Adding new drivers to the already overfilled job pool

[Rev.Vassago]

I've been having a discussion with the reporter of this article today. I'd like to see your opinions on it.

ksl.com - Utah trucking schools packed

SALT LAKE CITY -- Many people who have lost their jobs are finding a new career in an industry still looking for workers: trucking. Some of the new truck drivers include former bankers, mortgage brokers and other business professionals.

Roadmaster Driver's School in West Valley is one of many driving schools across Utah, and across the country, that is seeing a huge increase in the number of people who want to become truck drivers. Kim Sanchez, who lives in West Jordan, is one of them.

"I lost my job back in March," Sanchez said. "It's terrible out there. I've applied for half the money I used to make and still couldn't get a job."

So, Sanchez turned to big rigs. He's one of several students earning his commercial driver license (CDL) at Sage Technical Services trucker school in North Salt Lake.

"I have to do something to feed my family," Sanchez said.

Guy Horn, who is the school director at Sage, says most of the people who sign up for his classes now have the same story.

"I've had pilots come through, guys with their MBAs; they're coming through and are ready for a change just because their current field is just not there anymore," Horn said.

He says he has noticed a huge increase in students in just the past few months.

"This year is definitely a double-digit increase from over last year," Horn said.

That also means competition for the top trucking jobs is increasing.

Ron Nichols, who runs Roadmaster Drivers School in West Valley, believes it's because more professionals with great resumes are turning to trucking.

"A couple of years ago, some of the people were questionable. Now we're seeing a lot of very qualified people," Nichols said. "It's just because so many big companies are laying off their employees, and then they're having a tough time finding good paying work."

Nichols says he opened another school in Brigham City recently to meet the demand for people wanting to earn their CDL.

"We've been the busiest this past year than ever. It's about double than when I came here in 2004," he said.

There is also a constant demand for truck drivers.

"We all want to keep eating, keep wearing clothes, and we like shopping," Nichols said. "All that stuff comes to stores on trucks."

Depending on the number of miles driven, truck drivers can earn $40,000 to $60,000 a year to start.

E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com

[freebirdrfd]

and they will all be willing to work for peanuts. why give an experienced driver a pay raise when you can get somebody to work for next to nothing.

[Fredog]

and they will all be willing to work for peanuts. why give an experienced driver a pay raise when you can get somebody to work for next to nothing.

this seems to be true in every profession now a days

[Phantom433a]

"I've had pilots come through, guys with their MBAs; they're coming through and are ready for a change just because their current field is just not there anymore," Horn said.
He says he has noticed a huge increase in students in just the past few months.
"This year is definitely a double-digit increase from over last year," Horn said. That also means competition for the top trucking jobs is increasing.

So do these guys that run the schools think these new drivers are going to step into the top positions just because they were pros at what they did? Hey Rev, let this reporter know that these guys will be LUCKY to start at about $30k a year IF they can even GET a job in a market thats flooded at this point.

as Bugs Bunny would say "what a bunch of maroons"

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

this seems to be true in every profession now a days

Sad but very true.

Welcome to the unregulated, free-market, non-union, global economy.

[Kranky]

So far, everyone has missed the point that not many of these displaced workers from other professions will actually be good truck drivers.

It amounts to quantity without quality.

[GMAN]

It will be interesting to see how many of these recent graduates will still be around once the economy picks up. On the other hand, I have met people from all walks of life who have made a move to this business. That has been over a number of years. It sounds to me as though these schools are raising people's expectations way too high.

[freebirdrfd]

the driving school recruters would make good dispatchers. LIE,LIE,LIE !!!!!!!!!!!

[Rev.Vassago]

So far, everyone has missed the point that not many of these displaced workers from other professions will actually be good truck drivers.

It amounts to quantity without quality.

Whether they are good or not doesn't really matter when it comes to nonexistent jobs.

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

So far, everyone has missed the point that not many of these displaced workers from other professions will actually be good truck drivers.

It amounts to quantity without quality.

Actually I think a lot of them could turn out to be very good drivers. Many of them will understand customer service, the importance of making a good presentation, how to plan ahead and keep their paperwork well organized. Because of their educations a lot of them will probably have good business skills if they decide to become O/O's.

I saw something similar in real estate. A lot of agents snickered when the dot com bubble burst and a lot of those displaced workers went into real estate. It turned out that the former tech types could market themselves a lot better than many long established agents and were very willing to work harder at it as well.

I know my boss is chuckling over the number of applications he has sitting on his desk, and some of our drivers are getting weeded out. I imagine the same thing is happening throughout the entire industry. I'm not sure I'm entirely opposed if it gets rid of some of the chronic snivelers.

