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My parents' neighbor has been in the trucking business for 30 years. He says a typical big rig gets 5 mpg. The new Volvo rig gets an impressive 7 mpg. So you can see how diesel prices ($4/gal.) have a huge effect on truckers.
I asked him how trucking today compares to when he started in the 1970s. He said he was making $60,000 a year back then, and that's about the same as a trucker makes today.
Think about that -- back in 1978, $60 K would buy a house, or a yacht, or a Ferrari. Today, those three big-ticket items cost $200,000 - $250,000. Talk about salaries not keeping pace with inflation!
His advice for anyone considering the trucking business -- DON'T!
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I guarantee the avg. truck driver didn't make $60k/yr in 1978, unless they were an independent and they grossed $60k minus expenses, meaning net earnings were probably less than 1/2. If so, they were among the highest earning professions. My grandpa retired with 43 yrs. of seniority at a union steel mill job in Gary, Indiana. He had the highest hourly wage rate in the mill and it was somewhere in the $11/hr range. I think he told me he earned $25k his last year while working very little o/t.
One thing a truck driver didn't have to worry about back then were as many regulations. Drivers today are far more limited in the amount of hours they are allowed to be driving. That plus most corporate drivers are governed to 55-60mph. I can remember as a kid during the late 70' to early 80's seeing semi's running 80mph plus. You don't see that very often today.
That sounds about right. I remember my father talking about getting around 6mpg in his various rigs (from a cab-over Freightliner to a conventional WhiteStar and Peterbuilt). I recall his story about guys that bragged they were getting 7 or 8 mpg, but that was them trying to baby every last drop and when they started driving "normal" again, it would go back down to 5 or 6.
"I asked him how trucking today compares to when he started in the 1970s. He said he was making $60,000 a year back then, and that's about the same as a trucker makes today. "
I'd have to say he was exaggerating or was just an exception to the norm. I recall the going rate for over-the-road truckers being around $40k/year in the late 80's and early 90's. It would be hard to imagine a common trucker wage amounting to $60k/year in the late 70's.
Back then I had the opportunity (?) once to unload a boxcar and on another occasion a big truck. The truck was big but OMG I still think about that boxcar!
Not hard to believe, teacher pay's pretty grim...
Particularly starting out.
Only starting out. The average teacher in this state makes over $45K/year and for only 9.5 months of work. Some make in the 6 digits.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Later Caaz
I got as far as student teaching and I'd had enough.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Teachers are often the target of anger that should be directed at school districts and their bloated bureaucracies. The "administrators" are the ones siphoning off tax dollars that should go to the schools; i.e., computers, books, athletic programs.
IMO, teachers are not "over-paid."
However, I admit that I envy the teachers' schedule, and not just the 2-month summer vacation. They get all national holidays off, which means 3-day weekends galore. They also get a week off at Thanksgiving, another at Christmas/New Years, and another during "spring break."
That' 9.5 month schedule looks more like 8 months when all the R & R gets counted in. So, while teachers' salaries are only fair, their schedules represent a healthy fringe benefit.
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I read a few weeks ago that deep sea drilling in the Gulf of Mexico is costing $70 a barrel. The drilling would stop dead in its tracks if oil went down to $30.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/948325/troubles_run_deep_on_gulf_oil_platfo- rm/index.html
$1 billion plus for a rig (Thunder Horse), pocket change.
Another interesting example is how natural gas drilling dropped this last year in Canada as cost to drill exceeded payback. Eventually the lower drilling rates will lead to higher prices. Since the oil sands depend on natural gas we can expect gasoline prices to rise down the road as oil sand projects become more expensive.
If you're in a job/industry that spends a lot of money on fuel it's time to accept the reality that these high prices are probably here to stay. If that means adding fuel surcharges like the airlines then that's what needs to be done. I sincerely hope the government doesn't step in and start fixing fuel prices like they did in the 70's. Anyone who drove back then remembers what a disaster that was.
Doesn't sound like much to me for Illinois? How does someone live in Chicago for that kind of money?
What teachers make over $100,000? My wife is a retired teacher so I have some knowledge here.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Plus, if you want to get anywhere as a teacher, you have to keep up with your own education, training, etc. While the school system will pick up the tab, and you do benefit from the further education, it's still more time that you have to devote to your job.
My friend has a Master's degree and is working on a PhD, yet he doesn't make as much money as I do, and all I have is a Bachelors.
I'd imagine that there might be some affluent school districts where a few of the teachers who have been there for a really long time might make over $100K per year. But it's certainly not the norm. This is just one of those situations where a few people are highly successful, or lucky, in their career, but then the general public starts to believe that their salary is "the norm" for that field.
Yeah, but one thing that tends to get overlooked is that those teacher pensions, just like those nice federal gov't pensions (which anybody hired after 1984 or so doesn't get anymore), are funded by the workers themselves. It's not just a benefit that the gov't gives them. They have so much taken out of each paycheck, and that funds their pension plans.
