"Long-haul trucks have been described as sweatshops on wheels. The typical long-haul trucker works the equivalent of two full-time jobs, often for little more than minimum wage. But it wasn’t always this way. Trucking used to be one of the best working-class jobs in the United States. The Big Rig explains how this massive degradation in the quality of work has occurred, and how companies achieve a compliant and dedicated workforce despite it. Drawing on more than 100 in-depth interviews and years of extensive observation, including six months training and working as a long-haul trucker, Viscelli explains in detail how labor is recruited, trained, and used in the industry. He then shows how inexperienced workers are convinced to lease a truck and to work as independent contractors. He explains how deregulation and collective action by employers transformed trucking’s labor markets--once dominated by the largest and most powerful union in US history--into an important example of the costs of contemporary labor markets for workers and the general public." --Amazon.com.

Introduction. Where did all these bad jobs come from? -- The CDL mill: training the professional steering wheel holder -- Cheap freight, cheap drivers: work as a long-haul trucker -- The big rig: running the contractor confidence game -- Working for the truck: the harsh reality of contracting -- Someone to turn to: managing contractors from an arm's length away -- No more Jimmy Hoffas: desperate drivers and divided labor.