[bentstrider]

I just wonder if there will be a point where a good number of these beginners will begin to start quitting as soon as they see OTR life for what it is.
I sure enjoyed it, but will all these people used to being home every night and remaining in the same city get used to consistently moving all over the place?

[golfhobo]

I've been having a discussion with the reporter of this article today. I'd like to see your opinions on it.

ksl.com - Utah trucking schools packed

Man.... I woulld LOVE to be a fly on the screen for THAT one!

And there HAVE been some really great replies to this topic! Just shows what an intelligent bunch we have on this forum. Of course.... that also just shows that there are already ALOT of intelligent people IN this industry!

I'd say, based on some poor reporting / writing skills, that the reporter is about 26 years old, and has based his/her entire article on "google" research and a few phone calls.

[No offense intended to SEVERAL posters here who might fit that description!]

I'm serious, guys.... those were some extremely insightful and salient points, and I would LOVE to just repeat them and say that I agree with, and had immediately considered them!

Forgive me is I sound like I'm copying any of them here:

Quote:
SALT LAKE CITY -- Many people who have lost their jobs are finding a new career in an industry still looking for workers: trucking. Some of the new truck drivers include former bankers, mortgage brokers and other business professionals.

Can't really argue with this. Not sure how hard "the industry" is looking.... but, no doubt these types are working their way in. And I agree that it is a GOOD THING. SOME.... not all.... of the "long in the tooth" types need to retire (while Social Security is still around) and let the industry move towards the JIT/"electronic" monitoring of freight handling.

This would provide a decent living for the "retired" as well as a NEW job for those who are looking.

Roadmaster Driver's School in West Valley is one of many driving schools across Utah, and across the country, that is seeing a huge increase in the number of people who want to become truck drivers. Kim Sanchez, who lives in West Jordan, is one of them.

"I lost my job back in March," Sanchez said. "It's terrible out there. I've applied for half the money I used to make and still couldn't get a job."

The reality of the overpaid "yuppie" is becoming slightly clear to them.

So, Sanchez turned to big rigs. He's one of several students earning his commercial driver license (CDL) at Sage Technical Services trucker school in North Salt Lake.

Good thing this "star" reporter didn't stumble across one of the many PR agents for C. R. England!

"I have to do something to feed my family," Sanchez said.

Forgetting for the moment the implied condescension.... I give him about 6 months in the irregular route OTR industry before he changes his tune!

Guy Horn, who is the school director at Sage, says most of the people who sign up for his classes now have the same story.

BUT.... he signs them up (and takes their money) anyways.... knowing full well that they are not there because they WANT to be truckers! Talk about an economic STIMULUS!

"I've had pilots come through, guys with their MBAs; they're coming through and are ready for a change just because their current field is just not there anymore," Horn said.

And will probably be GONE just as quickly when their "chosen field" with higher salaries calls them BACK! What "committment!"

He says he has noticed a huge increase in students in just the past few months.

What an ASTUTE individual! I wonder if he ALSO caught that big "fincancial collapse thingie" that hit the economy?

"This year is definitely a double-digit increase from over last year," Horn said.

The lowest "double digit" increase would be 10%. So.... IF you only had 10 new students for the last 10 years or so..... and THIS year you had ELEVEN..... you would have a double digit increase of ONE student.

That also means competition for the top trucking jobs is increasing.

No it doesn't! It means the orientation classes for the ENTRY level positions are getting crowded!

Ron Nichols, who runs Roadmaster Drivers School in West Valley, believes it's because more professionals with great resumes are turning to trucking.

"A couple of years ago, some of the people were questionable. Now we're seeing a lot of very qualified people," Nichols said. "It's just because so many big companies are laying off their employees, and then they're having a tough time finding good paying work."

LOL ROFLMAO!!!

Nichols says he opened another school in Brigham City recently to meet the demand for people wanting to earn their CDL.

TEN BUCKS says he's a REPUBLICAN! That's right.... take their money and pump 'em out with NO REGARD for the "life you create!"

"We've been the busiest this past year than ever. It's about double than when I came here in 2004," he said.

There is also a constant demand for truck drivers.

"We all want to keep eating, keep wearing clothes, and we like shopping," Nichols said. "All that stuff comes to stores on trucks."

Depending on the number of miles driven, truck drivers can earn $40,000 to $60,000 a year to start.

E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com

This guy should be selling junk investments right along with Madoff!

[RostyC]

Many people who have lost their jobs are finding a new career in an industry still looking for workers: trucking. Some of the new truck drivers include former bankers, mortgage brokers and other business professionals.

"I've had pilots come through, guys with their MBAs; they're coming through and are ready for a change just because their current field is just not there anymore," Horn said.

