What companies are actully hiring trainees durin economic crisis?

I have to say "scooterdawg", that was very well put.
I don't think "backissore" meant to be so harsh but then again, I don't know for sure.
I started my driving carreer in April of 2008, have been driving since May 9th and have never looked back. I love driving truck, am 40yrs of age and wish I would have started earlier. A friend of mine told me that I was born for this life. My father drove for 35 plus years and I vowed as a youngester that I would never do it but, here I am. I see a lot of drivers that should not be on the road, young and old, new and experienced a like. It is drivers like "backissore" that forget that they were new once too that get to me. They think because they have a few years under their belt that they know it all. It is that mentality that will get them into trouble one day. I know drivers who have been driving for 30 or more years that will tell you, if you quit learning, your done.
I just wanted to thank you for being passionet about what you about to be doing.

p.s. excuse my spelling, I am too lazy to check it....

 

Thank you Gypsy.... maybe we just caught him on a bad day. Who knows.....

I hope I never stop learning..... makes for a boring day )

No biggie on the spelling...... I knew what you meant! ehehehehe

 

I was just at Swift/Syracuse Yard. Seems only 9 of us at Orientation, experienced but needing refresher course. THe Work Well part of the physical is a drag, and I thonk it is a bit outrageous. Seems to be yet another way to weed out those who are not good enough. I didn't make the cut, even though I did what was asked, I didn't do it in "the Swift" way!

I am looking at Western. Hoping to get news today. I can't deal with sitting much longer.

I know this is probably old news, but back in the 90's when we had another glut of students, Companies just figured we were a dime a dozen, if you weren't happy warming the seat, someone else could, and it seems I am seeing it again by what is being said in here!

I noticed in the fall there were several Trucking Schools, advertising every 5 minutes on TV for more students, "see the sights, travel...all the same crap they threw out at newbies the last time we went through this. Yet, at the timne and being a trainer I noticed that perhaps only 2 in 10 made it, and the rest would give up, because they actually believed that they were tourists.

The other thing eating at me is the attitude we seem to get from newbies, I heard it a lot the first 2 days of Orientation going back to the motel on the bus, "I have a CDL, so I am a Trucker". I don't know. All I can say is that history is again repeating itself, the more newbies, those willing to take the jobs that are out there ( most companies are now looking to go with what is already out there, the 'experienced souls'....Perhaps maybe this is a turn for the better, I don't know.

I talked to SNI about rehire, but they keep saying 60-90 days, and I was reading the Wall Street Journal last week, and noticed they are having a hiring freeze. The recruiter I talked to said that they are looking for tanker operators in LA. I was willing to do it, but then I found out that it is basically a local job, and not much OTR.
Another econnomic factor is the closing of GM plants, and this leaves not only GM employees without jobs, but less freight for the companies to haul to plants, and also less commerce for the GM suppliers, and that hits another artery in the industry. I think that what got me about the GM situation is that we had bailed out those #### banks for millions, and they screwed the government by using it for ######## reasons, and then when it came time to support the Auto Industry, the ignorant people in the US who don't pay attention decided that their taxes were not going to be used in any bailouts. I got heated about that with a friend of mine who could see no useful end to helping out GM. So here we are, I may be minimizing it, but let's face it, GM kept a lot of companies moving, and backhauls were there, now they are less and less. Just my own perspective. I am willing to take whatever I can get a tthis point but it is tough. All I can say is keep flooding the recruiting lines at these companies, and try to bear with the slow times of freight, things will bounce back.

I remember that the first 3 months of the year were never a hustle bustle time for trucking, just after Christmas, no one spending money, funds low, debt high, all the bullcrap. Just keep one foot in every door. I am dealing with 3 applications now. Something I don'tlike to do, as Unisys seems to keep track of every application, I noticed it on my RMV. I kinda have to wonder if it doesn't affect us the way it would if we were applying several times for credit and got refused, it takes points off. Who knows with Unisys. I am just keeping on keeping on.

