New Drivers...Have Options?

Interesting question! Been around trucking a long time. Started in 71 and I've always found that better opportunities present themself and my choice to gamble on making a better living has somehow (luckily) always worked out.

As for leverage? Well it got me a few raises when I gave notice that I was leaving for another job that paid better.

So I don't expect that leverage is the thing you are looking for. More opportunity is what I think you will find. Then, you'll find out what your boss really thinks of you. Perhaps his/her hands will be tied (regarding pay rates etc.) but that's when being free to go where the grass is greener is the sweetest kind of leverage.

 

Hey not to be an **** but in 1989, there was a news ad asking this question - "Do you want to be a truck driver? There are driver shortages coming soon and in the foreseeable future so get your training ... " then it states a school name and phone number.

Look there has been this crap going on forever and it is the same exact bunch of BS.

New drivers won't have any leverage in the future because there really isn't a drivers shortage and never was. The system churns out a bunch of meat to put into the seats all the time for the same thing - running them through a revolving door. Those who survive longer than a year or two are those who move up, those others never can move anywhere but out.

It is a sad situation which we should be screaming about, we don't have one voice who can speak for one or two major issues but we are a scattered isolated bunch of people who stick to what is good for each of us individually.

 

The local line haul jobs I wanted all required at least a years experience. So here I sit getting unloaded working otr, getting that years experience.

 

Well the average new driver doesnt have much of a clue about the industry or how it works, so I'd say no.

The average new driver goes to a mega company and hopes for the best. Ya dont have much leverage being new until ya worth has been shown.

 

Leverage? Not really.

Options? If you have a clean record and solid work history then you have many options. In some areas you could go right into a high paying LTL job right out of CDL school.

 

The real shortage seems to be in refrigerated. Nobody wants to do multi stop live unloads in tight spaces.. Just anecdotal but I see dollar stores with empty freezers as a customer and all of the crazy guarantees and bonuses at my mega are reefer without exception.

 

You see the "driver shortage" in every truck stop after 4pm

 

That used to be 5 years minimum.
That shows you how far their standards have dropped.