A bit of startling news today – one of our own authors, TruckerMike, who is currently in CDL training and was pre-hired by the trucking company of his choice, has been informed by the company that they have just put a hiring freeze on until April 1st. This is quite startling because not only had they pre-hired TruckerMike, but they had even given him his orientation date! Now they turn around and basically say, “Sorry, but you’re out of luck for a while.”
How Is The Economy Affecting The Trucking Industry?
This economy is quickly getting to the point of total devastation. Luckily, TruckerMike will indeed find work after he graduates from truck driver training. He didn’t put all of his eggs in one basket. He has many other applications out there and is currently working on getting hired with a lot of different trucking companies. But for those of you getting ready to begin your truck driver training, this recent news does not bode well for your entry into the trucking industry.
I am under the imporession that the economy will turn around either later this year or early next year. But for trucking companies to begin hiring drivers, including student drivers, the economy need not be running strong. For a company to hire, invest, and grow, what they need is hope. They need to believe that good times are ahead and that if they spend the money on hiring and invest in their growth, they will indeed succeed shortly down the road. But if there is no real clues as to the timing of a recovery, companies go into “wait and see” mode.
Now many of us, myself especially, have been following TruckerMike’s journey very closely. And for all of us, this has been troubling news. But we’re not going to get outraged, we’re not going to plot revenge on the company, and we’re not going to waste our time with the “life’s not fair” thing. We already know life isn’t fair. That doesn’t matter.
What does matter is now is two things:
- How TruckerMike handles this first real setback
- What this means for those considering entering the trucking industry soon
Lookin Out For TruckerMike
First, let’s get the concern for TruckerMike in perspective. From getting to know Mike like I have recently, I know enough about him to know that there is nothing to be concerned about. He’s intelligent, diligent, and insightful. He was surprised and concerned by the news, but as I expected, he never showed one sign of retreat. He will continue to put out applications, he will continue his schooling, he will get his CDL, and he will find work with a good company. Of this I have no doubt.
But Mike is human and I can assure you that like all of us, he benefits from kind words of encouragement. So take the time to go to one of TruckerMike’s Blogs and leave a comment or an email (his email address is at the top of every one of his blogs) and let him know you’re behind him. We’ve become a community here at TruckingTruth and we need to help each other out when we can. If you happen to be new to our site, please understand that this means you, too! We’re growing fast and we hope you’ll come along for the ride! And if you decide to get into truck driving, you can be sure we’ll do whatever we can to help you out too!
Is Now A Good Time To Become A Truck Driver?
Up until now, my answer to this question has been a resounding “yes!” But for now, I would say “it depends on who you are”. For many people, the situation is desperate. They have families, they’ve lost their job, and now they’re going to lose everything if they don’t act quickly. For those people, my answer is a resounding “yes!” You should not hesitate to get into truck driving if you feel it’s a good option for you – especially right now when there are very few good options available.
There are a lot of companies that offer CDL training for free, or at least very little money up front. There are also a large number of truck driving schools that will help you with financial aid, government grants, and trucking company sponsorship to handle the financial burden of becoming a truck driver. Continue exploring TruckingTruth. Do the research, consider your options, and go for it. Again, there aren’t too many other good options.
For those of you who are considering becoming a truck driver but your situation is secure right now, I would say maybe hold off for at least a few months. By spring ’09 things may begin to pick up a bit and companies may see a glimmer of hope. If so, they’ll start hiring again like crazy and you should pile in right away! Take the extra time to research the industry. Here’s some good places to start:
- Is Truck Driving For Me?
- Becoming A Truck Driver: Your Guide
- Are Free Truck Driving Schools Really Free?
- Choosing A CDL Driving School
- Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving
So I hope you guys will head over to TruckerMike’s blog and shoot him some encouragement. I also hope you’ll continue to do your research and follow the trucking industry and the economy closely. Things change quickly, especially in the trucking industry, so you have to stay on your toes. If you’re considering becoming a truck driver, know your options, know what you’re faced with, and make the decision that’s right for you in your situation.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. You can find my email address at the top of this page. Best of luck to ya!
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Is there any reason not to still apply, even if you know that company has a hiring freeze in effect? I mean wouldn’t that put your application ahead of those who waited ’til after the freeze ended?
Jim,
It definately doesn’t hurt to still apply. Your application will probably sit in a pile collecting dust, but if you hound the recruiters, hopefully you’ll be first in line when they do start hiring again. Even if it means you have to re-apply somewhere, at least you can show you’ve applied before and are serious about getting hired by them. Plus, if you’re able to shmooze the recruiters a bit, you can get your name out there. So when it comes time to hire again, your recruiter might just remember that “Jim” has been calling quite a bit. Let’s get him set up! It can’t hurt!
Brett,
Thank you so much for the kind words. This really does suck. I found a company that I felt was a perfect fit, was all set to go, then got this news. Total bummer. But you’re right, I’m not going to throw my hands up in the air and complain about this. It is what it is. The company is not at fault. Everybody is struggling in this economy and companies need to do what they can to keep their doors open.
As soon as one orientation was cancelled, I got set up for another one today. It’s not with a company I was really hoping for, but I’m set up for an orientation regardless. I also put in about 6 applications on Wednessday in addition to the applications I already have out there. I figure I’ll get as many pre-hires as I can, then narrow it down from there and make my final selection.
I agree that if you have a job that’s paying the bills, just hold off for now on getting into the industry. If you need a job, you can probably get hired by somebody in truck driving. But with so much uncertainty in this economy, it’s probably best to just stay you’re at for now. This economy is definately at the “scary” point now, and the next few months are going to be very rough. Once the economy picks back up, trucking companies will be hiring like mad and there should be pleanty of miles to go around.
In any case, thanks again for the kind words. This is definately a set back, but such is life. Time to move on. One year in with a company and a whole slew of doors will open for me if I don’t like the first company I get on with.
Mike