Good Luck All!

 

Swift? Perhaps someone above was looking out for you and it was for the better nstar. I hope you're able to find something as well. The positive thing I do see are companies going back to finding experienced drivers out all this countrywide mess. Hopefully the doing away with just putting dumb meat-in-the-seat will go away for a while. It's been getting down right nasty out here with untrained steering wheel holders. And for the positions that are looking for newbs, I'm hoping they'll place much more higher standers on them as in background, appearance and learning abilities. For us that have watched the downfall of the industry after growing up around this business, it's been down right depressing to claim you still drive a truck!

 

you have to agree he is pretty ugly

 

backissore, If you feel that depressed about driving trucks or the conditions of the industry, maybe it's time to get out of it. I drive a truck not because I have to, but because I want to. I can quit my job today and have another job within a week, not because I am special, but because I am motivated. Also, I would caution you about condemning all the rookies in our industry. We all were there once and even some of us that have been in this industry awhile are not good drivers. I have had more problems on the road with vets than I have had with rookies. A good driver is a good driver; no matter how long or short he has been doing it. My advice to you is to get out if you don't like where you work or who you work with. We have a lot of problems in this industry but complaining about rookies is nothing new; it is just the easiest thing to do.

 

I talked to Celadon yesterday, they are even hiring students from FLORIDA!

 

Say what you want ronnie, but after two rookies backing into my truck at docks within a year I still say they're far worse than a lot of vets. Most of the vets that continue driving with rookie skills are weeded out within a few years.

There needs to be less rookies in the industry. If trucking co's would offer a decent paying wage for the conditions you'd have more vets sticking around instead of relying on schools for warm bodies. But it continues to be a revolving door with the crappy pay and terrible OTR conditions.

 

Hey there BackIsSore -

You know what? I had actually typed a fairly lengthy reply to your previous post, but I don't think it would make any difference to you. But I am not going to sit back and let you continue to "bash the newbies" without having my say. You have your opinion, I have mine. So you are getting the shortened version....

There is no way that you can or should even categorize the skills of every new driver based on two rookies backing into your truck at a dock. And you might want to take a moment to realize that even the most seasoned drivers have accidents too. Before you decide you want to debate this with me, you may want to take advantage of information on the internet and see for yourself.

I think MY biggest problem is that you are complaining about something I am doing now that YOU did 5 years ago (and I would bet you were making less than the "vets" were). It was ok for you to do it, but it's not ok for me? Nope, I don't buy it.

Some companies are hiring students specifically to have drivers that they can pay less than the veteran drivers. No doubt... and I won't argue that. And I think that is wrong to do to the drivers that have been working there. For that reason specifically, there are certain companies that I will not work for. And I have actually retracted a couple applications when I realized a company was doing just that!

But in case you weren't looking, there are a lot of veteran drivers that are quitting their jobs because they are either not getting the miles, or not getting the loads they have been accustomed to. And a good portion of that is because of the economy, not because of the new drivers wanting to get out there. But guess what, if the company doesn't hire SOMEONE, they will lose their contracts and eventually close their doors. Then the remaining veteran drivers are out of work too.

For the record, I accepted an offer today to go to work for a company that is growing, not one that is trying to screw the vets. And for the record, I am not STUPID enough to go to work for one of those companies that will screw me in a few years. Why set myself up for the same problem a few years down the road? And why would I want to take personal advantage of a process that benefits me at the sake of another person's downfall? That's not how I play.... That coupled with the FACT that I CAN SAFELY drive a truck, back a truck, and travel on the roads with my fellow motorist in mind should illustrate to you WHY I take offense to your post.

It is happening, and 5 years from now, it is still going to be happening. Roll with the punches Bud. It's the nature of the business and will continue to be.

 

Yeah - What he said!!!
Keep it commin scooterdawg!!!