| Unbelievable. Simply a horrifying number of job losses. | | | | believe, trucking companies work very hard at hiring as |
| 2.6 million job losses is the government's official | | | | many students as they can get. You would think that a |
| number. There will likely be small revisions to that | | | | company would want all the experience behind the |
| number, but not enough to matter. And the worst thing | | | | wheel that they can get. Well, this is simply not true. To |
| that you must understand is that this is not the end of it | | | | be honest, I'm not entirely sure why, but I have theories. |
| - not by far. Unemployment is going to increase further | | | | And yap, you guessed it - I never have an unspoken |
| in the first half of 2009. More layoffs, and more job | | | | thought - so I'll share them. |
| losses. So can a career in trucking save the day for | | | | First of all, trucking companies must have figured out |
| many of these factory workers, construction workers, | | | | that the costs involved with the extra fender-benders |
| salespeople, retailer workers, and other job loss victims | | | | and accidents that newer truck drivers get into do not |
| across the board? You bet it can! | | | | overcome the cost savings of paying a driver less |
| I did a recent article about layoffs in the trucking | | | | money because of his limited experience. That was a |
| industry and how new drivers may actually be helped | | | | theory. For a fact, I can also tell you that a company |
| by the fact that trucking companies are trying to | | | | has no solid incentive they can offer an experienced |
| reduce costs and are therefore increasing the | | | | driver to stay on for a long period of time. But they |
| percentage of students they hire out of trucking | | | | can either train people in their own schools and offer |
| schools. This is going to save the day for many | | | | to cover the cost of the schooling if the student driver |
| unemployed workers across the United States. | | | | stays for a year, or they can offer tuition |
| So are you still skeptical about what I'm telling you? No | | | | reimbursement as a solid incentive to keep drivers on |
| problem. I totally understand. So let me make yet | | | | board that are coming out of private schools. Turnover |
| another point that I failed to mention in that previous | | | | is one of the biggest problems in the trucking industry |
| article. Remember that most trucking companies hire | | | | and companies can hire new drivers at lower wages |
| from at least two thirds of the areas across the | | | | and give them the incentive to stay longer - killing two |
| United States. It isn't like other jobs where your local | | | | "cost-saving-birds" with one stone. |
| economy is going to have a big affect on whether or | | | | So as you can see, there are many reasons to |
| not you can find a decent job. I've worked for a | | | | believe that if you get into truck driving school now |
| company out of Georgia while living in New York. I | | | | you'll have no problem finding a job once you graduate. |
| worked for a company out of Des Moines, Iowa while | | | | Any companies that I have talked with lately said that |
| living in Charlotte, NC. I worked for a company out of | | | | they are all hiring as many students as they can get. |
| Scranton, PA while living in Winterhaven, FL. | | | | Look, I don't own a trucking school. I don't make money |
| Remember, you're not driving to work, you're driving | | | | if you decide to become a truck driver. I'm just telling |
| for a living. Most companies don't care too much about | | | | you that if you're looking for a high demand career |
| where you live. They have freight over a vast portion | | | | with good job security, truck driving is one of the best |
| of the United States and they can get you home one | | | | ones to consider. Protect your license, stay with your |
| way or another. Now keep in mind, almost every | | | | first company for one full year no matter what, and |
| company has some restrictions about what territories | | | | always make safety your number one priority! |
| they hire from based upon their freight lanes. But | | | | And if you do decide to become a truck driver, never |
| overall, you can live anywhere in the United States and | | | | forget that I'm always here to help you out with great |
| find work at hundreds, if not thousands of different | | | | advice along the way! |
| trucking companies. | | | | Best of luck to ya! |
| I also want to stress that against what you might | | | | |