Trucking industry is on a decline

[Crash_It]

There was once a time when truckers were the most cautious and safest drivers on the road. Not anymore! This video marks the latest in a disturbing trend that has been taking place for the last 4 years now where truckers are now just as bad as 4 wheelers if not worse in some cases given their size.


https://youtu.be/7x81jXfP9xE

[Rothman]

I wouldn't say the industry is in a decline.  In fact, the demand for drivers is outpacing their availability, causing inexperienced drivers to have their skills stretched earlier than appropriate.

[JoePCool14]

I wouldn't say the industry is in a decline.  In fact, the demand for drivers is outpacing their availability, causing inexperienced drivers to have their skills stretched earlier than appropriate.

Thread should probably be called "Quality of the Trucking industry is on a decline", which from what I'm starting to see is probably true. I never know if a big rig is gonna make it when they come screaming around a tight corner well above the speed they should be going.

[Max Rockatansky]

The quality and skill of truckers is on the decline which probably can largely be attributed to the increased demand for freight.  But that said I would also say that the skill level of the average driver is also on the the decline given vehicles on the whole require less ability to operate.  That probably translates over to a massive fill of trucking jobs that are being taken by operators who really should be in a heavy duty vehicle. 

[MNHighwayMan]

I see the posting industry is also in decline.

[Max Rockatansky]

I see the posting industry is also in decline.

Unfortunately the OP had broach the topic which doesn't help given his agenda has bee quite clear.  That said, I think its a viable topic worth discussing given there seems to be some evidence for declining skills being a real problem in commercial road travel.

[Conn. Roads]

A few years ago I got my class A CDL. My instructor was a retired Teamster of over 80. He was a great teacher!!! He taught us to be professional. It was a great experience because we were taught to observe traffic and to be more courteous. I feel that I'm a much better driver in my own vehicle. I find myself not running up to a red light, then slamming on the brakes. Most times just slowing up a little results in not having to even stop. A properly trained driver not only is safer, but puts less wear on the vehicle.

[RobbieL2415]

Perhaps if USDOT closed the age hole for interstate routes there would be more drivers.  Its 21+ right now to drive cross-country but intra-state age requirements vary and its usually 18+.

[Crash_It]

I see the posting industry is also in decline.

As evidenced by your post. The only one that isn't contributing to the discussion by the way.

[MNHighwayMan]

I see the posting industry is also in decline.

As evidenced by your post. The only one that isn't contributing to the discussion by the way.

I have to call out the cancerous shit posts before they metastasize.

[SP Cook]

The title of the post is misleading.  As to the "quality"  of truckers, if we measure it by serious accidents, statistics do not bear that out. 

The 18 vs. 21 post above is relevant.  There is a trucker shortage, and many young men, just out of HS and looking for a blue collar life are settled into another skill set before they turn 21.  Nobody is going to sit around for 3 years waiting to get a job in this booming economy. 

[sparker]

What I've noticed recently in my travels in and around Northern CA is that there's a lot more independent or small trucking companies deploying vehicles; the older & more established companies to which I've become accustomed (Viking, Yellow, Hunt, etc.) are certainly not dominating the industry like they did in years past.  That may account for a discrepancy in driver training -- smaller/newer companies with fewer resources may abbreviate their training regimen in order to get more drivers -- and cargo -- out on the road as soon as possible.   So we're probably having to share the roads with truckers who have minimal training time behind the wheel and are out on their own with scant experience -- and without the knowledge of the specific facilities they're using (unless by chance they are assigned a regular "route").  It's worrisome -- I've seen truckers (particularly over in the SJ Valley) who don't seem to be able to keep their trailers in the lane (either lack of skills or bad setup may be the responsible party here).  And their street skills are lacking as well; there are a couple of busy loading docks close to my business here in the south side of San Jose -- and truckers increasingly are having to repeatedly maneuver their vehicles to back into those docks (the smaller docks close to the street often entail the driver blocking the street for several minutes while he or she attempts to position their tractor for a clean backup).  Something tells me that there's plenty of trucking companies sending out inexperienced drivers -- ostensibly hoping that their "on the job training" will do the trick!  Maybe so -- if they don't damage their own and others' vehicles in the process!   

[formulanone]

TRUCKING INDUSTRY
  USE LOWER GEAR

[kphoger]

the older & more established companies to which I've become accustomed (Viking, Yellow, Hunt, etc.) are certainly not dominating the industry like they did in years past. 

Yellow hasn't existed in 10½ years.  It and Roadway merged to form YRC in 2009–Yellow having already acquired Roadway a few years earlier.

(I remember specifically, because Roadway and Yellow were my two favorite carriers to do business with back when I worked in receiving in the Chicago suburbs, and I still own both a Yellow hat and a Roadway Express hat.  The Roadway Express hat, in fact, is my "work" hat–the one I wear when I expect to get dirty and/or sweaty.  The two companies merged into YRC just three years after I stopped working in receiving.)

[Max Rockatansky]

What I've noticed recently in my travels in and around Northern CA is that there's a lot more independent or small trucking companies deploying vehicles; the older & more established companies to which I've become accustomed (Viking, Yellow, Hunt, etc.) are certainly not dominating the industry like they did in years past.  That may account for a discrepancy in driver training -- smaller/newer companies with fewer resources may abbreviate their training regimen in order to get more drivers -- and cargo -- out on the road as soon as possible.   So we're probably having to share the roads with truckers who have minimal training time behind the wheel and are out on their own with scant experience -- and without the knowledge of the specific facilities they're using (unless by chance they are assigned a regular "route").  It's worrisome -- I've seen truckers (particularly over in the SJ Valley) who don't seem to be able to keep their trailers in the lane (either lack of skills or bad setup may be the responsible party here).  And their street skills are lacking as well; there are a couple of busy loading docks close to my business here in the south side of San Jose -- and truckers increasingly are having to repeatedly maneuver their vehicles to back into those docks (the smaller docks close to the street often entail the driver blocking the street for several minutes while he or she attempts to position their tractor for a clean backup).  Something tells me that there's plenty of trucking companies sending out inexperienced drivers -- ostensibly hoping that their "on the job training" will do the trick!  Maybe so -- if they don't damage their own and others' vehicles in the process!   

Those short haul truckers in San Joaquin Valley is absolutely horrid to drive behind.  The majority of the trucks I see out between I-5 and CA 99 are open load with a fixed trailers.  Most of them can be found on really weathered roadways which makes the lane wandering even more pronounced.  Generally the biggest advantage I have in getting by them is sheer acceleration from the very frequent stops out in the sticks.