Is it just me or did volume drop off recently?

I screwed up and lost my job at a place I’d been at for 12 years. (Also, my health had taken a turn for the worse, so I was dealing with doctors for the past few months.) but I’m getting to the point the bills are coming and I’m looking for another job (possibly driving, possibly not) and it seem (though I could be wrong) all those CDL-A needed signs that seemed to be everywhere have suddenly disappeared.

Could be I’m just not traveling in the same circles I was, but even the paper/want ads look a little light. Less small companies and more “you wanna drive a truck? Come to (state on the other side of the country) and drive an owner fleece for cents per mile, 28 days a month!” When it seems like just in November people were falling over each other just to get you to be a yard switcher.””

Did I miss something? Did freight rates collapse after Black Friday fizzled? Is there a deluge of layoffs? I’ve lost my ear to the ground in the industry and I’m not spending 3 nights a week ease dropping at the fuel desk anymore, so a little info would be great.

(FYI, I picked up a small job making arrangement deliveries just before the holidays and they wanted me to stay through until Valentine’s. I’m making 1/4 what I was making before but it’s time to go back to a real job.)

 

This one looks good, if you're in the hiring area.
Check the pay and accessorial pays.
~
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yes freight rates and volume has shrunk, sure megas our still hiring but you ain't getting many miles. Hard to say why but I would stay out if you can survive

 

The reality is For anyone who has been in this business more than a few years it’s always been dead in the winter time this is really just a return to normal

 

I thought one of the advantages of trucking is that I’d be able to do it into my 70’s, because compared to a lot of jobs I’d had in the past (where they look at how tall I am and hand me a shovel, maybe *I* want the easy office job!) I thought it would be less physical.

But I’ve never been quite right since Covid (or the vax. Take your pick) my vision got worse, my weight shot up and I developed sleep apnea. I was having blackouts behind the wheel and passing out regularly. I knew I was on borrowed time but I’d just gotten a huge raise, and I needed every dime I could sack away.

Well, I got caught and tossed aside, and after 15 years being stuck in the grind I’m not sure I want to go back. I’m scheduled to sit down with a career counselor next week and I’d really like to see what other options are available. Bottom line is I have an income target I need to make. So I’m not gonna take any job just to be working, I have to make at LEAST 80% of what I was making before. So we’ll see how it goes.

 

yes you would think trucking be consistent but with the fighting between chins products and usa products its really put a governor on the industry so to speak. And the ceo and cfo seen us piss bottle human beings making more money then them so they had to put a cap on that ####. I mean sure there maybe some drivers that found a good niche in the industry and our thriving still, but in general there better jobs then trucking. You just need to adjust your lifestyle to your income. If you were one who ate out of truck stops every day just think how much less money you would need right there alone

 

It's usually slow in January and February.
Plus inventory is high.

 

+1
I do automotive expedite and had great year until end. Now i have been having trouble getting out of what was great areas. Still above water but doing it cheaper....

 

Drag around cement powder in bulk locally in New England. Thankfully we have a few precast places that want to restock inventory before the summer.... But yeah, 35hrs a week is about standard.... Not complaining, I don't mind the reprieve, and my company does right in a handful of other ways towards it's drivers.

(Not an O/O. Wouldn't ever be. I have terrible luck playing the lotto.)

 

It has dropped way more then normal for this time of year. A lot of us seen it coming though. Should pick back up in couple months.