Adding new drivers to the already overfilled job pool
#82
08-05-2009, 12:47 AM
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The other side of the coin
Posts: 9,368
And they just keep coming and coming. It appears as if the ATA might be behind this campaign, and the news outlets are buying it hook, line and sinker. A lot of what's appearing in these articles is straight off that ATA website at www.gettrucking.com/
Trucking Schools Seeing an Increase in Students Posted by Al Tompkins at 1:57 AM on Aug. 5, 2009 Truck-driving schools say they have seen a significant growth in the number of people who are interested in becoming truck drivers. It's not just blue-collar workers who are seeking their commercial driver license; it's pilots, businesspeople and other professionals who are in need of work. KSL-TV in Salt Lake City reported: "Guy Horn, who is the school director at Sage Technical Services trucker school in North Salt Lake, 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." Truck driving is not a bad gig during a recession. The station reported that truckers can start off making $40,000 to $60,000 a year. The American Trucking Association said whatever shortage of drivers exists now will continue to grow: "A shortage of professional truck drivers exists in some segments of the trucking industry. There is a current shortage of approximately 20,000 truck drivers per year. This number is expected to increase to 111,000 drivers by the year 2014. The shortage is not due to lack of interest, just basic economics – the demand for professional truck drivers is growing faster than the number of new drivers entering the field. "To help solve the growing shortage of drivers, ATA has developed a Web site, www.GetTrucking.com,to help people interested in a career as a professional driver find out how to begin. The industry is looking for both men and women of all ages, including those looking for a second career, who want to experience the open road."
Trucking Schools Swamped With Unemployed
LITHONIA, GA - For years, the trucking industry has suffered a shortage of qualified drivers. But that is now changing thanks to the down economy. That's because truck driving schools, like the one at DeKalb Technical College's Lithonia campus, are swamped with students. Their enrollment is up about 20 percent over last year and they have better than a 3 month waiting list. "It was a hard decision to make, mainly because they're so big and by me also being a woman," says current student and real estate agent  Shameka Render, "it's one of those things that's very scary." But nearly half way through the 10 week course, she's now confident she can handle one of the big rigs. So are many others laid off from other careers, like George Russell, an unemployed IT project manager. "It's gonna be a change of pace," Russell tells 11 Alive News, "I mean it's kinda like a new beginning. It'll certainly be different from sitting in an office every day." There's also a bonus for Georgia residents who attend the truck driving course at a community college like DeKalb Tech. Hope grants pay most of the $4,000 cost. "They only have about $300 to $350 our of pocket expense," says Consuela Espinoza-Godden, Director of Dekalb Tech's Regional Transportation Training Center. Another bonus is that after months of unsuccessful job searches in their original professions, these truck driving students are already being recruited even before their course is over. "It's nice," says laid off GM worker Harvey Lawrence, "it's nice that we get the recruiters to come and talk to us 15 or 20 minutes and tell us the details about their company and their benefits, you know. It's nice." The school's director says they have a 90 percent graduation rate and about 95% of their students are finding jobs in the trucking industry. If nothing else, many of these students say their training has given them a whole new respect for the truckers they once considered mostly a nuisance on the highway. The Georgia Motor Trucking Association says the flood of students also means the industry can be picky about who they hire for the first time in many years.
#83
08-05-2009, 01:01 AM
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The other side of the coin
Posts: 9,368
It gets even better. They have a spot in the lower right corner, where you can view available jobs. If you click on it, then click on "view all jobs", you get this:
No jobs match your search criteria.
Have you considered a Job Agent that will scan through new job listings, emailing you when it finds jobs that meet your criteria?
#85
08-05-2009, 04:56 AM
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The other side of the coin
Posts: 9,368
Ironically enough, I just got another email from Alex, and he is quoting the ATA in it left and right. He's become a propaganda outlet for them. He asked me to copy and paste his letter, but frankly, I don't feel like copying and pasting more than the beginning of it:
Hey Tony (and others who have sent me e-mails in the past few days),
By now, we're buddies, right? So, if you would, please put this post on your message board as well. I got an interesting e-mail from someone within the American Trucking Association this morning (you told me to talk to people within the trucking industry, right?) He basically says you and some of your anonymous friends don't know what you are talking about. I won't give you his name (since it appears many of you like the anonymous game), but here is the e-mail he sent me followed by a link.
