Too many truckers these days. How can it be a viable career?

Yes I read that. And no, that part of the article is wrong. Delivery drivers and heavy truck drivers are two different Bureau of Labor statistics. Bureau of Labor clearly delineates different categories for Heavy truck drivers and Delivery drivers.
Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Delivery Truck Drivers and Driver/Sales Workers : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The map is from data from the Bureau of Labor data. It is another case of a reporter getting an article wrong in his evaluation. I just included it because it is a very telling applet to view.

 

Here is simple answer, all this new 100 million people need to live somewhere,eat food, buy cars , etc. This is why you see more and more truckers...

 

It isn't the mega's who only claim a shortage of drivers. Wake up and look at the numbers. Yes, before this year. The carriers/drivers were getting hit really bad. Especially the last 3 to 4 years before this year. Shippers/receivers/brokers taking advantage. But now? It's changing. Look at the board numbers for shipments. Not mega's opinions. Pay is going up. Too many have walked away from trucking. They need drivers badly.
Anyone who wonders about this should watch The Trucking Exec. on youtube. He is very honestly trying to help drivers. Especially O/O's. Advising from the business end of things.

 

Pay has been in slight upswing since the 2008 recession. Just because other job sectors have rebounded since, a tucking job is no longer the job of last resort.

Prior to that it has had decades of falling and flat wages since deregulation started in 1977. There has been an excess of workers in all job markets since we have offshore manufacturing. Trucking has been the go to job for displaced workers.

No one needs drivers now. The store shelves are and have always been fully stocked in this country. It may be harder to throw a stone up in the air and hit a truck driver with it like you could 9 years ago, but wages still don't reflect a need.

 

Based on this. Please explain the shipment numbers for last summer. I'll repeat again.. In the midwest... easy... I mean easy to find shipments for $3 to $5 a mile. They were screaming for trucks.

 

^^^ Read what you quoted. It explained the situation.

There have always been loads that are hot, involved, and pricey even in recessions like 2008. A short term market does not define a industry as a whole.

 

All you are doing is arguing. Each step of the way I must argue? Loads are still not like they were. This is winter. Lowest time of the year. Still doing better. I need to remind that summer is the strong time for shipping? An entire region, all loads, is not what you addressed.

 

Huh????? Arguing about what? What is your point to argue with?

Again huh? What is the point here?

No wrong. Not only is it not yet winter! This is the busiest time for trucking during the year. WTF are you talking about?

Better then what?

No wrong! This is the strongest time for shipping. The fall leading up to the Christmas season surge is the strongest time for shipping.

Nevertheless what is your point?

Meaning?

What does any of this have to do with the price or tea in China?

For real! The OP made a cogent point about their being too many truck drivers. I agreed, saying in the US economy, truck driving is now the most prevalent occupation. Manufacturing has been shipped overseas. Truck driver wages, despite a few upturns, have been falling in the dump since deregulation. The supply and demand rule is in full affect. And you disagree how?

How am I to argue when I don't even know what point you are addressing?

 

My computer failed the other day and I botched it badly because I was so long out of practice. I managed to rebuild the machine and have it back to a useable and stable state rather quickly but no joy was in it. Only a reminder at how little I have kept practice rebuilding bricked machines. The other machine failed a day later due to a power supply that shorted, and resulted in a endless cycle of boot with failure to complete even the beginning of bios. A new power supply went in that one in about a hour and it roared to life feeding on real power for once being 11 years old.

If computer trucks should fail a long way from home there will be trouble I fear. When drivers fail, then why it's not difficult to replace them. But oh the woe to replace or fix a failed computer truck. Im not sure I want the Nation to undertake that kind of progress.

Ultimately, we the driver (Oh yah? Who is this we? Speak for yourself...) has to be able to keep equiptment rolling in good shape as not to fail when 100 miles from nothing in a raging winter storm.

Take away the drivers then... we build a colossal problem one computer robot truck at a time.

 

If they need truckers that bad, they should lighten up francis on many of the new rules and medical limitations that have developed by Government process since the 80's Half the issues barring people from being certified DOT fit to drive today, did not exist in the 80's That is my theory anyway. And not exactly... driven by my own desire to make some use of my experience, however much or little gained with a life time out there on the big road.