Tough Times Drive Students to Trade Jobs

Another one that did not do any research before jumping into school. Trucking is definitely NOT recession proof.

 

ain't that the truth

 

Some Firms Cut New-Driver Pay as Freight Demand Stays Low

Some truckload fleets said they are selectively cutting driver pay for the first time in years to counter cost pressures as the recession dries up freight demand.

This title just came out on today's Transport Topics.

I graduated from CDL school in December. I was already to go to Werner but then I started looking at the "student" pay versus what I am currently making. Basically, I would have taken a $300-400 a week paycut to go to a trucking firm.

My present job is stable (for now) but I'm not really ready to take a pay cut to do a career change and then face the possibility that I would not be on their payroll that long.

I am interested in going into trucking as a new career but it looks like right now is not the best time.

 

Sadly trucking may be a pay increase for me. Even with my wife and I both working, I will likely make more money driving truck than I am currently.

 

I'm glad you were able to realize that in time . I hope things stay stable with your present job .

 

I just can't have any sympathy for some of these people . Why don't they use their heads . A furniture company cuts production , then a different manufacturer cuts production , then another . How much sense does it take to figure out what this cut in manufacturing does to the trucking industry ? I would love to see some graduates of trucking schools that can't find jobs come back and tar and feather these reporters and run them out of town on a rail .

 

So so true. I am a self employed building contractor. Hence me name here. My business has dropped quite a bit since the summer. I talked to a few instructors at the local truck driving school here in NW Ohio. They said the trucking industry was strong and jobs plentiful! That was until we were in our 2nd week and it was job fair day and only one truck driving company attended. Guess which one? You guessed it Werner! This guy had a speel that could sell ice to Eskimo's. He had me until the last 5 minutes of his speech when he stated that Werner paid something like $325 a week. Then you had to accumulate 375 hours of driving time. All along, the guy sitting next to me had a buddy from the previous class out with Werner, and he was sitting for long periods of time. He was out a total of 70 days before he acquired his needed hours. $325.00 a week? Are you kidding me? I took CDL school due to the fact that I want to quit construction, sell all my stuff and me and the wife travel the country. She is a 23 year Air Force retired vet and has a nice pension. But what the trucking industry is now, I'm better off staying where I am at now! At least I still can make $325.00 in a couple of days.

 

Consider expediting . There are a lot of husband/wife teams where one spouse is retired and collecting some type of pension . It's the way to see the country . You may wait a day or more between loads but you don't have to be at a truckstop . Shopping centers are much more tolerant of expedite trucks . I know one couple that likes to park in hospital parking lots and eat in the hospital cafeterias . Some campgrounds even accept expedite trucks , especially in the slower seasons .

 

Thanks for the info. Do you have to buy your expediting trucks?