Well way back in the day trucking was looked upon as a more noble profession. Now we're pretty much the bottom of the totem pole and have been for a long time. I'd love to see that image change, but right now it's a long road to get there.
Another problem of course is wages. When I started in '93 I made $40k my first year. Nowadays most people make closer to $32k-$36k their first year. But that's a lot worse than it sounds because of inflation. If you adjust those numbers for inflation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator $40k in '93 is the equivalent of about $64,649.41 in today's money. That's what drivers should be making today in order to have the same buying power as they did in 1993. So drivers are literally making half of what they were 20 years ago adjusted for inflation. That's not good.
I've heard a ton of drivers talking over the years that said things to the effect of (and sometimes literally), "I'd kill my kid if he ever thought about getting into trucking." I always thought, "Well, that says a lot about your decision making." But I never said that to anyone of course because I loved trucking and I thought it would be a shame if someone missed out on it that would have loved it like I did.
I'll say this though - trucking has come to the rescue of millions of families over the past 5 years since our economy melted down in late 2008. Even during the height of the crisis trucking companies were hiring and schools were putting through students that desperately needed a way to support their families after layoffs, closings, and outsourcing of jobs. Today there are untold thousands of families that saved their homes and kept the wheels turning after a switch to trucking. The wages may not be the highest on the planet, but if you'll keep your nose clean you'll always have work and always be able to make a living wage.
Brett, I totally agree with what you, in 1968 when I started with Xerox as a Technical Representative, you needed military or technical training to qualify for the job. thru the years technology and bean counters derated the job to the point of where they only needed High school grads with a week of training to swap parts modules to do the job. I'm not for or against Unions, but back then Truckers and Butchers had a great paying job. since deregulation, Aviation and Trucking pay has dropped to the point that starting First Officers for the commuting airlines (70 and under pasengers) were starting at 19K a year, after investing 200K+ in training/experience. so pilots and NOW Doctors are telling thier Kids not to go on to thier business. I worry about my Gran kids.... your also right about at least there are Trucking Jobs out there, you won't get rich, but after training and experience you should be able to support your family. here in Chicago there are over 100 driving jobs listed on Craig's list every day. I think one of the reasons for drivers are in short supply is that like the military, a large portion of the population can't Qualify.
Turbo Dan you make a bunch of excellent points.
I mentioned the drop in salary but didn't mention that deregulation is really what precipitated that. But unfortunately it was necessary. True, truckers and trucking companies make less money now than they did before deregulation but the entire economy profits from the lower transportation costs in a big way. That's what capitalism and "small government" is all about and unfortunately for truckers and trucking companies it was the right move.
Same goes for the airlines. Believe it or not, in July of 2001 I went to a flight school in Tampa to interview with them. I was considering a career as a pilot and wanted to explore it further. Well, a matter of a few weeks later we had the 9/11 attacks and that was the end of that idea. And for anyone that thinks truck drivers don't make enough money Dan is totally right, pilots make next to nothing nowadays. Literally barely above poverty level for many, many years while you try to work your way up to a position you can actually make a living from. And unfortunately a lot of pilots never get there. But again, deregulation made the costs of flying so inexpensive that it was certainly the right move.
I think one of the reasons for drivers are in short supply is that like the military, a large portion of the population can't Qualify.
That's certainly one of the reason. The others I would say fall under the pay-to-sacrifice ratio. You take a lot of risk, put in super long hours, have to put up with a ton of scrutiny, and have to spend a lot of time away from home and family to make essentially the same money you would make having a full time and a part time job at fast food restaurants. To a lot of people it simply isn't worth it.
I worry about my Gran kids....
The future is going to further polarize everyone. The rich and the "have's" are going to have a lot more, the middle class is dying a slow death and will continue to shrink, and those living below poverty are going to grow tremendously.
With everything becoming more technology driven, if you're highly motivated and you're capable of doing cerebral work like engineering & computer programming you'll make a killing and pretty much own the world. If not, I honestly don't know what you're going to do.
I'm 42 years old. My parents grew up in the "Golden Age Of America" - they were Baby Boomers born during the end of WWII. They reaped the benefits of the strong unions, strong manufacturing industries, and gigantic middle class. It was the highest standard of living the United States has ever experienced. Today we have a lot - no question about it. But the big difference is back then your wages could support an upper-middle class lifestyle. Nowadays people have decent houses and nice cars but everything is financed, they're hanging on by a thread, and it's getting worse all the time.
I'm lucky. I'm a computer programmer and very good with highly-cerebral endeavors. I'll always find a way to make a living. But I honestly don't know what a lot of people are going to do.
But at the same time I've been living the homesteading lifestyle for a number of years and I'm continuing to learn how to become more and more self-sufficient. Because I don't trust our economy - not for the next 50+ years I'll likely be alive. My ancestors lived through the Great Depression and I have pictures of the women working the farm fields by hand with babies strapped to their backs. Unthinkable in today's soft, lazy society. But I plan on being prepared if our economy hits the skids in a big way and farming and ranching become the main thing we have to turn to. I can raise animals, grow crops, and program computers. One of those better be able to get me by!

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im surprised to see and hear when speaking to other drivers how they got into truckin,mist never followed thier families steps/tradition.my family tradition is trucking its amazing how many dont follow thier fathers and grand parents in this way of life as a driver.are fathers steering them away? i remember back when i was young ya had father and son drivers some were grandfather , father,son drivers.it just surprises me that someday i may be the last of this tradition.