Bailing on CDL for now!

There are just too many unknowns for me to go ahead for the time being. I've been thinking about trucking for a while, but didn't do a lot of research on the job market ahead of time. Right now, I don't see any good opportunities around here for a new grad.

I don't know whether things will pick up in the spring, what kind of jobs may be available, and what experience will be required to get them. The overall economic picture is still grim too, with foreclosures picking up again, housing prices dropping and "stimulus" money running out. I've heard a lot of advice here that trucking is tough during the best of times, and that right now isn't a real good time for a newbie to start out.

I'm lucky as far as having some time to see how things develop. I'm going to keep an eye on the job market for a while, and if things look better in spring or summer, I can get into school (local CC) pretty quickly. I think they run courses fall and spring semesters, and once during the summer.

The one big wild card is shale gas development; we're sitting on a big basin, and there's been some exploratory work done, but they haven't started production yet. If gas drilling starts, I expect there'll be some trucking jobs, or I may go find a job standing on a shovel somewhere.

Thanks again for all the good postings; I believe the things I've learned here have prevented me from jumping in and making some big mistakes.

I'll be lurking, not posting much if at all, as I don't have any tales to tell. If something shakes loose, I'll post it up.

 

Never took one in my life. I've always believed in trying to stay one step ahead, to avoid the kinds of tales of misery that are all over this board. Try to keep in mind, there are a few of us that may take a look a trucking as something other than a last resort.

 

Yeah, you know I hear the part about the "trucking lifestyle", and it sounds adventurous and all that...but what I've got from reading all of this stuff here is that these days it's a business first and foremost, and in a lot of cases, just another big corporate business where the drivers are a commodity to be squeezed for the benefit of management and shareholders.

 

That seems to be an issue, as it is with a lot of careers...you need experience, and opportunities to get it are limited, especially in a stagnant economy. I need to keep an eye on the local job market for a while to see what might be available.