I doubt very many will stick it out for very long when the reality of OTR trucking hits, however it would be nice to see some more educated people stick it out and become O/O's. It would be good for the industry.

[Windwalker]

Tell Mr. Horn, that one of the questions of the applications needs to be "MEMBERSHIP IN P. A. T. T. or C. R. A. S. H.". I'd like to see a few of the "IDIOTS" get behind the wheel and learn the truth, that it doesn't match with their ideals.

And, I wonder how many of those idiots (students) were some of the same ones that used to say they didn't want to see trucks. "I don't pay good money to live here and look at a damned truck". Some of them NEED good dose of reality.

There are already more than one thread on this forum by guys that have gone through school and are not able to find a job. My daughter went through nursing school, then found out that while there were all sorts of nursing jobs available, they all wanted at least one year of experience before they hired anyone. Many of the trucking companies are also calling for one year experience. Where does Mr. Horn think all those new recruits are going to get that? At the school? But, just like companies are stiffening up their positions of things like DUIs, they may start calling for more experience to get hired into this industry. We may start to see 2, 3, and 5 years experience to get a job.

[charged]

I've been having a discussion with the reporter of this article today. I'd like to see your opinions on it.

"Depending on the number of miles driven, truck drivers can earn $40,000 to $60,000 a year to start."

I see the $40,000-$60,000 number all over. How do new truck drivers with no experience make that kind of money? Don't most companies start new drivers out at around $0.25/mi?

@ $0.25/mi new drivers would have to run 3076 mi/week (52 weeks a year) to make $40,000.00, and 4615 mi/week to make $60,000.00. Does that ever happen?

New drivers never make the full rate the first few weeks they are out because they are usually with a trainer.

[Rev.Vassago]

Keep the responses coming. I'll post my email communication with him later today.

[Windwalker]

Keep the responses coming. I'll post my email communication with him later today.

I've already sent him an email stating that without posting restrictions, like DUIs, that will keep people unemployed in this industry as well, he's not doing them any service at all. They'll spend thousands on school, only to find that they've added to their own financial burden without getting a job.

[Rev.Vassago]

My first email to him:

Mr. Cabrero:

In regards to your July 31, 2009 article, "Utah Trucking Schools
Packed," perhaps rather than taking the "information" that a trucking
school gave you and citing it as the truth, you could have done some
more research into the trucking industryand the fact that trucking
capacity is down, and will likely continue to be down for the forseeable
future. Roadmaster's Driving School is telling you that these people
going through their school are moving into the trucking industry;
nothing could be further from the truth. Trucking capacity has been
down for 3 years now, and trucking companies are closing down at
alarming rates. Over 3000 trucking companies went out of business last
year alone. In the first quarter of 2009, almost another 500 trucking
companies folded. The jobs that these people are training for don't
exist. Schools such as Roadmaster's Driving School are preying on
misinformation, leading people to believe that the trucking industry is
some sort of haven for unemployed people. Articles such as yours only
further their ability to do so..

Tony

[Rev.Vassago]

His response:

Hi Tony,

Thank you for your comments. However, you're taking my story out of context. My story WAS NOT about how trucking companies are doing. My story was about how TRUCKING SCHOOLS are doing. There is a difference.

In your e-mail to me, you said I should've done more research into the trucking industry. If my story were about the TRUCKING INDUSTRY, I would've done that. Again, though, my story was about TRUCKING SCHOOLS. Trucking schools all across America are packed. I called about 20 of them nationwide (not just one, as you assume in your e-mail), as well as the group that monitors CDL licenses who says CDL license's are way up in the past 6 months.

Roadmaster told me they only take drivers who ALREADY HAVE A JOB LINED UP. I spoke to some drivers in their class who back up that claim. They already had a job lined up.

You also said in your e-mail that "articles such as yours (mine) only further their ability to do so" (meaning trucking as an unemployment haven). Again, I ask you to RE-READ the article. It has NOTHING to do with the trucking industry, and everything to do with TRUCKING SCHOOLS. I'm hoping you can differentiate the two. For example, if I do a story on higher education in Utah, and how school enrollment is up for all colleges for the Fall semester compared to last year, the story has NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW THE JOB MARKET IS! The story is about HOW ENROLLMENT IS UP AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES! I hope that makes it easier for you to understand.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me or write me back, but before you try to slam me, please understand the CONTEXT in which you are doing so.



Sincerely,

Alex Cabrero
Reporter
KSL News

more to come....

[charged]

If his story was about truck driving schools why did he include misleading information concerning starting wages? Seems to me he should have left that info out if it was strictly concerning the schools. The article sounds like an advertisement for Roadmasters. I wonder if Roadmasters advertises on channel 5 or an affiliate?