Jonathan Hopkins’ Post

Are you struggling to understand why you have truck driver retention issues or trucks that are sitting empty in 2025? I’ve been around the trucking industry for over 20 years and a truck driver for over 3 years and after 15 trucking companies or only orientation and left, I’ve come to understand the trucking industry extremely well. Have you given a CPM (cents per mile) raise in the last 10 years, or is it still .55 CPM? Do you get the truck drivers home on a consistent basis without constantly fighting or saying “if you do one more load you can go home”? How’s the equipment? Do you take care of it, or is it constantly breaking down and unreliable? How’s the office staff? Do they know how to communicate or is it a constant circus? How’s the safety department? Do they constantly baby the driver or treat them with respect and as professional truck drivers? As someone who has been at 15 different trucking companies as both truck driver or only orientation and left because I didn’t like the environment. I know what needs to change in the trucking industry, but as a confident truck driver I also know people who control the decision making within the trucking industry usually don’t want to listen or take feedback from truck drivers. My cousin is also a truck driver, he use to jump around when he was new into the industry looking for better pay, better home time and after 18 years he’s still unhappy but like me he understands many trucking companies are the same. People talk about truck driver health, that starts with happiness and stress, if a truck driver is constantly stressed missing home time, low paychecks and constantly arguing with a dispatcher many truck drivers aren’t going to care about their personal lifestyle choices as they’re already exhausted from the stress of the job. I’m a blunt, to the point truck driver. I don’t sugar coat reality and I’m not interested in having fake friendships just to gain credibility. I know what the trucking industry needs and it’s up to educating others on the reality of what truck drivers deal with constantly. I believe all aspects of management in a trucking company should have previously been a truck driver, otherwise they aren’t relatable to what we do each and every day. There’s nothing more annoying then arguing with someone in safety who’s never driven before and doesn’t have the first understanding of what the real world is like outside the four walls of an office. People tell me all the time I’ve had too many truck driving jobs, I say each job is an additional experience into what is missing and what isn’t working within the trucking industry. I don’t quit when something isn’t working I keep trying, while also understanding why the same issues keep happening. Clearly, if it’s a “Jon” problem then no one else would be complaining or posting constantly about why there’s truck driver retention issues or problems. There’s truck driver retention issues in 2025 for a reason!

I think the biggest issue that people aren’t understanding with this new truck driver health trend going around on LinkedIn is that truck drivers hardly ever get home, and when they do it’s usually an arguement to get home. Unless these trends focus on changing the things that impact overall health of a truck driver nothing is going to change, it’s literally just a fart in the wind idea. A truck is a 10x10 jail cell, if someone thinks a drivers health is going to change by constantly staying in that environment because their employer doesn’t care about home time or getting them out of the truck on a regular basis I’d have to say people are day dreaming. When I was a driver, home time was NEVER a priority and the longer I was out on the road the more pissed off and miserable I became. It was a constant fight to get home, a constant arguement to explain why I wasn’t home last weekend when I should have been (based on what the company promised when I was hired). Then, when I did get home there was always some explosive reason I had to leave home early to bail some other driver out of a problem. You think I got my extra days back, heck no it was back to work and back to zero home days! Many trucking companies don’t care if a driver ever gets home and they don’t care if they are in good health or not. The mega carriers are the biggest habitual offenders to not caring about home time, driver health or decent pay. Pull some paychecks and you’ll learn quickly how condescending some trucking companies are towards truck drivers… This isn’t a mystery problem, it’s very obvious. I actually think some trucking companies prefer a truck driver is overweight and unhealthy because it brings the self awareness down and they don’t complain or care as much. Even more, they run the driver even more ragged and it becomes an endless constant cycle and MANY trucking companies love drivers who never go home. Some don’t seem to understand why truck drivers don’t make it past 61. It’s not rocket science on why that occurs. I’m beginning to think many people don’t have a clue what it’s really like to be a truck driver. Because, some of the ideas on ways to fix things don’t align with reality of what we deal with. Anyone will tell you how great an idea or business is, pull some paychecks and see how crappy drivers are paid, ask them when they last got home or how much paid parking is. Oh, don’t forget those $22 showers! I think if anyone expects things to get better, people gotta stop day dreaming and farting into the wind and actually dwell on the habitual offenders who cause these issues in the first place. Instead of being brown nosers and buddy buddy with the very companies who don’t care about truck driver health. Drivers see the comics going on, I laugh so much when someone supports a company yet does the exact behavior they say they want to change… Again, don’t believe me? I’ve been a driver 5 years. 🤣🤣🤣 ©️Jonathan Hopkins

