new driver turnover rate

I just want to get back in, I made the mistake of taking the wrong route VAIL CO. my experience said bad move I jackknifed on mm186 7% down grade. But you know what, I still dream of truck driving and it's not about the pay!!!! I didn't quit, I was fired and yes it was my fault for not having the experience. I do want to take another course before I go back about how to control the trailer if it starts go back and forth real fast. Any suggestions from the all knowing I am double wide open. Thank you in advance.

 

how long ago was that?

 

Regarding the 97% turnover... Did you know that over 92.7% of quoted statistics are "made up on the spot"?
A lot of the "turnover" isn't leaving the profession, just changing employers. As a newbie graduates from being "The employee of last resort" to "The employee of choice" (trained, experienced, reliable, etc) he/she graduates from working for "The employer of last resort," to "The employer of choice" (Good pay, good equipment, good loads, good benefits, good home time,.....)
Seriously, the impression most newbies have of trucking is their observation on the interstate... "Gee, look at that shiny truck, and he's making a ton of money just riding along and looking at the scenery..." Fact is, driving in good weather on the interstate is probably the easiest part of trucking, and NOT the cause of turnover. So when the newbie discovers the rest of the job.. including waiting a day or so with no pay waiting for a load, waiting out the weather for no pay, taking a reset so he/she can drive again, yada, yada, yada, they decide to go for lesser paying and easier work.

Professional driving is just like any other skilled profession. You have to have training in class, training "on the job" and you have to pay your dues with your first year or two of "internship." And just like any other skilled profession, the real payoff doesn't come in year one, or two... it comes after, when you become that "employee of choice" and work for the "employer of choice."

 

It's a tough lifestyle for your average person, even if they enjoy driving and not being tied down to one spot. "Tough life" jobs like that always have high burnout rates. I'm sure it's not much different for industries like Alaskan fishing or oil field working. Sure, jobs like these pay decent and seem tolerable, at least for awhile. Then it's fresh faces as the more experienced guys move on to cushier gigs. Same reason few military servicemen stick around past their 4 years. The lifestyle wears on you like a regular 9-5 gig won't.

 

If you honestly think that most of the turnover is NOT from leaving the industry,

then just where are all these new driving jobs coming from ??

Driving jobs have disappeared the last few years, I believe 2011 is the first year in 3

years that these jobs have increased......

 

I retired during 2001 at age 48. I thought retirement would be great unfortunately, I was bored out of my mind after two years. Remember, everyday is Saturday when your retire. I have taken part-time jobs mostly seasonal because where I live most jobs are in the tourism industry and last from April - September, unless a hurricane destroys the town or an oil slick washes ashore and takes a year to clean the beaches.

When I was in the military everyone's favorite past-time was beaching how their recruiter lied to them, f-this and f-that. If you can't hack it get out. So many people let "others" dictate how they feel about a job and follow 'em to the bitter end.

While I have never rolled a mile in your shoes you probably never worked at a convenience store for $8.25 an hour and the only benefit is all free Slurpee you can drink.

I'll trade your professional window to the world over mine any day. Oh and talk about turnover rate, I've had four managers in less than a year.

 

I have to say the long hours and being away from home are 2 of the biggest reason why so many quit before a year.

 

I left after 11 months. I went to driving school and got a pre-hire and went to a big "starter company" The pay , miles , and home time sucked. I quit and went home to do what I did before driving. I realized really quick why I had left in the first place and decided to give it another go. So the second time back was much better and had I not had some things changing at home at the time I may very well have stayed in this whole time. But I didn't. I got an offer to do what I did before trucking again. Stupid ! Stupid! I think it kinda gets in your blood, I have found myself missing it for a while. Being away from home can be tough, and pay being poor is even tougher. But if you really want to do it, you know it and you'll probably find a way to do it. I have learned that you make compromises until such time as you don't have to anymore (im not to that point yet myself).

 

20. no money left after making lease payment

 

All of that translates into "I just signed an airtight contract with ABC are they any good?" No research leads to bad results. The idea that all trucking companies are alike, is used to justify the lack of research. Other than the "I just sold my soul to the devil, did I get a good deal?" question from the newbies they usually post "I've been searching this message board but can't find an answer, is Swift a good company to work for?"

You don't make a decision until you have sufficient information. If that means you have to do more work, do more work. If it means you have to wait to decide, wait to decide. The one thing you can't do in trucking is hurry up and expect a good outcome, trucks don't "hurry up" very well.