my truck stop adventur

I dunno, danc, I think you are more "being realistic" instead of "being negative."

Oh great. Another "bright eyed optimist"!

I believe this industry will continue. It is going through a great change right now. But like many other industries, it will continue to change and to survive.

Come on people, there is nothing out there that will replace the truck. Sure, there is LOTS of competition. And trucking is going to continue to change.

But you will always have to have some way to get freight from one place to the other. Railways, air freight, ships, and pipe lines are competition, but only to a degree. By the nature of their infrastructure, they will never replace the truck.

 

we bring it all for people to use it, and we take it away when the people are done with it! All of it!That my freinds will never change no matter how hard they try.
Now, if you're in it to make dough like the rest of us here you gotta find a niche
spread axle
end dump(kinda)
dubble drop low bed
you get the picture,
you can still make good money out here but you GOTTA FIND THE NICHE

 

The problem is people are using less and there is less to bring . Larger fleets are reducing the size of their fleets and putting more experienced drivers out of work . Less jobs and more experienced drivers competing for them considerably reduces the chance of trucking school graduates finding decent work . Recruiters going to these schools making promises are from carriers with high turnover rates due to low pay and poor working conditions . Experienced drivers have too much self respect to drive for them .

 

good point RickG, Hence the point of finding a niche in the bussiness. Theres a Million guys just like you and I that can "do" the job........holding a steering wheel is easy,a new guy these days has to find a skill that sets him apart from the rest of the labor pool. I work with some of these "new guys" and they dont know how to drive in the rain,they dont know how to drive in the mud, snow, slurry, dont know how to throttle out of a tight spot, dont watch thier mirrors, CANT BACK UP STRAIGHT of all things
.............................i think im going to go hide in my room now

 

Hey...was you watching my last road test?

Blind alley dock...straight in without a hitch.

Straight line backing.... 3 pull ups. My buddy was like WTH was you doin? You had it the first time !

And I was like...didn't look like it to me

 

LOL yeah i remember that test too. Back in those days there wasnt really any schools to go to .....um wait remember debbie dooDsin I think it was trucking school??? lol
back in those days it was OJT !
you went down to DMV, paid the fee, took the test, got your permit, work with an exp. driver who showed you all the tricks come back a month or 2 later and take the drive test DONE! I passed on the 1st shot
hey danc694u, what kind of boat ya got?

 

y'all have good points and it will keep changeing untill they make it harder to get your cdl. now it's a 3 to 6 week school 3 to 9k and you are a truck driver. and to me this is b.s. now look back at some of us that have grew up driving. my first seat was a 2 stick 5&4 manual steering. & brakes mack. hauling cattle out of tx. to co. now that was driving. this new age trucker has no clue what driving is all about.
I remember pulling in to wilwood FL. on fri. and partying with the other drivers till sun.
hell now all that happens is cb ### kicking. everybody against everybody.
trucking has truly changed in all ways for the bad.

 

The industry has not changed all that much. Peoples perspective changes over time and they tend to view it differently. Theres still freight, and plenty of it. I do think you will see a change away from the long haul truck except for expiate type loads, foods, time critial. As energy cost go up the trucking industry can not compete against the rail on items where transit time is not so important. It has only been a few weeks of cheaper fuel prices and everybody has fallen back into the false sence of security. When the Arabs figure out how to get the prices back up, Well all be paying again. Trucks and trains have always been in competition with each other , and it is still true now more than ever.

 

Look you went and got some info from some guys sitting around and sucking down some coffee... They are right and they are wrong... Sure trucking is changing and not for the better. The more the government gets into your business the more problems and issues you have. Pay is not getting any better but lots of folks out of work and more to come so pay is not going to improve any time soon. Lot of trucking companies have gone under in the last year and that means more qualified drivers out there looking for the same job as you, you have to find a Niche just like alien4fish said. You have to look better than the next guy and promote your self. Trucking will get better in the future. it is not possible to replace it. As long as goods need to move between two points a truck will be involved. Now as for attitude, lots out there just like the B/S on the radio, we all deal with it in our own way... Don't get down, we all started out as a nubbie at some time so hang tuff and you will find a job...

 

I'm not sure of the brand name, it's made in America.

And it's always needing to be bailed out.