I'm combining errands today.
That is very seldom true these days.
As for an annuity that varies from state to state about the retirement system. And it is subsidized out of the teacher's own pay. compared to remuneration for many people in the business world it's completely opposite.
Besides the teacher having no income for 2.5 months or more per year, they have to subsidize their healthcare after they retire. They work at home after the hours they teach. On the other hand those in the business work world come home and go golfing, movies, out to dinner, etc., etc.
On top of that the NCLB types and state government bureaucrats are using the teachers as the whipping dogs for kids' failures these days. And teachers have to put up with every parent and exparent knowing how to do their job better.
You should have heard my wife blow up at business people over errors in their business or methods after listening to business folks tell education how things should be run 'like a business" in the education world. Even worse were the parents telling how it should be done, or if they had a community school "degree" or a Bachelors Degree, then they knew everything about how education 28 kids at a time should happen. The distaff side retired at 30 years and now tutors for a high fee for those parents who realize that teachers are worth being paid well.
That money helps pay the $4 per gallon gas prices. Soap box put away.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The price jumped to $3.25 and now back to $3.21 in immediate area. Price games for another travel weekend? Lots of people leave on Thursday for a long weekend or week off if their job and kids' school allow. We have Marathon manipulating prices not in sync with crude prices.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Good point Lemko. I remember reading an article a few years ago and it stated something like only 1000 members of the Actors Union made over $100k.
Granted I'm sure it's a feast or famine profession. Make a Million one year and zero for the next. But no doubt their are many actors and comics scraping by.
The rest of us work eight hours a day, fifty weeks a year. Annual work hours = 2,000 based on a five day work week.
Teachers claim they have work grading papers and etc after school, however most of the professionals I know often work evenings and some weekends. Note that teachers are not considered to be "Professionals" as they belong to a union and have the power to go on strike. Basically, professionals don't strike.
Many college students flunk out of Engineering, Pre Med, Business, but nobody flunks Education.
After working in the school for 30 years, rising to Principal, the teacher qualifies for retirement drawing 60% of his highest wage over the previous 30 years. Not bad income at age 52.
As many schools serve breakfast and lunch, the teacher can take advantage of the cafeteria prices for two thirds of his meals during his terms.
Teachers also get free parking for their cars and pickups on the school grounds.
The Music teacher tells his private lesson students to bring your instrument, music, and $30 cash. (How much of this income is really reported to the IRS?)
I could continue with other examples, but the bottom line is they get paid very well for the hours they put in the class room.
Exactly - guess my hint this morning wasn't specific enough.
Filled up for $35 @ $3.28 for regular.
Shell, however, is $3.19 and many, many are $3.25 and $3.21.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Probably partly due to lower taxes, more toll roads, and the proximity to the refineries.
Has anyone heard if there are more "drive-offs" occurring at stations; or have more stations gone to Prepay?
I did not mean to imply that the auto-related fees I pay cover 100% of the road construction and repair but they certainly do go towards that, at least here in Missouri.
Here's a section taken from the statutes of the Mo Transportation Department:
226.200. 1. There is hereby created a "State Highways and Transportation Department Fund" into which shall be paid or transferred all state revenue derived from highway users as an incident to their use or right to use the highways of the state, including all state license fees and taxes upon motor vehicles, trailers, and motor vehicle fuels, and upon, with respect to, or on the privilege of the manufacture, receipt, storage, distribution, sale or use thereof (excepting the sales tax on motor vehicles and trailers, and all property taxes), and all other revenue received or held for expenditure by or under the department of transportation or the state highways and transportation commission
CROSS REFERENCES:
Drivers license fees to be credited to highway department fund, RSMo 302.228
Motor vehicle commission fund, certain licensing fees to be paid into fund, RSMo 301.560
I subsidize road maintenance and repair, even if I park my cars all year and ride my bicycle exclusively. Heck, I even subsidize road maintenance and repair in PA through the federal taxes I pay on gas here in MO - roads I seldom, if ever, use.
BTW, I have PEDALED on some PA roads but have never driven on them. Very hilly around State College, as I recall.
On a different note, gas prices jumped from $2.99 to $3.19 here yesterday. One station still had it at the $2.99 price. Guess which one had a line of cars waiting to fill up? I gave the ones that had raised their prices a thumbs up as I pedaled past. Other hand gestures would have been inappropriate in public.
Also since this is a Transportation fund, that infers to me that buses, trains, bike-paths and such would also get funding from motorists; not just the money going to roads and bridges.
Seeing that most people use roads and bridges on a percentage and on a usage basis, that is where most of the Transportation fund money should go. If a lot of people (similar to how many people drive cars) were using bike paths, and using them everyday then the money should go to bike paths.
If you don't want to contribute to the Transportation fund, then get rid of the license and registration, and just ride your bike. You'll then pay absolutely nothing towards the roads, bridges, or bike-paths that you use.
