I get PM's and questions all the time about how to get on with a Union trucking company. I used to offer the same info and direct people to hiring boards and offices in their area (if there was a terminal near them).

But lately something curious is happening... With the economy down and freight levels low - most companies have not hired many guys to replace the ones who have retired or been fired.

Our numbers are down in most sectors - and that is relative to the economy and is to be expected... But in the past there was a trickle of new hires that freshened up our ranks from time to time.

As of early summer a vacuum has been growing. And this vacuum will explode into a hiring frenzy once the economy upturns.

I am not one who listens to the "world is ending" doomsayers that put guns in their mouths every time we have a recession. I recognize the downturn and the fact that our industry is an accurate thermometer of the economy. I also recognize that our ranks in Union LTL are very weak right now - and putting the two together I forecast a HUGE hiring boom in the next year or so...

Time will tell - and things may change sooner or later but one thing is for sure - if our freight levels were right now where they were 2 years ago - we would need close to 2300 drivers between all Union LTL's...

Right now we are getting by with a skeleton crew - but our infrastructure is growing and with the new biz operations in place this week we should be gaining market share over our competition that operate non Union.


as always I will keep everyone posted - and all we can wait for now is the time following the election...

Funny how an election (regardless of who wins or loses) changes the outlook of our economy...

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TEAMSTERS LOCAL 100

How True !!
In the Union car haul industry things are real crazy right now with the way the economy is, and the auto manufacturers think they won't bounce back til late 2010, we just lost the second largest union car carrier that employed abot 1300 drivers and unfortunately they have all not been able to retain positions with other carriers at the company I work for, we are the largest that employ about 3500 drivers, we have about 30% or so laid off right now. But when things get back to normal you can bet there will be an explosion of union jobs available.

I was not even thinking about your sector - but you are right -

I figure our numbers will dwindle with all of the retirements planned this coming year - and by then we will need at least 50 drivers in Cincinnati alone (at my barn) just to maintain the freight we have "now" with the economy being cruddy.

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TEAMSTERS LOCAL 100