Job Hopping

There is no question that the trucking industry is a very volatile one with an obscene turnover rate. Much of the turnover rate is the blame of the companies themselves for the way they treat their drivers especially the mega carriers. They may claim to be driver focused but that is just a saying to them and not a reality.

That being said, there comes a time when the driver is the problem.

I have only been driving for 15 years but during that time I have become acquainted with drivers who change jobs annually. One driver in particular I have known for 7 years yet in that time he has changed jobs 8 times.
Often times returning to companies he has quit several times before.

At some point you need to look in the mirror and consider that you may be the problem.

There is good reason to stick with a decent company. Admittedly there are no perfect companies as there are no perfect drivers.
You need to consider the benefits of buckling down and staying put. Most companies offer annual raises if not more often than that. There are increased vacation benefits , retirement plans and health care benefits to consider.

When you change companies you are starting at the bottom. You may consider yourself an experienced professional but to the new company you are just another warm body until you prove yourself over time.

You are probably going to be given worn out equipment to start because the tenured drivers are going to get the better stuff as it should be.

The tenured drivers are going to get the better freight. When companies see you as a job hopper they may hire you knowing you won't last long but if they can get 6 months out of you that's ok with them.

 

This is true to a point when it comes to mega carriers and unfortunately it is the newbies who fall victim to this the most and are driven away from the industry as a result.

Once you get a couple of years under your belt you should know who to stay away from and investigate a company in advance to find what you are looking for.

If however you are an experienced driver and still find yourself constantly changing jobs and claiming to be the victim i believe you are not being honest with yourself and more than likely should seriously consider a career change. Trucking ain't for you...

 

I expected to get several responses from disgruntled drivers.. although, I've never met a gruntled driver...
Please don't miss the point...
If in fact you are one of those who change jobs like underwear because the company doesn't care about you then perhaps you need to do more diligence when selecting a company. You may say that recruiters lie to you but you shouldn't be relying on recruiters for your information.

Take the time to identify the company that drivers are satisfied with and understand you need to fit them.
If hometime is important then find a company close to home.
I for one am never going to work for another company where I cannot drive my pickup to work in a reasonable distance.
I know what i want and i have what i want. It's not perfect but i am happy.

Ultimately find what makes you happy and stick with it... If you're happy where you are then don't chase after a penny or two somewhere else.