With Unemployment up will the Trucking Industry be flooded?

I, for one, am a recent driving school graduate. A mixed breed between those displaced from the work force unexpectedly, and those who have always had a hankering for the road. You could say it was opportunistic of me; I took a bad situation and used it to gain favor with my family in going for this career. Sure, it's not been a cakewalk making the transition. Nor will it be easy for my children or my wife. Add the financial commitment of paying for school along with all the normal expenses of life and from an outsider's point of view it would appear that I've cornered myself into having to make this work. That's not how I look at it, however. Eye of the beholder I guess. I do work for one of the above-mentioned companies receiving government subsidy to train new drivers. I benefited from that "training". Looking back, the training period was really me showing them that I'm not an idiot. Job qualification #1 really. I feel my compensation is fair for an entry-level driver and many aspects of it are affected by my decisions and my performance which is the way I like it.

Looking back on truck driving school, I was initially shocked at the variety of souls who paid to plant themselves in a parking lot in order to unlearn their driving habits. I venture to say that natural selection WILL have its way with most of them. As the saying goes, some people just aren't cut out for this.

That said, successful companies realize they cannot afford to employ ignorant individuals at any level. There are mechanisms in place to weed out the paycheck seekers and lackeys who couldn't cut it even in "show up and breathe" lines of work. We all know this. The reality, however, is it sometimes boils down to things like someone's luck running out and there being an accident. Little can be done when there are such lenient hiring policies at these training companies.

Looking down the road (pun?), I have come to believe the ones who feel they belong out here and the ones who find a way to love the lifestyle in spite of its challenges are the ones who will stay with it. For those diligent and fortunate enough to accumulate substantial time and miles without incident, there will be a well-compensated position that carries respect at most any company they choose to apply.

Rookie's perspective.

 

It is a violation of FEDERAL Laws to displace workers with "Displaced" workers. So, I see no real threat to currently employed CDL holders by "trainees".

 

I do. The Company I hire requires a MINIMUM of 5 years accident free, because of our "customers".
So, I don't see any problem in the future from "job-jumpers" or newbies.

 

I seldom "sit around somewhere" waiting for a load. If I do, it is because a customer changed a load, and I get paid $180 per day plus a motel (if I wish).
I run between 3k and 4.2k miles a week consistent.

 

I've been to collage, med asst. The jobs in the field are there but like many the pay isn't. I have a mortgage, car payment, wife and three kids. I have chosen trucking for the simple fact I lived with it growing up. My dad drove for Ford Auto Comp. in Louisville KY to car dealers everywhere.
My family knows I won't be around but a couple of days a month. So why do it-- Wife is 5 miles from her family, kids don't see me working 16 hrs a day now at the Med Ctr, pay will be better if I get 500 dollars a week, and someday retire letting my boys take over my truck.
We have been planning this way before the economy went into trash. Not all "newbies/rookies" are straight from the burbs. So there you have it. I may be new to the road but not of the life.

 

I'm sorry roadkill, I am a little lost to your response..........

 

Unfortunately , many successful companies pay wages and have working conditions that are acceptable to only ignorant individuals . When a company with a billion dollars a year in revenue knows they can force drivers to violate HOS (and only ignorant individuals allow themselves to be forced ) and all the FMCSA will do is fine them less than $10,000 if the falsification is discovered in an audit , the abuse will continue .
The December 2006 audit of U.S. Xpress is an example of the above . $7,500 fine for log book falsification . Management at smaller companies have been incarcerated for similar charges . It ain't gonna happen at larger ATA companies .