Truck Driving Schools

In this article we will discuss the truck driving schools.

As the trucking industry was expanding in the 1960′s there arose a shortage of qualified drivers and additionally the public was seeing more and more accidents because of untrained personnel taking the reins of a big truck. The public said we need to better regulate truck drivers, their driving time and make sure they are qualified to drive such a large vehicle before turning them loose on the motoring public.

Truck driving schools were born with the U.S. Government even allowing the GI Bill to pay for schooling at a qualified truck driving school. Because of the lucrative money that could be earned there arose a number of schools that were just not very good. Many were just shams and didn’t give the prospective driver proper training. Most truck driving schools were for 2 weeks or the most 3 weeks. The training would consist of learning the basics of how to do paperwork, log books and pass the CDL test, although in the 1960′s all one needed was the same license as required to drive a taxi, but as time went on the testing moved into a CDL and finally into a CDL with Hazardous Material qualification. The HAZMAT test is much more difficult than the CDL as should be. I don’t have any problem with the need for schooling and testing, because for the trucking industry and the truck driver to succeed it is vital. Furthermore, with the possibility of loss of life, injury or threat to our country it is imperative that additional truck driver training be mandatory. Yearly review should be required by all companies.

Many truck driving schools were shut down so the need arose for trucking companies to start their own schools promising prospective truck drivers a job if they complete the school. Most would require the prospective truck driver to sign an agreement to stay with the trucking company for a specified time or they would have to repay for the training. All that sounds pretty good to most prospects, but what happens is often abuse to the new truck driver and here is why. Most of the large companies that hire newly trained drivers have a very high turnover rate with as much as 200% per year meaning that they turn over their entire fleet of truck drivers two times per year, but there are several that stay with the company which means that there is actually as much as a 300% turnover rate of new drivers.

What can happen is that a company will look at itself and say if we can charge $5000.00 or more for the truck driver training we can make a profit 2 different ways. We can make money on the schooling if they leave early and we can send them to places where they have to wait for long periods of time such as 3 or 4 days or where they have to load or unload the freight themselves knowing that older and more seasoned truck drivers wouldn’t go there.

Trucking company profits are squeezed more than ever now some (not all) turn to the backs of the truck driver to make the profit by making the employment unpleasant for the drivers as they get closer to the contract date to have the schooling be paid in full. The truck driver will then leave and go elsewhere and the cycle starts over for the company, but he will owe for the schooling. I know it sounds like it doesn’t make sense for a company to do that, but a company can make 5k or more for the schooling, hire younger truck drivers with less medical needs that only kick in after 90 days. Additionally, they can haul cheaper freight to places that other companies won’t go because the new truck drivers don’t have much choice and their wages are cheaper since they are on the bottom end of the pay scale with the company. The driver then quits and the cycle starts over.

My view is for eto closely look at all schools closely asking many questions. Listen to what they say and compare. Finally make a decision based on what is best for you in the long term.

Rod

Tags: OTR Trucking, Trucking, Trucking Industry, Trucking Schools, Trucks