Hiring In Truck Driving and Today’s Economy
So the big question these days for most visitors to our site is, “Will I find a job in trucking in today’s economy?” The answer, right now, is a resounding “yes”, but how long will that last? Let’s take a look at a couple of factors that will influence hiring in the trucking industry in the coming months.
The Stability of the Economy
The economy right now is still in decline, no matter how optimistic people would like to talk about it on TV. I keep hearing things like, “It’s getting worse at a slower rate” and “we expect to start seeing some improvement in the second half of 2009″, but nobody would dare interpret the numbers as actually improving. The most recent job loss numbers show that companies outside of trucking are still shedding jobs, and within the trucking industry there are still furloughs and layoffs in the offices, with some temporary hiring freezes at a small percentage of trucking companies.
Overall, truck driving jobs are readily available right now, but we won’t go back to the incredibly high demand that there normally is for drivers until the economy actually begins to grow again in a meaningful way, which doesn’t appear ready to happen in the next 6 months - not in a meaningful way, like GDP above 2.5% growth anyway. So for now, the economy itself is not ready to grow fast enough to produce a high demand for truck driving jobs through the end of 2009, and 2010 is still too far off to predict, considering the circumstances we’re in.
Seasonal Demand Within The Trucking Industry
The trucking industry itself has busy and slow seasons each year based on factors outside of the economy. From January through April, trucking is always slow. Not only is there little or no produce to ship at that time of year, but it’s wintertime - which means less economic activity, and Christmas just passed, which means the gift-giving is over with. So there is very little economic activity from Jan-April, resulting in a slow season for trucking even in a strong economy.
From May-August, trucking picks up quite a bit, and the demand for truck drivers picks up along with it. Not only are we heavily into produce(vegetables) season by that point, but summertime brings an increase in economic activity, including vacations, cookouts, carnivals, festivals, and all the great stuff that comes along with summertime. So there is a solid demand for drivers throughout the late spring and summer months.
From September-late November, trucking is at its peak. With the holidays coming, back to school sales on, and everybody gearing up for the upcoming winter with home improvement projects, the fall is the busiest time for trucking. Experienced drivers know that when the freight is available, you run it, because there will be times when there is very little freight, and your yearly earnings will average out well if you run hard when the runnin is good. And trucking companies feel the same way - you have to get the freight when it’s there, so trucking companies make sure they have a full fleet at all times during the fall months.
What About Becoming A Truck Driver Right Now?
Right now is a great time to get into trucking. Even with the average CDL training period of 6 weeks, there is a lot of time to get into trucking, and get hired during the busy season. I would say it’s going to get tougher finding work after mid-November, so between now and late September is a great time to begin your CDL training and get out there on the highway. Come October, it’s going to be tougher beginning your career in trucking in 2009, and although you could do it, you would likely be better off beginning your CDL training around March of 2010.
So for those of you wondering, “Is now the best time to get into trucking?” If you’re not working or you are unsure of the stability of your job, now would be a very good time to get into trucking, even with the poor economy. If things are going well for you right now, but you’re considering a career in trucking, I would maybe stay with what you’re doing and keep an eye on the economy, with the idea of taking another look at becoming a truck driver in the spring of 2010, and seeing where the economy stands at that time.
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Last 5 posts by Brett Aquila
- Regulation and Scrutiny Of Truck Drivers Increasing Steadily - October 27th, 2009
- New Truck Drivers: Beware of Rocking The Boat - October 18th, 2009
- Trucking Safety: What Exactly Is The Golden Rule? - October 1st, 2009
- Enduring The Rookie Treatment In Trucking - August 21st, 2009
- Truck Drivers Must Be Flexible, Committed, and Adaptable - August 5th, 2009
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Hey Brett, I just wanted to say thanks for your articles man. I discovered your site while looking for information on trucking and your site gave me that and alot more. It’s great to be able to come here and find straight up honest information from people who are not afraid to speak there minds. Of course since I have never drove a truck for a living I had a lot of questions and I have come across more than a few sites who wanted money for the so called answers. So thanks for this informative and kick-ass website. I am not a truck driver yet but I think I’m going to take your advice and hold off untill spring 2010, since I’m not in a bad situation “yet” unlike some folks out there. But I guess I’ll just have to see how it goes.
Wishing you and yours the best,
-T-
Hey T.
Glad you’re finding the answers you were looking for. Yeah, if things aren’t too bad right now for ya, I’d hang loose until 2010 to see what the economy does. When you’re in a horrible economy and things are tough for so many people, why risk it? Wait it out and jump in when things are more stable. Heaven forbid things get even worse than they are now - but they could. Nobody knows.
Well said Brett, and welcome back to the blogging world!! If this year is anything like last year, some of the bigger companies will start putting up hiring freezes around October and won’t start lifting them until February at the very earliest. Then when the busy season hits in April or so, companies will fully lift their hiring freeze for a while. That was my experience with 2008 / 2009 so far. I agree, if you’re in a good position right now, keep it. But if you’re in need of a job, with a little work and dedication, you can find something. It might not be easy, but you’ll be able to get something eventually.
I’d also like to add that people with less than steller backgrounds should take special note of this advice. Companies right now have more applicants than positions available. They will quickly rule out those with a less than steller driving, criminal, or work history. If you’re one of those people, wait until 2010 to see what this economy is going to do. Once the demand for drivers increases again, companies will get a little more lax on their hiring standards.