I’ve been a truck driver at some of the largest mega carrier trucking companies including Hirshbach, CFI and I’ve also gone to orientation for other trucking companies such as Melton, Scheinder, Smith Transport and left because orientation for me is a “first impression” phase and if I’m repeatedly disrespected I leave. Looking back at the mistakes I’ve made, I should have had a “first impression” phase when I began my driving career. The company does it to us, why can’t I do it also? 🤭 I have a 10 step process I use when I apply for a trucking job, including asking many questions. I’ve found “many” truck driver recruiters can’t sell a good job opening, because when I ask question they usually don’t have the answers. Some of the questions I ask, include: How long have you worked for the company? What’s a typical week include? What do you haul? How’s your CSA scores? What is a rough estimate on what a driver makes a week? How often do I get home? (This one is always comical, it’s usually met with silence). How’s the equipment and maintenance? Is the safety director a previous truck driver? Why do I leave trucking companies? I leave because many companies make it a “challenge” just to get started working, even for those who have 18+ years of truck driving experience. Usually orientation is three days, filled with monkey games, ridiculous videos and the same old endless promises that begin the eye rolling 🙄. I sometimes go to the bathroom just so I don’t have to listen to the same old speech I’ve heard 150 times. I haven’t been to an orientation in years that was unique and different, usually they always mirror the last company and are very boring. Many times the person leading the orientation class is very rude, obnoxious, demanding or is going 45 different directions. It’s very rare to feel “welcoming” when joining a new trucking company, usually it starts with ridiculously long hours and most trucking companies don’t finalizing hiring until I’m there. Many truck drivers are sent home, unpaid on a greyhound bus if they don’t actually get hired but are given a rental car to get there. The greyhound bus concept is extremely common within the trucking industry that’s why truck drivers will say “meat in the seat”, that’s how we are treated many place. Some trucking companies I bet if I was a stuffed animal I’d be hired, as long as the truck was moving that’s how impersonal they are. If you worked for a bank for 20 years, and was hired at another bank and the person “challenged” you constantly would you feel comfortable working there? Sometimes, it’s the way people act towards others that is hindering the growth within a company. Some people have control issues and have to “feel good” constantly telling others what they are doing wrong and others have confidence issues that they have to mask with their role in management, which leads to truck drivers constantly feeling small or belittled. ©️Jonathan Hopkins

Good Saturday Morning! I wanted to make one post, which will hopefully include many of the most talked about factual aspects of trucking that are current concerns among the trucking industry, many times from those who aren’t truck drivers. 1. 70-85% of those who are in managment at a trucking company (company driven, not O/O) have never previously been a truck driver or even hold an active CDL. How can a truck driver relate to those who don’t understand? Furthermore, punish truck drivers when what they do is normal truck driver behavior. 2. Mileage pay is based on the miles a truck driver does in a day, anything else a truck driver does is free. Fueling, securing the load, messing with the trailer, babysitting a load are all typical free aspects a truck driver does every day. 3. Many trucking companies deduct “zip code to zip code” pay off the drivers overall pay. It can be $120-$150 a week off their overall income for that week. 4. Many trucking companies don’t understand that they MUST run the FMCSA D&A clearinghouse BEFORE a driver is behind the wheel. 5. 90% of trucking companies do NOT pay for companies like the truck parking club or any other parking services. The truck driver absorbs the costs, that W2 employees can’t deduct on their taxes. Basically throwing $20 out the window every day. 6. Truck washes at many of the larger trucking companies are allowed once a month, sometimes once every other month. 7. Those “signon” bonuses are paid out at like $20 a week. 8. Many orientation classes are unpaid or like $20 for the entire day or over three days as most are, others come with seven stipulations in order to get that pay like completing the first load. If issues arise, a truck driver is sent home on a greyhound bus most times, and unpaid for their time…. Great first impression at a new job? 9. Driver health is a constant topic, but home time and walking away from the truck for a few days isn’t a desire of many trucking companies. It’s all about the freight, it’s a body bag mentality. That’s why so many social media posts are nothing more than hot air to a truck driver from managment in some trucking companies. We know the real truth. 10. D.O.T violations like bald tires, missing legal documents, lights that don’t work fall back on the truck drivers. That’s why so many trucking companies don’t care or have any desire to care, the truck driver absorbs the bad behavior. It also gets listed on the truck drivers personal MVR, CDL or PSP that follows job to job, entire future. Kinda like taking old baggage into a new situation. 11. There isn’t really a shortage of truck parking spots in the United States, there’s a shortage of free locations at truck stops. Drivers consider paid spots unavailable parking. Next time someone doesn’t understand why there’s such a heated debate about the truck parking issues, health concerns or truck driver retention in the United States, here are 11 current reasons why. ©️Jonathan Hopkins