#87
08-05-2009, 09:29 AM
I read the story and then went through the comments, including the e-mails, from both boards. What I discovered is:
1. The ‘lowly’ drivers on both boards clearly outclassed him in their ability to articulate their thoughts in a calm, clear, and concise manner, without letting emotions get the best of them. 2. Hobo clearly needs psychiatric help for his inability to have ANY conversation without blaming the woes of everything and everyone in the world on Bush. :roll: And... 3. The reporter in question would have a hard time measuring up to my teenage daughter in terms of communication abilities. I swear, every one of his responses was snarky and defensive and laden with “how dare you disagree with me!” emotion. It’s mind boggling that this is actually a reporter. Reporters are supposed to be objective and thorough and while every reporter wants to stand by his story, you take the comments to heart to become a better reporter. This guy will be a student at a trucking school in a matter of months when KSL kicks him to the curb and he needs a new job, since the trucking industry is doing great and he could make $40,000 to $60,000 in his first year. No wait, that would be higher, right? I also find it absolutely laughable, if not downright untruthful, that this ‘reporter’ allegedly received many e-mails from 1st year drivers making tons of money or from board members from both boards that said Rev is off-base. That’s simply a lie. You don’t have to like Rev to know that what he and everyone else is saying is right on the money. There’s a huge market for the schools right now, but there is no market once the driver comes out of the school. And in the threads on both boards, does anyone see a single individual taking Rev to task on his comments? Not a one. So where are all these ‘phantom’ e-mailers? That’s what I thought. Simply unbelievable.  issedoff:But…
One reason he may have taken the tact he has is that the driving school(s) could be advertisers on his station. Media tend to not scrutinize or question advertisers as much as those who are not clients
We get student callers every day from every trucking school out there. All of them have the same stories: “I’ve got my training, why won’t anyone hire me?” OR “I’ve got experience! My school said that my 3 weeks of training equaled a full year of OTR!” OR “I’m out $4000 (or insert your amount here) because the school told me I could get a job anywhere after my graduation!” OR “My school claimed 99% placement. How come no one in my class can get a job?” And so on and so forth. And for the reporter to ‘claim’ that his story was not about the trucking industry, but about the trucking schools, was flat out ridiculous. My 9th grade debate teacher would have flunked me for the semester had I tried something like that. Anyway, nice job on the replies from the board faithful. But since truth in journalism is a dead artform as this reporter so sharply demonstrated, it was a wasted effort. The only people that will see the truth of what anyone posted are those that are already part of the messageboards, people that actually already know the truth. Most of the starry-eyed hopefuls attending the trucking schools will only have lighter wallets. All the best to all of them, but the reality is, if they are lucky enough to find a company that will finish their training, they’ll do so in the range of $25K to $35K for that first year, with only a slight increase in the years following…if they even make it that far.
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 Last edited by Twilight Flyer; 08-05-2009 at 09:32 AM.
#88
08-05-2009, 09:50 AM
Ironically enough, I just got another email from Alex, and he is quoting the ATA in it left and right. He's become a propaganda outlet for them. He asked me to copy and paste his letter, but frankly, I don't feel like copying and pasting more than the beginning of it:
> From: [email protected]
> To: [email protected] > CC: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] > Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 10:35:00 -0600 > Subject: RE: Utah trucking schools packed > > Hey Tony (and others who have sent me e-mails in the past few days), > > By now, we're buddies, right? So, if you would, please put this post on your message board as well. > > I got an interesting e-mail from someone within the American Trucking Association this morning (you told me to talk to people within the trucking industry, right?) > > He basically says you and some of your anonymous friends don't know what you are talking about. > > I won't give you his name (since it appears many of you like the anonymous game), but here is the e-mail he sent me followed by a link. > Dear Mr. Cabrero, We're all quite familiar with ATA, and their slanted views. They are a part of the trucking industry, but more like a "BLACK EYE". May I suggest you get far more accurate information by contacting OOIDA (Owners operators Independant Drivers Association). ATA is sort of like our political leadership, in that they are about out of touch with the industry they claim to be part of. What they have to say generally goes in one ear and out the other. Sincerely, Leonard
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( R E T I R E D , and glad of it)
YES ! ! ! There is life after trucking. a GOOD life
#89
08-05-2009, 09:53 AM
TF, I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to forward your wit and wisdom on to him. He deserves to read it as well.
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( R E T I R E D , and glad of it)
YES ! ! ! There is life after trucking. a GOOD life |
