And as far as the security of employment is concerned, it will the the small company that will go under first, and all local trucking jobs with it. Large freight companies have a greater resilience, and can streamline their operations, to save money and survive. If you’re just a CDL holder, your truckers job is never secure. Time to do additional endorsements, and lift your qualifications to a higher lever. Then, you can rest assured, that even the turmoil in Detroit’s auto industry won’t cost you your job… unless, you’re employed by Ford.

I’ve more than 23 years of a long-haul practice, hold all important endorsements for heavy load carrying, and can’t find any postion in L.A. My employer has shut down his road freight operation just two weeks ago, and I’ve ended up without a chance to continue my (supposedly) long term truck driving career.

People are telling me that there’s plenty of contract work for experienced truck drivers on the East Coast - from Florida to New Jersey. Apparently, trucks are sitting idle because there’s not enough drivers.
Oh, well, must make some enquiries; but it better be a steady job - I’ve three kids and wife to support.
I may even try to look for positions in local truck driving company.

However, it’s safe to assume, that the highest job loses will occur amongst those truck drivers who are only holding CDL papers, with a little on-road experience. They will be first to be retrenched, or offered reduced hours. It can even get worse, with the fright rates coming down, due to the escalating price wars between freight comapnies. The direct result could be reducing the rate of pay for long haul and particularly, for local truck drivers. Not a nice perspective…

Not any more. With the recession just around the corner, manufacturing businesses are cutting production, retail sales decline, and there’s less freight to be carried across the nation.

Consequently, trucking drivers are finding it more difficult to secure the same position, for the same pay, as just a couple months ago. And the things are not going to get better any time soon…

Truckers that have only CDL exams done, are the first to be retrenched. Only people with numerous endorsements and special licenses can be certain of their employment. unless, you fancy truck driving jobs in Iraq.

Truck driver jobs are not just about the driving. There is a lot more involved than that. Apart from needing a heavy vehicle license you need to be a jack of all trades. Mechanical experience is a good skill to have up your sleeve when driving long haul trucks across the country. You never know when you can break down and if it is something simple, you can fix it. Whether you are an owner or a company driver, truck driver jobs are competitive. It is tough out there, and it does not get any easier with the rising cost of fuel. It gets harder and harder to make a living every day so you spend more time trying to earn it out on the highway.

Most important of all you need patience to succeed in truck driver jobs. A large part of all truck driver jobs is the waiting around - to load and to unload, for consignments, and waiting in traffic. I think you get the picture. But you need lots of understanding with other road users. Because you are on the road so much you will see so many things that are frustrating, so patience is one of the best assets you can have as a full-time driver.

My friend was driving for Haliburton, on a 2-year contract. He brought home more than $212,000 and, unfortunately, some bad memories as well. Still, he thinks it was worth it. yes, a new truck driving experience on a battle field.

But, right now, there are hardly any ads seeking truckers for Iraq jobs. Apparently, some of these positions are being filled in with the local drivers, recruited amongst former Iraqi soldiers. At the same time, there are more than ever contracting jobs going on there, as their economy apparently improves. So, where’s the decline coming from?

Yes, suddenly driving truck for a living lost its appeal… or, so it seems to many man and women considering entering the employment opportunities that trucking provides. And what the future holds? It all depends on the cost of dielse. But, the way the truck owners and operators are paid, there would have to be a dramatic increase in their pay and profitability, to keep their rigs on the road.