Do any of you work in the trucking industry?

[5burowz]

Let's talk about one of the largest sectors of employment in the U.S.--the trucking industry.

One out of fifteen jobs in the U.S. is tied to trucking. There are approximately 3.5 million truck drivers and there are about 8.7 million other jobs that are tied to the trucking industry.

Trucks move roughly 71% of the nation's freight by weight. If they stopped moving freight commerce in the U.S. would come to a halt overnight.

USA Today ran a really good investigative four piece report last year about the industry and all ails it. It's long, but, it's a worthy read.

https://www.usatoday.com/pages/inter...-with-nothing/


So, do any of you work in this industry or do you know anyone who works in this industry and what thoughts do you or your friends/family have on it?

Obviously they still have a lot of drivers, but, with stagnant wages, I think it is really just employment by attrition at this point. Drivers probably feel trapped because maybe they own their own truck and are making payments towards it and they probably can't afford to give it up or don't know what other field they could go into.

The obvious answer to me is that they should have a national strike, because that seems to be the only way things can change.

[Eddy Current]

A guy I used to work with recently left his job programming surfac mount electronics equipment to do a mix of trucking and farming.

He grew up on the farm so I think his decision was based largely on the lifestyle.

[siablo14]

Let's talk about one of the largest sectors of employment in the U.S.--the trucking industry.

One out of fifteen jobs in the U.S. is tied to trucking. There are approximately 3.5 million truck drivers and there are about 8.7 million other jobs that are tied to the trucking industry.

Trucks move roughly 71% of the nation's freight by weight. If they stopped moving freight commerce in the U.S. would come to a halt overnight.

USA Today ran a really good investigative four piece report last year about the industry and all ails it. It's long, but, it's a worthy read.

https://www.usatoday.com/pages/inter...-with-nothing/


So, do any of you work in this industry or do you know anyone who works in this industry and what thoughts do you or your friends/family have on it?

Obviously they still have a lot of drivers, but, with stagnant wages, I think it is really just employment by attrition at this point. Drivers probably feel trapped because maybe they own their own truck and are making payments towards it and they probably can't afford to give it up or don't know what other field they could go into.

The obvious answer to me is that they should have a national strike, because that seems to be the only way things can change.

Lot of Jamaicans in that field but they make a lot more than if they had stayed in Jamaica and drove a truck. So Americans don't want to do it, Jamaicans are ready to take their spot and Canada has also lured away a good number of truck drivers from Jamaica.

[Jim Tom]

Let's talk about one of the largest sectors of employment in the U.S.--the trucking industry.

One out of fifteen jobs in the U.S. is tied to trucking. There are approximately 3.5 million truck drivers and there are about 8.7 million other jobs that are tied to the trucking industry.

Trucks move roughly 71% of the nation's freight by weight. If they stopped moving freight commerce in the U.S. would come to a halt overnight.

USA Today ran a really good investigative four piece report last year about the industry and all ails it. It's long, but, it's a worthy read.

https://www.usatoday.com/pages/inter...-with-nothing/


So, do any of you work in this industry or do you know anyone who works in this industry and what thoughts do you or your friends/family have on it?

Obviously they still have a lot of drivers, but, with stagnant wages, I think it is really just employment by attrition at this point. Drivers probably feel trapped because maybe they own their own truck and are making payments towards it and they probably can't afford to give it up or don't know what other field they could go into.

The obvious answer to me is that they should have a national strike, because that seems to be the only way things can change.

Your link doesn't appear to be working

[5burowz]

A guy I used to work with recently left his job programming surfac mount electronics equipment to do a mix of trucking and farming.

He grew up on the farm so I think his decision was based largely on the lifestyle.

The farming industry is being decimated as well. With the Bayer-Monsanto merger, family farms will be a thing of the past. You don't even have to worry about trade tariffs ruining American farming because monopolies will beat them to the punch.

Farmers also have a crazy high suicide rate.

http://www.gunthorpfarms.com/blog/am...-a-dying-breed

[5burowz]

Your link doesn't appear to be working

https://www.usatoday.com/pages/inter...-with-nothing/

[siablo14]

Let's talk about one of the largest sectors of employment in the U.S.--the trucking industry.

One out of fifteen jobs in the U.S. is tied to trucking. There are approximately 3.5 million truck drivers and there are about 8.7 million other jobs that are tied to the trucking industry.

Trucks move roughly 71% of the nation's freight by weight. If they stopped moving freight commerce in the U.S. would come to a halt overnight.

USA Today ran a really good investigative four piece report last year about the industry and all ails it. It's long, but, it's a worthy read.

https://www.usatoday.com/pages/inter...-with-nothing/


So, do any of you work in this industry or do you know anyone who works in this industry and what thoughts do you or your friends/family have on it?

Obviously they still have a lot of drivers, but, with stagnant wages, I think it is really just employment by attrition at this point. Drivers probably feel trapped because maybe they own their own truck and are making payments towards it and they probably can't afford to give it up or don't know what other field they could go into.

The obvious answer to me is that they should have a national strike, because that seems to be the only way things can change.

Good read so far.
Free market doe
No regulations doe

[jaded]

I briefly skimmed that article...it paints a pretty dismal picture. But I have a friend here in Vancouver BC where things are pretty different. He makes really good money as an owner/operator long haul driver and I have met a few of his friends who also do very well driving through the Rockies to Alberta.

Looking at this job site you can see offers for immediate work ranging up to $150K annually plus benefits and I know for a fact that he makes that kind of money and the situation here over the last 10 years for him has always been like that.

https://ca.indeed.com/Owner-Operator...f24b1ccc0c4e53

Now he DOES work a lot but that is his choice and for him it's something he wanted to do since he was a kid so enjoys it and his life.

[siablo14]

I briefly skimmed that article...it paints a pretty dismal picture. But I have a friend here in Vancouver BC where things are pretty different. He make really good money as an owner/operator long haul driver and I have met a few of his friends who also do very well driving through the Rockies to Alberta.

Looking at this job site you can see offers for immediate work ranging up to $150K annually plus benefits and I know for a fact that he makes that kind of money and the situation here over the last 10 years for him has always been like that.

https://ca.indeed.com/Owner-Operator...f24b1ccc0c4e53

Now he DOES work a lot but that is his choice and for him it's something he wanted to do since he was a kid so enjoys it and his life.

Yeah. I have heard the same from Jamaicans doing long-haul in America but these guys seem not to be long-haul drivers plus they have been taken advantage of by those dodgy trucking companies.

[5burowz]

Good read so far.
Free market doe
No regulations doe

Actually, "free market" is a myth. I'm glad you're reading it though. It's a long read because it's in four different parts.