truck Driver Was Snatching up Wild Animals

If you’re a CDL/Truck Driver, you probably keep up with industry news. And if you keep up with industry news, you’re familiar with how wild things can get. In July, we got a perfect example of this phenomenon.

Last month, Ariam Rodriguez Diaz, a truck driver, was charged with 20 counts of illegal wildlife possession. The 30-year-old Naples, Florida native had been transporting animals to his home from places like Ohio and Canada.

The police would eventually discover his farm of animals and report it to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC). According to the FWC, the man had two white-tailed deer, 15 migratory birds, two illegal bird traps, and eight Canada geese in his enclosure.

Why did this truck driver take these animals and did he know it was illegal?

Because of how open he was about his crimes, some are theorizing that Diaz was unaware that this was illegal activity. He also asked officers if it was illegal to keep the deer.

According to Naples Daily News, Diaz told officers that he had found the deer at a rest stop and lured them into his truck. They would reside in the cabin of the vehicle, where his bed was located, during their transport down to Florida.

I’m no expert but I’m guessing that doesn’t fall under the guidelines of his company’s pet policy.

On a serious note, Diaz was eventually arrested for his crimes and released on a $21,000 bond a couple of days after his arrest. He will appear in court on August 17th.

Whiteline Express Truck Driver

How Much Money Do Truck Drivers Really Make?

The trucking industry is a lot of things — typical is not one of them. Your typical job doesn’t have you hauling high-tonnage shipments across the country on a daily basis. Your typical job doesn’t have you working 11-hour days.

One of the more notable parts of this job that is considered atypical is how truck drivers are paid. Unlike most full-time jobs, there isn’t a yearly salary. Heck, there isn’t even an hourly salary. There really isn’t a uniform way that drivers are paid at all — it largely depends on your specific role within the industry. This is why, along with other reasons, you can’t really put a “yearly salary” number on any truck driving position, even though some companies will try.

Generally speaking, the numbers that you’ll see for truck driving jobs will come in cents per mile (CPM). CPM usually refers to the salary of an Over-the-road (OTR) driver, who stays in his or her truck overnight. For the sake of this article, that’s the type of salary that we’ll be focused on.

What is a realistic pay range for an over-the-road truck driver?

There is a lot of information to go over on the subject of truck driver earnings but I’ll start by getting straight to the point — a realistic salary range.

40 – 60 CPM

This is the industry standard. It’s lower than many truck drivers will claim and that’s no coincidence. There are very few bad things to say about truck drivers, as they’re usually extremely friendly. That said, they tend to gas themselves up a little bit and will, without fail, exaggerate their salary or what they believe the industry standard is.

That said, 40-60 CPM is a really good range. With most drivers driving between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week, even the lowest end of both categories will place you at $41,600 per year. The average in that range is over $50,000 per year while the highest end of that will have you over $90,000.

You get out what you put in.

Is $100,000 a truly attainable salary as a truck driver?

A number that you’ll hear floating around this question is $100,000 as a yearly salary. This number is… well, for lack of a better term — unrealistic. There are a few drivers out there who can make $100,000 and an even smaller amount who exceed that. The number was largely popularized by Walmart, which likely only has a very small amount of drivers actually hit the $100,000 yearly number.

According to a Walmart truck driver job posting, drivers start at 62 cents per mile. That’s a very good rate but it won’t get you anywhere near $100,000 unless you’re driving ridiculous mileage with no vacations. The drivers that are reaching that type of yearly number are working the maximum amount of hours and have a ton of experience. They’re also hitting countless bonuses.

This leads me to my next point.

Watch out for deceptive advertising in the trucking industry

As somebody with a background in the advertising industry, advertising a yearly salary would likely be described as “deceptive advertising,” which is largely frowned upon. The truth of the matter is that you have to reach specific difficult goals, hit bonuses, or drive unattractive routes to reach these salaries.

In fact, it’s actually against the law. Unfortunately, the trucking industry is not well monitored and job applications aren’t necessarily considered “advertising.”

Whiteline Express is a company that prides itself on integrity. As a result, you probably won’t see us advertising any sort of yearly salary on our job postings — if you did, it would be riddled with disclaimers and clarifications.

If a pay rate seems too good to be true, it probably is. There are exceptions to this, but it’s important to know what a reasonable pay range looks like.