tough industry times

Drivers have been ragging on Swift, JB Hunt and a couple of others for many years. One reason is the slow trucks. But, some people just like to have something to talk about. I have never seen a good reason to pick on them. They do offer inexperienced drivers an opportunity to learn this business and to get started. Everyone needs to start somewhere. There was a time when new drivers could ride along with a friend or owner operator and learn how to drive. Some were just handed the keys and bills and told to deliver the load. They learned how to shift gears and drive the truck on the way. It was a different time. Smaller carriers cannot usually afford to pay the premiums to hire inexperienced drivers. So, it is up to those wanting to enter this business to find another way to gain experience. Most go with one of the major training carriers, some of which were mentioned.

 

"Loyalty went out with the Obama administration?"

I didn't vote for Obama. I think he's been one of the most ineffectual Presidents in U. S. history but I'm wondering how his administration is responsible for "no loyalty in this game".

 

I think the two biggest reasons drivers rag on training companies are as follows;
1. They undercut quality trucking company freight prices. They do this by paying new drivers on a very low pay scale. They will lose money on a load just to reposition a truck. Something an O/O or smaller company cannot afford to do very often.
2. In order to make their cheap freight/cheap labor practices work, they put new drivers on their own before they are ready. And many of them allow these new drivers to be trainers themselves with only 6 months experience. They do this because their very high driver turnover rate means they need lots of trainers.

Now, let me be honest, I too started with one of the low end training companies. I was even a trainer for them after 18 mos. solo. But I have done a lot of reading, and a lot of research on this industry over time. And in my own opinion I have come to despise the lower end, mega training companies. Why? Because drivers are people, but to them drivers are as disposable as a paper plate.

That's just my opinion. There are more experienced, and more qualified people on here than I, who might have a more detailed explanation.

 

It is hard to get on your feet if you start off on your knees.

 

Why did you blame Obama?? Simply because you DO NOT like him??

What did he do PERSONALLY to the trucking industry, that has been messed up for dozens of years??

Who's to blame here??

Look in a mirror, for starters. In fact, we should ALL look into a mirror, as the problems start from with-in, as we ALLOWED things to snowball the way they did, and NOT VOTE OUT politicians that made changes to an industry they KNEW NOTHING about.

Loyalty has LONG since been gone, the first time YOU did something at your job, and your "trusted co-worker" ratted on you, in effect, stabbing you in the back, just so that he would look good at being a brown-noser.

Loyalty has LONG since been gone, when the various industry CEO's, decided to move out of this country but made ###### well sure they got (and still get) their multi-million dollar bonuses while the average worker lost his job and went on welfare, (or became a truck driver).

and you blame the president for loyalty issues in trucking??