Advice and questions

I don't think now is the time for anyone in a secure job to be making a move.

If jobless though, I would say get your foot in the door if you can. When the economy rebounds trucking will be one of the first industries to feel it.

 

I would agree,I was downsized New Year's Eve and worked behind a desk for the last 26 years, I am getting my cdl back and hope to get a job some day, however I have a lot of old experience, that doesn't count for anything but being a lot more confident in a truck and doesn't help to get a job, I do have friends in the industry and hope that they can help, you either need experience or contacts right now to get a real job, Bottom line, if you are working right now, stay there for at least 6 to 9 months more for the economy to settle down, keep your eyes and options open

 

New drivers get betwen $.26 -$.30 a mile . Just a few minutes ago read a post by a driver with 4 months experience unable to get more than 1700 miles a week . Several others complain they get less than that . Do the math and see how close you come to $35,000 . Then read the threads like "12 years experience and can't get a job " . Over 60,000 jobs have been lost in the trucking industry the first quarter of this year . Industry analysts say there's still 100,000 to many trucks on the road .

 

With everything that was said so far, I'll add this, the trucking industry is killing itself by constantly underbidding each other to keep a truck moving. Finding miles is hard. That's why there are a lot of troubling posts on this forum lately. Once the economy picks up (and we are just beginning to see the first signs) then the miles will start becoming available and the companies can stop under-bidding as they have been.

Currently, shippping rates are at a 5-year low. A lot of companies are dropping their payrates to reflect that. What would be interesting is when the rates go back up, will the companies return their payrates to what they were before the cut?

Anyway, if you get through the door, expect the first 6 to 12 months to be rough. Hopefully, the economy will fully recover by then and the money can start accumulating in the bank accounts once more.

I'd stick to your desk job. Right now, you are better off.

 

I run dedicated runs out of KY and I'm still doing o.k. . Some segments of the industry haven't been hit as hard as others . But drivers like your Dad and I aren't about to give these jobs up so they just aren't available . A really decent job is just about impossible to find .