There may not be a driver shortage per se, but having seen the abysmal decline on the highways out here, I’d say there is a driver shortage of good drivers. Lol
Remember the demand from trucking comes first before anything else once the economy gets going. Companies need product in advance of expected demand. We will likely see this demand increase this spring.
DON'T GO TO CDL SCHOOL ....
Discussion in 'Trucking Schools and CDL Training Forum' started by tscottme, Dec 9, 2024.
Page 3 of 3
-
-
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
-
There are two shortages pertaining to drivers. There is a shortage of drivers willing to put up with the life style for very low pay (Companies viewpoint) and there is a shortage of high paying jobs for quality drivers. The openings for high paying jobs are few and far between, guys don't give them up as often. Guys willing to spend 60+ hours a week, 3 days of hometime a month, for less than $50K/year are rare also. Plenty of people get a cdl hoping to magically get to the good jobs but only find bottom feeders. These are opposite sides of the same coin.
There is also a large number of drivers that find a home with a company that pays them enough and gets them home enough without a lot of drama. This is what the majority of drivers look for and find.201, Gearjammin' Penguin and kylefitzy Thank this. -
Just like anything else in life, buddy. You just gotta want it enough.tscottme Thanks this. -
Talk to any spotter or jostler at any local manufacturer or distributor and ask them the amount of American to foreign drivers they see.
The numbers are astonishing.
Who could afford to have a place called home @ .60 cpm or less. -
-
Good advice right there! Getting your first CDL job can be a challenge if your record isn’t spotless, especially during the slower months from Thanksgiving to Easter. If you’ve got a minor ding on your MVR or a gap in work history, it might take a little longer, but don’t give up—you’ll find your seat eventually
And here’s a golden nugget don’t pay for CDL school unless a company has already said they’ll hire you. It’ll save you a lot of headaches later. Keep at it, and you’ll be rolling down the road in no time!!!!!!!tscottme Thanks this. -
I hear a lot of posters saying don't get a CDL without a job lined up.
I'll disagree.
Life is full of risky opportunities, where common sense, ability, and a willingness to work hard, can bring about tremendous change in a person's situation.
Yes, while certain conditions (Bad MVR, Felonies, etc.) can severely limit opportunities, there are still some out there. I know of a number of people who got their start fresh from CDL school. in food service delivery. Don't just look at the big boys (US Foods, Sysco) but check out some smaller outfits, sometimes the work isn't so intense. Around here there's Farner-Bokken, Amcon, and St. Joe's. There are many produce places also. The pay may be a bit lower, but it's an opportunity to pay your bills while getting some needed experience to show future employers. Another place to look is the construction sector. When spring comes, anybody with a CDL can find a job. Just don't expect good money or a job after November. But 6-7 months experience can only help. Temp employment places often have temp-to-hire positions. I'd check there too.Slippy, Chinatown and Friedchicken667 Thank this. -
Nobody is advocating doing away with common sense, ability, and a willingness to work hard and replacing it with just finding a job before going to CDL school. Common sense, ability, and a willingness to work hard are required whatever you do, but when you do it have a specific destination in mind so you get AT LEAST what you want and expect out of the effort and the time.
My advice is to get people out of the "just do something now and hope for the best" model that produced a LOT of people going to college and wasting time and borrowing a LOT OF MONEY for a degree they didn't finish or a degree that was useless even if they had finished it.
Having been on this forum for years and the predecessor for a lot longer, I see people make the same mistakes over and over, claim the same excuses over and over, and get bad results over and over. I had help from a veteran truck driver and it allowed me to walk through a career in trucking with a lot fewer problems than all of the people posting the common questions over and over.
Trucking is the one field I've ever worked in where following the path that works every time is just one of the random choices that might be considered if you have nothing better to think about. In a different field, they practically don't get out of bed unless they have a proven plan that's been used by hundreds of others. They also have a much different safety record and tiny turnover rate.
People get desperate, for whatever reason, make a rash decision, justify taking big risks with little or no research and then discount following a plan. Imagine waking up as a truck driver and just start driving any old direction and only later, if you have to, checking to see if you are going in the right direction, or maybe even looking to see what direction you should go? That is what most newbies are doing when they think about starting in trucking. I'm suggesting you decide your destination first, then find or follow the route that gets you to the destination with the least trouble.Last edited: Dec 29, 2024
Slippy and Gearjammin' Penguin Thank this.
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
Page 3 of 3