Can you start a trucking business with just one truck in US? Yes, you can start a trucking business with just one truck in the U.S. The trucking industry, while competitive, remains a viable option for entrepreneurial owner-operators. However, navigating this industry in 2024 requires a thorough understanding of the current market conditions, regulations, and challenges. The Feasibility of a One-Truck Business Starting a trucking business with one truck can be profitable, but it’s not without its challenges. As a single owner-operator, you’ll have the advantage of being your own boss, controlling your schedule, and choosing the loads you haul. Yet, you'll also bear the full weight of operating costs, including fuel, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. In 2024, the trucking industry is seeing fluctuating demand and some unique hurdles, such as increased operating costs and ongoing supply chain disruptions. Many small operators have been pushed out due to these challenges, but those who remain are finding opportunities as market corrections occur. Market Outlook in 2024 While the market is slowly improving, it's crucial to recognize that competition remains fierce. Many operators entered the market during the 2020-2021 boom, leading to an oversupply of trucks. However, this is starting to balance out as demand grows and some businesses exit the industry. The backlog of Class 8 trucks has decreased, signaling a potential uptick in demand later in the year. Challenges to Consider 1. Rising Costs: Fuel and insurance prices are higher than they were a few years ago. Fuel costs, although projected to stabilize somewhat, will continue to be a significant expense for independent operators. 2. Driver Shortage: The industry is facing a potential shortage of 160,000 drivers by 2030, which could lead to increased wages and a strain on labor. 3. Regulations: New labor regulations, like California’s Assembly Bill 5, are making it harder for independent contractors to remain classified as such, forcing them into employee status. This may affect independent truckers nationwide as similar regulations are considered in other states. 4. Competition and Market Saturation: The market is still recovering from the oversaturation of trucks that occurred during the pandemic. While demand is picking up, the market remains competitive, particularly in areas like spot freight. Keys to Success 1. Leverage Technology: 2. Sustainability Initiatives: 3. Cash Flow Management: Maintaining a financial buffer is essential. Unexpected repairs, fluctuating fuel prices, and delays in payment from clients can strain your cash flow, so it's wise to have reserves in place. #TruckingBusiness #OwnerOperator #Trucking2024 #LogisticsLife #FreightTransport #GreenTrucking #TruckLifeHustle #DigitalLogistics #FuelPrices #DriverShortage

I know certain businesses don’t agree with me sharing my personal views on how paid truck parking works in America and other aspects. However, I believe in order to do better, there has to be full transparency on what the reality is for a truck driver. Those organizations trying to attract new talent in trucking or recruiters who want to attract new drivers. Wouldn’t it make more sense to understand what drivers deal with or don’t like? Maybe for some, going to work to attract high school students and new CDL holders while adding spice to an already sour problem is where the reality is in trucking, I’m really not sure… For me, I’m tired of the sour nonsense it’s not reality. I love knowing what I’m up against and what the expectation is for the average truck driver and I wish I had the same brutal advice, wisdom and first hand knowledge when I started driving that I share and learn from others on this site. I don’t get easily offended, I fact check everything I share and I make sure what I’m saying is factual information, from those who deal with it every day. People ask me constantly about topics in trucking and I’m not afraid to tell someone that a topic isn’t something I know a lot about. I focus on topics that I know also impact other truck drivers, it isn’t all about me. Four topics I know extremely well and are very easy to understand include: • Paid truck parking • Driver retention • D.O.T expectations • Driver health I will continue to advocate for those who deserve the truth and transparency regardless of what a business claims is true or not. Furthermore, my cousin is also a truck driver and would be the first to take a phone call from someone who thinks we are blowing smoke or making things up. But, he’s been driving for 18 years and he’s sick of the trash! For those who wish to ask a truck driver or don’t believe what I have to say, feel free to call my cousin and ask him what he thinks about paid truck parking and all of the other nonsense in trucking… he will give you an ear full and at times is even more vocal than I am about certain issues. Peter: (570) 971-1913 (only 9am-8pm EST). I’ve given my cousins phone number to at least eleven people to call him, so he can explain exactly how truck parking, retention and other aspects work in trucking and not one of those eleven people have taken the effort to called him. Sounds to me like some people are extremely misinformed and would rather go around jumping on the bandwagon, yet never taking the time to realize how foolish they look to the very people who do the job everyday that’s being debated. It’s silly to be blunt and very comical! ©️Jonathan Hopkins