I could probably say the same thing for drivers who complain that they are funding bike paths and other transportation costs that they will never use. Get rid of the car, truck, etc., and no more gas to buy or motor vehicle related taxes to pay.
The door swings both ways.
Not hard to do if you don't live in high priced areas like the gold coast.
What teachers make over $100,000? My wife is a retired teacher so I have some knowledge here.
Teachers salaries are public information and there is a website that lists every teachers salary in IL. There were several on that site. Its been some time since I have been there but I can see if I can find it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
man I love it when teachers start talking about all the extra work they put in, All I can say is welcome to the real world. Many people put in more hours than 9-5. You should see all the 12-14 hour days I have put in.
Plus, if you want to get anywhere as a teacher, you have to keep up with your own education, training, etc. While the school system will pick up the tab, and you do benefit from the further education, it's still more time that you have to devote to your job.
And they are not the only ones that have to do that, I have a professional designation and working towards a second, that requires continuing education to maintain licenses.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Yeah but thats after we do our 70 hour weeks.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
300 bucks a gallon and I thought we had it bad :P
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
While I can't speak for you I come close to 3000 hours a year. FWIW so far this year I am close to 800 hours.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Most likely yes. But here is the dirty little accounting secret: When you restrict funds like that you really free up discretionary funds to be diverted.
As an example, say out of the General fund $50,000,000 is going to road maintence and they institute a tax strictly for road maintence and it raises $20,000,000 road maintence will still only get $50,000,000. Its just that $20,000.000 less will come from the General fund.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Bueller?
Anyone?
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Tell that to my brother's friend from high school. He managed to flunk Education when he was in college and now works in a warehouse.
Probably still complaining about it, like we did when it exceeded $3.00 per gallon and $2.00 per gallon. And going off on tangents about teaching versus other careers, tractor trailers versus railroads, etc. :P
Last time I filled up was a week ago, for $3.259 (87). I noticed today that it's still holding at that price, so maybe we're getting a little breather. I've also only put 72 miles on the car since I filled up, so hopefully it'll be awhile before I need to fuel up again.
Not directly it doesn't. People who own cars pay taxes and fees to support transportation. If all you own is a bike you don't pay taxes and fees into the Transportation fund.
People like their vehicles and are willing to pay for the roads and bridges. They don't want to have that money go to pay for jogging trails, bike-paths, tennis courts, or swimming pools. The users of those services should pay for those services. So if you want bike paths and they cost $2M, then the bike-riders in that area should divvy up the bill and pay for it. Similarly if you ride the train, subway or bus, the fairs should be high enough to pay for those services. No subsidies either way. Pay your way.
Terrorists bombed the oil pipeline in Basra today. Oil prices are approaching $110/bbl again, after dropping below $100 last week. Wholesale gasoline is selling at an all-time high.
Next come more "problems" and "threats" in Nigeria ..... then Chavez will make some statement that sends "jitters" through the oil market ..... then the networks will do stories on the long-term effects of Hurricane Katrina, and remind everyone that we're just a few months away from this year's hurricane season.
Do I have the script right? Or do the hurricane reports come before Chavez?
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There will NEVER be a time when the number of bike riders who do not own a car is high enough to impact road tax collections.
There will ALWAYS be exponentially more car owners/drivers than people who ONLY own a bike.
It's not a problem, nor is it an issue.
I do wish the number of bike riders/car disowners would increase though.
And, I don't mind the trail being there. I get use out of it. I walk it sometimes, ride my bike on it, walk the dog. And since it's considered a recreational facility, I'm sure it helps boost property values a bit.
There are some other bike trails near me that were paid for directly by the housing developments that went in at the same time.
Personally I'd be all for bike trails, if they really would encourage more people to use them for commuting, which would help get some cars off the road. However, the trails that are around here are designed more for recreation than commuting. Unless your commute is from the county line to Glenn Dale Hospital, but that's been shut down since 1980, and if the cops catch you trespassing around there it's a misdemeanor and a 50 buck fine.
The last city I lived in went big on bike paths back in the late 80's Lots of people complained about wasting tax dollars on them, especially the "good old boys" contingent.
Then after a less than a year after a few miles went in, you'd started seeing mea culpa letters to the editor from these same guys - turns out they were all of heart attack age and learned it was a lot more pleasant to get their doctor mandated walks in on a bike path instead of alongside a busy road or inside a boring mall. :P
But I do realize that as a bike-rider I'm not paying anything towards the road having been built or maintained. I also realize that the road is laid out for cars and other motorized vehicles, and that is what pays for the roads.
As a bike rider, I take the approach that I am a second-class citizen when on the road, and for safety and courtesy reasons of keeping traffic flowing, I yield the right of way. In fact if there is a sidewalk, I ride on the sidewalk instead of riding on the shoulder of the road.
As far as bike paths, they never start where I do, and never go where I want them to. I tried one once, and for the few people that use it - I saw more joggers and dog-walkers, then bikers, I feel it is a waste of money.