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Labor laws include all but truck drivers
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There are laws set in place that protect workers. A minimum wage is in place as is the amount of hours that can be worked before overtime must be paid. Workers are also protected from abuses that could potentially take place in their places of employment.
Truck drivers do not enjoy such priviledges which are taken for granted by those who do. Truck drivers do not receive an hourly pay but are paid by how many miles they drive each week. They do not get overtime pay, even though they work more than forty hours per week.
Long-haul drivers are away from their homes and families for days and sometimes weeks on end. It may seem like these drivers get paid well but that is far from the case.
A driver, John, put in 70 hours last week. He was compensated for 2000 miles. He was paid 42 cents per mile, which comes out to $840 for the week. This is equal to making $12 an hour for putting in a 70 hour work week.
One of the biggest problems is that drivers are classified as unskilled workers though they are responsible for more than the average worker. A driver must complete an inspection of their equipment twice a day, before they drive and at the end of the day. The driver must also know and follow all applicable interstate laws pertaining to each state. There are also federal regulations drivers must know and abide by. Drivers should be respected as professionals and paid accordingly. They must also be treated the same as other workers and be afforded the same benefits.
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