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Nov 4, 2008

A Life of Sacrifice * USA - Log Truckers Struggle to Make Ends Meet With Rising Costs of Fuel and Equipment

An August 2008 study conducted by the University of Washington and Washington State University listed the average log trucker’s net income in 2006 at about $33,000 working 69 hours a week

Lewis County,WASH,USA -The Chronicle (Centralia,WA), by Marqise Allen -November 3, 2008: -- Scott Jerles is a 45-year-old independent log trucker... He crawls out of bed at 3 a.m., throws on his faded jeans, brown work boots, shirt and flannel jacket before putting on his maroon baseball cap... He walks outside, feeds his dogs and then gets into his 13-ton log truck... Jerles will now be in the truck for the next 13 hours. He does this Monday through Friday, rain or snow, in sickness or in health. He’s missed volleyball, softball and basketball games trying to provide for the family he rarely sees... “My oldest daughter basically grew up without a dad,” said Jerles, who lives in Raymond. “I worked away from home and only saw her on the weekends.”... But even on the weekends he could be found out in his shop maintaining his $130,000 investment... The highlight of his three daughters’ summer vacations growing up was traveling to Oregon on a Friday to pick up parts for his truck, spending one night in a motel with a swimming pool and then returning home on Saturday... “If you’re gonna make it in the trucking industry,” Jerles said. “You’re going to have to make sacrifices.”... These sacrifices are made to make ends meet. An August 2008 study conducted by the University of Washington and Washington State University listed the average log trucker’s net income in 2006 at about $33,000 working 69 hours a week. Most truckers didn’t receive overtime, putting their wages just above minimum wage... Life can be difficult making slightly more than minimum wage with a mortgage and car payment alone. Unfortunately, health insurance is added to the long list of sacrifices... (Photo by Holly Pederson - Scott Jerles, an independent log trucker from Raymond, loads his trailer during a stop at Northwest Hardwoods in Centralia last week. Jerles is one of the many log truckers who are finding it difficult to stay in business with their current wages)

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