I continue to see posts from people who hire truck drivers or those in management at trucking companies complaining why they have turnover and ways they “think” it can be fixed. I’m a truck driver, I’ll be the first to be brutally honest and say that most of the “ideas” aren’t remotely close to reality. If you have truck driver retention problems it’s because you aren’t listening to the truck drivers you hire or those currently employed. My advice is stop acting like an expert, ask the very people who do the job every day and accept the reality of what they tell you. Otherwise, you’ll never fix the problem. However, as someone who has been around this industry for 25 years, I know many people don’t want to hear the truth. They wanna keep kicking the can and continuing to do the same old behaviors that haven’t worked in the past, while expecting things to change without taking an invested interest in the problem or the very people who would give them the answers they crave (truck drivers). I know what I want in life, I go after it and change according to what works and what doesn’t work. My past isn’t a failure, it’s an opportunity to learn from EACH situation and take what worked and what didn’t into the future. For example, I won’t work for another trucking company that doesn’t care about maintenance as those violations impact my personal driving record which could hinder me in the future. I also won’t work for another trucking company that pays by the mile, because it’s not how hard I work it’s how organized is the dispatcher to keep me busy. If they aren’t organized, I don’t make a good income. A recruiter can promise me 2,500 miles a week and it doesn’t mean jack if the dispatcher can’t proactively plan a week. That’s why I say the average truck driver does about 1,800 miles a week when averaged over 52 weeks in a year because I already know how dispatch is at many trucking companies. The truck driver always gets blamed for when things go wrong, even when they had nothing to do with planning the load. That’s why .55 CPM job postings are a joke, .55 CPM X 1,800 miles is $990 before taxes. $850 after taxes, depending on if the company offers per diem or not. If I’m paid by the hour, I’m not at the mercy of someone who is disorganized and can’t plan well yet makes a consistent paycheck and I’m making peanuts. It shouldn’t be that way, everyone should be paid fairly and that’s why so many truck drivers are leaving the trucking industry. Everything has a root cause, if you continue to have a shortage of truck drivers there’s most likely a reason why. Either accept the reason why and work to make it better or keep complaining about it. If there are issues, my assumption based off first hand experience would be one of these five issues listed below. 1. Low pay! 2. Junk equipment (Can it pass a D.O.T inspection?). 3. Communication sucks. 4. Hometime isn’t what was promised. 5. Constant micromanaging. ©️Jonathan Hopkins

Trucking Safety: Essential Tips for Every Driver Safety on the road is the foundation of a successful trucking career. Whether you're an experienced driver or new to the industry, keeping safety at the forefront ensures not only your well-being but also the security of others on the road. Here are three essential safety tips every truck driver should follow: Pre-Trip Inspections Before hitting the road, make a habit of thoroughly inspecting your truck. Check tires, brakes, lights, and fluid levels. Identifying potential issues beforehand can prevent breakdowns and accidents, keeping you and others safe. Maintain Proper Speed and Distance Trucks require more time and distance to stop compared to smaller vehicles. Always follow speed limits, especially in bad weather or heavy traffic, and maintain a safe following distance to react appropriately to any sudden stops. Prioritize Rest and Breaks Fatigue is one of the leading causes of accidents in the trucking industry. Ensure you’re adhering to hours-of-service regulations and taking adequate breaks to stay alert on the road. A well-rested driver is a safe driver. By following these tips and staying vigilant, you contribute to a safer journey for everyone on the road. Remember, safety always comes first! 💚🚛

Are you thinking about starting a trucking company but unsure where to begin? This guide will walk you through the steps to get you started. https://lnkd.in/gBbPxHib #Trucking #TruckingIndustry #transportationindustry #company #truckdriver #truckdrivers