"We have been in it many years, what it was it's not anymore. Out of it now truck is parked but Paid for.
Trucking Sucks and I'll stand by what I always said. When the bottom fell out and all the jobs lost the white collar pencil pushers and all the blue collars out of work came to trucking and became food for the sharks feeding.(trucking companies)
It distroyed us. And I'm sure cost alot of familes, homes ect."
Those are the unedited words of a Professional Driver and Owner/Operator. They made me wonder just how many folks like her are out there. Do I believe precisely as she does? Not necessarily, but her words do have a point that I believe is valid.
As much as it pains me to do so, because I have spent a lifetime in the industry, I must agree with this statement. I watched as the pencil pushers and the bean counters became the "governing force" within trucking long before the economic bust. The part of the company that was supposed to be a support system for the drivers became the cruel taskmaster. That combined with the evolution of trucking rules and regulations in the name of safety has thrown the industry into an abyss of confusion and instability. The economic downturn that this nation is still trying to dig itself out of only served to create the "perfect storm" for trucking.
Some companies shored up their bottom line through layoffs and diverse cost-cutting measures. Other companies decided to implement those and start charging their drivers for things like, among others, "idling" and forcing them to make a decision between staying warm or cold in the winter and cool or hot in the summer. The real choice, though, was between comfortable conditions and losing part of their paycheck earned at the expense of being away from home and family. For those companies to take advantage of the fact that jobs became scarce and that drivers who cared about their families were going to do whatever it took to keep theirs is unpardonable in my opinion. I'm sure that a present and ex-driver audit of certain big companies in that regard for the past 3 years would reveal some very eye-opening facts and stories. I'm sure someone will think of doing that given the big push for increased capacity that is now forming another "perfect storm" of a different nature for trucking companies. One can only imagine the competitive edge that will result for some companies as companies are graded on documented metrics. Not all bad companies went down the drain during the recession! Some will go down as a result of their actions during it.
So yes, all things considered, "trucking is not what it was" and never will be again. Now, is that all bad? Not necessarily! Companies all over had to reduce their capacity to survive. Companies with a bad reputation had to do the same as they went practically dormant through that period of "just hanging on."
As a Safety & Compliance Manager for our company, I sat with a DOT Compliance Auditor this week and we conversed on this subject. Trucking will never be the same because new parameters have been set for the industry and compliance will affect it tremendously, not only from the company perspective any longer, but also from the individual driver perspective. What that means is that the industry will suffer losses in capacity, beyond the ones it has already suffered due to the economy, from negligent drivers who are disqualified due to their non-compliance to the new rules.
The more deficient the industry is in qualified drivers, the better its compensation must be in all aspects. Will that affect all other industries? Of course! It will affect the economy as a whole, but not just any Tom, Dick, or Harriet will be able to go to a CDL mill and get a license and a certificate that qualifies him or her to start working as a Professional Driver. Prices will of necessity rise and everyone will pay because we all depend on this industry to move America. The upside is that we won't have qualified people like Lunachic (the Professional Driver and Owner/Operator above) sitting on the sidelines in disgust at the inequities produced by an industry in turmoil.
So, we can sit and brood about the way things used to be; or we can realize what a tremendous opportunity this is to set our own terms as drivers and owner/operators. Think about it! If you have a clear safety and performance record, you are of immense worth to the industry. I don't know of any company using self-driven trucks yet, so I project that drivers will be a very valuable commodity until those are practical for use. For incoming drivers, you have the opportunity to help use the changes for the benefit of those who actually do the work of hauling the freight; you.
I tend to view things from the perspective of Robert Kennedy who said, "Some see things as they are and ask 'Why?' I see things as they could be and ask, 'Why not?' I don't believe in fables like, "you can't get two drivers to agree on anything" because I think real drivers are people who value common sense. It is one indispensable thing in this industry. Can being a new driver be as bad as all that? Yes, but only if you are not sure that this is what you want to do. If you have decided that trucking is your industry, then set your sights high, let nothing deter you from achieving the status of Professional Driver, and use the knowledge gained and record achieved to set yourself up for exposure through those to a satisfying career in trucking. Remember, you can always change trainers, trucks, and even companies in a time when everyone and their uncle is desperately searching for drivers. Don't let whims become your reasons for doing so and you'll get through the rough times and move on to the good. That is the definition of a "seasoned driver" He or she knows how to deal with both good and bad. Now, as I'm beginning to feel as though I've over-extended my opportunity to speak from experience, I bid you all Tudaloo and Happy Trails!
