If You Have Concerns About Starting Your Trucking Career Now... Take A Look At This

I deliver aluminum extrusions to the various trailer manufacturing plants all over the country. They are busy these days. That means trucking companies are ordering new trailers. They don't do that unless they see a need for them.

I've seen where several people in here are reluctant to jump into a new trucking career due to the state of the economy. I say, "Quit listening to the news. Those SOBs will do and say anything as long as it's disturbing or frightening." I dropped a load off today at the Great Dane plant in Jonesboro, AR. I counted over 200 new Swift trailers, at least 100 Schneider trailers, and probably 300 trailers for Premier Trailer Leasing Company. There were several other company names on new trailers also. Things look the same at the other manufacturers also.

Never fear... the trucking companies are gearing up for a surge. If they need trailers, they need you!

Great information Old School. I was just there last night around 2130 and saw all these trailers you are talking about. We dropped one and picked up another. Stay safe brother!

Freight Waves had a news piece earlier this month that trailer sales are down 78% this year compared to 2019.

Haha! That doesn't surprise me. This business goes in cycles. All I know is that we are really sending these manufacturers a lot of material in the last 2 months.

Personally, I think a lot of the mid to large carriers are in a wait-and-see right now, and through the end of 2020.

Once the virus hysteria and fake news ends, the economy will kick back into gear, trucking is going to go into hyperdrive to begin 2021.

Just my crystal ball which could be way off.

Oldschool, thats great news to read!! Hopefully dry/reef kicks off like no other. In the end we owe you, and the rest of the flatbed gang a huge thank you. Also. Once i can get out east, i look forward to buying ya a cup of coffee.

Many of the customers I go to have been in the construction phase for about 9 months or so now. I often talk with the plant folks just out of curisioty. Most say they are expanding, some in a very big way. I’m no big time business person, but my common sense tells me they are not spending millions of dollars to expand plants without some confidence their business will increase. I’ve paid attention during the covid crisis and construction has not slowed even during it.

Bump

On another side of the story, I spoke with a recruiter this morning about training this summer. Kind of jokingly I mentioned autonomous trucks taking over the industry in five years. I assumed he would have blown it off and said not to worry, but what I got from him was that it is a concern for the near future for drivers. The most encouragement he could give was, "Let's hope not."

Scary coming from a recruiter.

On another side of the story, I spoke with a recruiter this morning about training this summer. Kind of jokingly I mentioned autonomous trucks taking over the industry in five years. I assumed he would have blown it off and said not to worry, but what I got from him was that it is a concern for the near future for drivers. The most encouragement he could give was, "Let's hope not."

Scary coming from a recruiter.

It's not concerning at all. Recruiters don't know any more than you or I regarding autonomous trucks. We do know they're a long ways off, so there isn't much to worry about. Of course a recruiter is going to be concerned about it. What are they going to do if there's no need to recruit?