Is it a bad time?

Darn straight about the aviation industry...

Pilots don't get paid jack...especially the younger ones starting out...trying to get hours through flight instructing and then sitting in the right seat of a regional jet...

And it's not just the pay that sucks...but you have to find a way to finance your flight training costs. That is expensive...

Good luck, TruckerGrant.

I've still got a while before I am even eligible to try for a trucking job...so I'll see how the industry and the overall economy looks in a while...got to finish college first, anyway...

 

thats the great thing about america everybody can give their opinion right or wrong or misinformed. Pick up a copy of trucking 2000 there are over 80 companies looking for drivers, employers are looking for drivers. all other job boards people are looking for drivers, sunday paper same thing. So the people who think I drank the kool-aid they should look at the mirrior. Who is drinking what, some people just are not happy unless the can complain about something. Instead of looking at the facts of all of these companies looking for drivers. or they maybe the ones who get their loads late and screw off and their fleet manager has cut their miles. So decide who is right or wrong cause i have better things to do with my time then to waste it on the misinformed ones here.so to the people who are ######## foad and to those who want to drive and have a stable job go for it, how do you know unless you try peace out

 

well I thought people had wised up with what is going on in this industry but as I can see there a few left that choose to believe the obvious!

 

Ok, I believe that I will decide that you are wrong. The companies that are so heavily advertising for drivers today are trying desperately to keep up with the heavy turnover rate caused by current and past drivers leaving because they are spending too much time sitting and not enough time with the wheels rolling. Much of this industry revolves around transporting consumer goods that are optional for people to purchase. The sad fact right now is that people are not purchasing them at this moment. This leaves a lot of our peers watching the world from a truck stop while waiting on their next load assignment. Not a good thing for anyone wanting to get into trucking for the big bucks right now.

 

That may be true, but with the way the industry is at this point in time with all of the companies that have shut down because of the economy, and all of those available drivers, it tells me that these are 80 companies that I would not choose to drive for.

 

I have been living on this site since I decided to enter the trucking industry. I graduated truck driving school last week and got my CDL as well. I go to an orientation next Thursday.
So, if all of the news is bad, it can't be worse than the 10 per hr bike washing job that lasted 3 months that I was laid off from in Sept. This was my worst year financially in close to 30 years. I wasn't picky in my job search, have skills (oilfield/telecom) and am not afraid of tough conditions, hard work or long hr's.

This has to work for me, I feel like I have the right attitude and am armed with a lot of research, so I have adjusted my expectations accordingly.

 

That's the best way to go into it. You have an idea of what to expect and you have your eyes open.

 

I know for myself, things have been slower than I have ever seen it. owner operators at my company our fighting to get 1900 miles a week, I've talked to other drivers, Canadian and US drivers, who say the same thing, I've even talked to Walmart drivers who said they were slow, because nobody is buying anything, there is nothing to ship. One of our biggest customers has now started shipping their trailers by rail to save money.

It will pick up eventually, but I think it is going to take a long time this time. My company is predicting it will be like this at least until this time next year.

I am looking into putting my truck on at another company, more local, where at least I will be making money instead of losing money, and be home most nights. I need to find out more about it, hope it works out. The only other option is to try and sell my truck, but nobody is buying trucks right now, so I will have to tough it out.

 

I'll be honest here, I don't know what the difference is. Are there any companies that make a distinction. All I see is maintaining a clean driving record.

What is the difference between a steering wheel holder with a 5 year clean driving record and a truck driver?

EDIT: So as to not take this thread off topic, I created a new thread with this issue. Please go here for this discussion.

 

Well lets see first off this is my two cents.doesnt count for spit in the wind in nicer terms.first off i have seen the trucking industry work for some many years as my dad drove for 48 years and died in his truck.it has changed in some for the better and some for the worst.bieng gettin rid of all the cry baby truckers that with every hard time comes a line of #$%*..and every good thing they did it or they are the ones that made it good.well for one we all need to stick together for what? for what we love doing and some for whats in our bloods.we as drivers have let the industry go to hell in a hand basket. sure the economy is screwed atm but from what i can remeber it has been before and the wheels kept turnin on my dads truck.he was a steel hauler flat bed division.i then after my dad past started in his footsteps.and oh what big footsteps they wher.i had just got with this girl we wer ganna make a family and raise some kids with the one she had alrdy..well truckin isnt for the wanna be close to ya girl family man.nor a close to ya man family girl..u will lose time u will lose family and foremost in this industry u will lose money at times..it get hard it gets good.up..down....if u know what ima sayin..now corect me if i am wrong i look on load boards and there are enough loads on one board to keep 1 whole truck stop rollin.there are more than just one load boards.the economy even slow will produce fruit from the vine some years just more fruit than other years.this year is tough but there is a demand for smart safe and well minded drivers that are in it for the long haul..with this being said i am stepping back into the industry and without doubt i will make a livin once again just as my father and so many others dad,grandpa,moms,uncleshave for many years...and sure the public may not be buyin tv,s..games,,cars,,houses...but i know they need toilet paper.toothpast.food..underware.clothes..so as for the trucking industry say what u whant we will be around for a long long time..and for the hand that said railway delivery..bull %^&*..if u think it is cheaper for them to get ther frieght done by railway u need a lesson in how the industry really works......