How many newbies back-out?

Realistically?

Statistically out of all new CDL holders, about 90% will not be employed in te industry one year after obtaining their license.

The average mega carrier has an annual driver turnover rate that sually exceeds 100%

Currently one large carrier where I know some one who is privy to that figure says they are at 60% turnover and, they attribute this high driver retention rate to the current economy.



............ Jim

 

I left this industry about 5 years ago, but recently returned. Unfortunately, I also let my CDL go. I had gotten it back in the 70's when it was a Class 1 chauffer's license and it was a piece of cake to get. I thought if I ever needed it again, it would be a piece of cake.
WRONG!
I ended up having to go to school like everyone else and because I was out of the industry for 5 years, the 20 some years of experience didn't count.
So, like so many others, I became a 'newbie'.
In my orientation class, there were 62 persons on day one. On day four, when officially people were hired, there were 32 left.
I am just finishing training now. I was told only 6 of those 32 (including me) are still around. My trainer said that by the one year point only one will be left. (me?)
there are many reasons people don't make it, but the sad fact is most don't.
From what I've been told in the last several months, only about 2% make it longer than a year.

 

I don't really want to hijack the thread but.....

So we know that most don't make it ----- why?

I think it might be mostly because of the lack of home and personal time. Low wages for new drivers is probably a factor too, but, really how many people can adapt quickly to being away from home for weeks at a time? Comfortably? Especially when they make comparitively low wages meaning, not much to show for the effort involved.

waddaya think?


........ Jim

 

My opinion is the whole recruiting/training procedure.
CDL schools are there to get as many people thru and licensed as possilbe. That's how they make money. Often there is state/federal retraining funds available for each that gets a license.
They do a lousy job of vetting possible candidates. After all, they just need another license so they can be paid.
When I went thru school, three of the 6 in the class were workers comp retraining. Each had a back injury and could not sit longer than 3 hours.
It isn't fair to put them thru this school. They had no idea of what a trucker is required to do, but the school got paid.
The same goes for training companies. they make money when a student passes initial training. Usually state/federal funds again.
They are in the business of training drivers and use freight as a medium to accomplish this. It doesn't matter that the driver will drop out a few weeks down the road. If they 'graduate', then the company gets paid.
I think if prospective students were properly vetted, 90% or more would not get in.
But then the schools and training companies wouldn't be making money (often your tax dollars) would they?

 

Wow...... just, wow.


.......... Jim

 

If they can't sit still for more than 3 hrs how are they gonna drive a truck and make any sort of decent time?

 

Im leaving driving soon. Maybe to a local job, but im thinking about just going back to school for something else. Driving OTR isnt for me.

I was insulted by a $270 paycheck this week. Now, the day after friday, my clutch went out, shop cant get to it til sunday, im going home on wednesday, ...wtf.

So now im pretty much not going to get more than a $100 check this week.

Dont forget the high costs of living out here. I went to a service plaza in NY and they had a pizza hut express..i was gonna get a pepperoni pizza combo which would normally cost $7 or so...they wanted $10. i starved for a few more hours! I mean, i could afford it...but...i'd rather not!!

I was going to quit when i go home and go to transport america but i have half a mind to just go back to school.

 

EXACTLY!!!!!

 

Well her's where we get the disconnect - so we as an industry (corporate and admin types include) know that the turnover rate is ridiculous.

We may have an idea why - let me digress for a moment I'm old enough and been around the industry enough to remember when drivers compalined about the equipment not being "nice enough". So the companies dealt with that problem. Today's equipment is waaayyy nicer than what was a decent OTR rig 30 years ago.... more creature comforts etc....

The turnover rate is high perhaps (most likely) because of time off issues especially relating to pay. Why do the companies not address that, like they did the equipment issue?

One would have to think that it wold help in driver retention no?


Sorry, just thinkin out loud.


............... Jim