don't become a truck driver

freight is always slow this time of year, we've slowed up a little, but we're going to be running our tails off the middle of january. I can't remember the last time I ran hard in December. there will always be facetsof the industry that do well or better than average during the "lean" times, but they have their down times as well. hang in there . it'll get better!!!!

 

Driver turnover is the lowest it's been in 10 years and many fleets are being reduced in size . YRC is eliminating jobs of over 3,000 drivers and dockworkers . Newbies have many experienced out of work drivers to compete with . http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=73943 . Look for facts , not opinions on the job opportunities .
As for the freight shipped on rails , I agree the railroads don't have the capacity to move much more but watch for increased freight moved on ships or by barge on major waterways . That would be a good career to check out , working on river tugs . I know there is a growing demand for deckhands and good opportunity for advancement to pilot . Many crews work 30 days on / 30 days off .

 

If I could do it all again, I doubt I would have ever stepped into a truck...
It just changes you, your lifestyle, and your way of viewing the world...

 

Hmm, I don't know. I am glad I did follow my dream. It is always there to fall back on. Once you get the hang of it it is a good job. I like it. There are times when it gets old, but it is what I am. I like to be on the move. I like not knowing what the next load will bring. It has been good to me. When I leave a truck I often find myself thinking about driving again. There is something about it that I can not explain. It is a lot better now with cell phones and laptops. I have a lot of friends that I would have never had without a PC. You get a common bond and this site has some good people on it. Helps to bring back the old days of feeling like the brotherhood of driving. I am in phone contact with several people from this site. All I can say about trucking is you like it or you don't. I have seen a lot of people leave (me included) Why do you think we return? There is no other job like it. Once you make the adjustment it is in you. The ones that say they hate it. Why do they return?

 

I am beginning to feel on the outside of the outside looking in.....not getting anywhere in this search.........very discouraged!

 

Don't become a trucker? I don't intend to become 'just' a trucker... I plan on becoming a super-trucker! LOL Sorry folks, I just needed a laugh... even if it was at myself

 

Nobody else is laughing . It's a serious matter . A lot of people are wasting thousands of dollars they can't afford to lose and wasting weeks of their lives in a fruitless pursuit . There are NO good paying job openings for inexperienced drivers in trucking . There may be a few rare exceptions within companies where a good employee working in another position is offered CDL training . Other than that newbies are lambs for the slaughter at companies that need low paid drivers to move freight 1500 miles a week at their cut throat rates . I'm not impressed with dreams or ambitions . Try to go to the schools forums and find members that came back in 6 months bragging about their job . I tried that . Most members posting about going to school are never heard from again after 6 months or less .

 

You will hear from me I promise, already have a diary set from The search after school and the training weeks with trainer Only problem laptop might not be allowed during the x amount of weeks with the trainer.. But I promise to make weekly posts on whats going on kinda like the Crete guy

edit: Could a rookie now make least 25k?

 

You also have to consider this...

Drivers who have been around this industry like myself still have rose colored glasses on...You really do not have anything to compare it with being ''new''.

We do and judging from the ''yester-years'' and now, i have to agree that trucking sucks comparing the two...New people are to late for the ''hey day''

Its a dead end job and i am sorry but i do not consider trucking a carreer.

It seems to me it has become more of a place to make money out of a person in pure desperation...and dyer need.

 

IF you can find a job you might make $25,000 which is less than $500 a week gross. Do you want to be on the road 2 or 3 weeks at a time or more for that money and have to buy food at truckstops and try to do your laundry at truckstops with machines that don't work right half the time ?