US vs Canadian truck drivers

hkloss1:
Hi The Kraut

Interesting post.
How did you you manage to get into the US?
I know there are some foreigners driving there , must from what I gather they mostly are there illegally, having managed to obtain the national security number.

Are you working there as a company driver or and owner operator?

Looks like you are in minority in here in regards to US private health system vs Canadian or UK public health system.
Do you think US private health system works better for you?
What happens when you get some serious health problem, are you still going to be covered, when it comes to some expensive treatments?

Thanks

2009 I went to Canada and started as a truck driver there. My wife was with me in the truck (for 4.5 years) and after our first trips we noticed, that we liked more the US than Canada. We took part in the Diversity Lottery (Green Card Lottery) and after three times I was lucky and a winner.
Had to fill out a lot of paperwork and it took another year till we had an appointment at the American Consulate in Germany.
We got the visa and after returning to Canada we went to the border (at that time we lived 50 miles from Sweetgrass, Montana) and we activated the Green Card. About one month later we moved to the States.

Probably this was the only time that it was an advantage to be born as German :wink:
Unfortunately you Brits can’t take part, same as Canadian and Mexican (not sure but I think if your born in Northern Ireland you can?)

I don’t think that many illegals her have a CDL, lots of Mexicans have a visa or green card or citizenship.

I’m working as a company driver and would never work here as an owner operator, too many risks and I’m too old for that meanwhile :unamused:

The health system works better for me here, I have more options to choose to which doctor I go.
And I think I’m pretty good covered.
Just an example, I had cataracts in both of my eyes, my right I was really bad, a very fast growing cataract. The doctor told me it can change from bad to worse within weeks. He was right. Had my first appointment with him beginning of April, back on the road for about three weeks, end of April my first surgery (I could have had one a week later). Was home for 6 days and back on the road for another three weeks, second surgery end of May. Had another laser treatment (post cataract treatment) in July, had to wait for that about three months that the lens in the eye could settle.
Usually you get appointments for both eyes, one eye and the next one week later. My company worked with me very good and it was my choice to make a three week trip in between the surgeries.
I had one of the best laser surgeons here in the States, the best laser you can get. Unfortunately this special laser isn’t covered by the insurance, not here, not in Germany, not in Canada or elsewhere. Extra cost for me $2000 per eye.
I had to pay my deductible and co-pay, about $1500 + $4000 for the special laser.
Total costs of the surgeries more than $40000.

I had checked how much it would be in Germany, about the same costs as here, and German health insurance covers a lot.

It was worth every cent, from nearly blind on my right eye I just passed the eye test at the DMV in New Mexico for my CDL without glasses (I just moved and needed a new CDL from another State).

If there will be another treatment for anything this year I will be covered by the insurance cause I reached my limit for out of pocket costs.

It always depends on the plan you have with the insurance, low weekly or monthly rate = high deductible, some have to pay $20000 before the insurance pays. Fortunately my company offers this good plan for me and they pay most of the insurance.
For me this is worth more than a few cents per mile more, at one of my last companies I paid about $800 per month for health insurance for me and my wife. So I had to drive nearly 2000 miles more in one month to have the same net pay. And the deductible was higher.

It’s not always the money companies pay what counts, you must see the whole package. Many drivers here just look what a company pays but don’t see the other costs.

I’m just having a bad week with lower miles, had 11.5 hrs waiting time at a shipper (but will get paid detention), will have to go to the shop when I’m back in Omaha NE, a car threw a rock at me and my windshield cracked. Usually I leave Omaha on a Saturday morning with a load for California, good miles in a short time. But got a call from my dispatcher if I can cover a load to Ohio, not my favorite area but no problem for me, I go everywhere if they need me.
But I know there will be better weeks :sunglasses:
We have no forced dispatch, that means if you don’t want to drive to California or North East, they don’t force you to got there. Another point on the list…