Larry was a truck driver who some of our founding team had crossed paths with in the past. He was the kind of person who truly embodied what it means to be a good human.
Unfortunately, Larry‘s wife had cancer, and the outlook wasn’t optimistic. Most people would spend every precious minute with their loved one. Larry did too, but only for a little bit two weeks, because Larry had to continue going out on the road in order to pay for his truck and his wife’s cancer treatments. All while earning $0 - nothing, zilch, ZERO - for 40% of his time. Once it became clear that the end was near, he still only got a few weeks with her since he had to keep driving to make money, all because 40% of truck driver time is wasted.
Most husbands with pregnant wives don't travel for weeks leading up to the birth of their child. Jeff, another driver we knew, was scheduled to be on the road until just before the due date. Taking unpaid leave wasn’t an option; he needed the cash to provide for his family.
Then, Jeff’s son was born early.
Jeff’s carrier told drivers during orientation that if there was an emergency they’d fly the driver home. Not wanting to be seen as an inconvenience, Jeff asked for a load home to California instead of a plane ticket. Rather than getting Jeff back home as soon as possible, he got booked on a load to Maine and didn’t get to meet his son for another two weeks.
The trucking industry is the economic backbone of America. The screen you’re looking at now, the clothes you’re wearing, and your last meal were all on a truck at some point. Yet in trucking, drivers earning $0 for 40% of their time is just a part of life, as are the stories above. Can you imagine the outrage if lawyers, doctors, or software engineers were only paid for 60% of their time? Of course you can’t, because that would be ridiculous.
We also think it’s ridiculous that truck drivers make $0 for 40% of their time. That’s why we’re creating a new future.
Tetro recaptures that 40% for our owner operators, significantly boosting their income while staying close to home. A future with Tetro has memories made, not milestones missed.
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