Hey folks, John here. I'm a former ride share driver and current truck driver. If you missed my previous content about truck driving, check out the links below in the description. Today I'm reviewing a book called The Big Rick, Trucking and the Decline of the American Dream. The author, Steve Vichelli, explores how trucking jobs have gotten a lot worse since deregulation and the decimation of the Teamsters Union back in the 1980s. He also interviews tons of current truck drivers and even becomes a truck driver himself to understand what the industries like today. As a truck driver, the first thing that struck me about the book was how much the industry has changed just since the book was written. Although it was published in 2016, Mr. Vichelli's time as an actual driver, as well as most of his interviews, took place between 2005 and 2007. That doesn't mean that everything in the book is outdated though. The first thing Vichelli discusses is the process of going through driver training, which apart from a few minor details, was almost exactly like my own. Many large trucking companies design their recruiting and training programs with high turnover in mind. In trucking, what you get paid is based on how many years that you've been a truck driver. It's cheaper to employ new drivers, so the big companies usually offer training programs to make sure they've got a steady supply. Vichelli rightfully points out that when signing up for training through a specific trucking company, workers are often putting themselves in several thousand dollars worth of debt for what ultimately amounts to a multi-week long job interview. Not everyone who attends training comes out the other side with a job or even with a CDL, but they still have to pay back the tuition cost either way. And even successful graduates are often stuck at low paying carriers for a year or more while they gain the experience needed to switch companies. Now of course this isn't how most jobs work, but I think Vichelli is overly critical of the company training process. Now it won't get me wrong, I'm not defending the training system, it's awful and difficult and nerve-wracking to go into debt to maybe get a job. On the other hand, it's a lot cheaper than a four-year degree or even a two-year degree. Plus, you don't have to go the trucking company training boot camp route. You can also take your time and get your CDL through a community college or a vocational program in a less stressful environment. You can find my earlier video about how to become a truck driver at the links below. Although Vichelli's account of training still rings mostly true, some of his numbers don't. Based on his 2006 interviews with 31 rookie drivers, Vichelli found that their average annual earnings were just over $30,000. Adjusted for inflation that's closer to $39,000. I'm happy to report that first-year earnings at my company are over 25% higher at around 50,000. It's hard for me to say whether annual earnings have improved that much across the board, but what is clear is that your experience with trucking can very wildly depending on who you drive for. The second point the author makes is that even for drivers earning respectable paychecks, the hours required to earn those paychecks are often absurd. Based on his time as a driver, he figures that truckers work around 90 hours per week on average. And that figure is not out of the realm of possibility. Vichelli also criticizes the per mile payche structure because it means drivers aren't paid for non-driving work like waiting for loads or sweeping a trailer. One of the biggest changes since the publication of this book however is the introduction of ELDs or electronic logging devices. ELDs limit how long truckers can drive. Prior to ELDs, drivers would simply lie on their logbooks and work as much as possible. ELDs thankfully cap your hours at roughly 70 per week. And that prevents a lot of the pressure that drivers used to feel to push themselves past their limits. All the same, even 70 hours a week is a lot, and not seeing your friends and family for multiple weeks at a time is super depressing. Again, I'm not trying to defend the more dystopian aspects of the job, but depending on what alternatives are available to you, trucking might still be a pretty good option. Compared to some of my past jobs in retail and restaurants, trucking is a breeze and it comes with health insurance. The Shelley also does not account for the idea that trucking can eliminate your housing expenses. It doesn't make sense to rent an apartment that you're only going to be in for 48 hours per month. As such, I am a paid rent or a water bill in over two years, which in my city is a savings of at least $12,000 a year. Turning your truck into your house changes your net income significantly. You can find my previous video about what it's like to live in a truck in the description. The second half of this book focuses on lease purchase programs. The Shelley details a sophisticated propaganda machine operated by the industry, designed to push drivers to work as contractors instead of as employees. Through strategic partnerships with magazines and consulting firms, large trucking companies convinced many drivers that they could make more money and exert more control by leasing a truck of their own. In reality, lease purchase programs were mainly a way for carriers to avoid taxes and push the high cost of fuel, maintenance and insurance onto individual drivers while retaining most of their managerial control. If all that sounds familiar, it's very similar to the ongoing fight in the ride share industry about employee versus contractor classification. Contractors that the Shelley interviewed actually made less than company drivers with comparable experience and in many cases wound up owing money instead of earning it. Thankfully, since the publication of this book, a few of the worst offenders have finally felt some consequences. In March of 2019, for example, contractors won a $100 million settlement against night swift transportation and two months later, $38 million from CR England. Legal challenges to misclassification are vital and no doubt aided by research like the Shelley's. Of course, there are still plenty of awful lease purchase programs out there, so be careful. If you want to buy a truck, buy it from a dealer, not a trucking company. You'll also be able to retain more control by booking your own loads through load boards or brokers like Uber Freight rather than signing on a contract with an individual carrier. The big rig offers a vital look at the worst aspects of the trucking industry and how they got to be that way. Trucking companies and recruiters and even some drivers give misinformation or outright lies in an effort to line their own pockets, and both current and future truckers have to be extremely vigilant when deciding how to get trained and who to work for. But things have evolved somewhat since the research contained in this book, and on the whole, I think things have evolved for the better. 2018 was a record-setting year in terms of demand for trucking services, and although 2019 and 2020 have been a little more volatile, CDL drivers are still a hot commodity. If you don't mind the long hours and the nomadic lifestyle, it's possible to earn $70,000 or more with a year or two of experience. Just be careful and watch out for the bad companies because as this book demonstrates, they can be really, really bad. Thanks for watching, and if you want to check out my previous videos about trucking, don't forget to check out the links below. Hang in there, drive safe.