Trucking schools and CDL training-Part 2

In Part 1 of Trucking Schools and CDL training I discussed the fact that the anticipated truck driver shortage and the sluggish economy would attract thousands of eager applicants into the trucking industry. The promise of a stable career, good pay, freedom on the open road, and "being ones own boss" is quite an appealing drawing card.  With all these wonderfully appealing qualities, why is there a 125% turnover rate with in the trucking industry? Why aren't people staying in trucking?

There are many reasons for the high truck driver turnover rate, but we will discuss the ones pertaining to students and new CDL drivers.

1- First, let's go back a step. Remember the truck driving schools we spoke about? They range in price from $1000.00 to as high as $8500.00. and not everyone will get a job, or at least keep a job, upon graduating. The number 1 reason for this is falsifying your application. The saddest part of the repercussions of falsifying ones application is that many will not find out that they can't get hired until after they have paid their tuition and passed the course.

Some graduates are even hired by a carrier, and then told 3 weeks into their new career, that they have been terminated because of false information that they have previously submitted.
Here are some examples: an old DUI, a past conviction, an old felony, or a medical illness not disclosed. Many times the "shocked student or new driver" will write me and say, " but the recruiter said not to put it down."  This is very sad indeed because, not only is this persons hopes crushed, but they are out thousands of dollars ( unless of course they received a government grant or incentive)  In either case, the school still keeps the money.

 If the question asks "EVER" it means ever. Never lie on an application!

2- Another reason for poor driver retention adding to the high industry turnover rate  is poor recruitment screening. This is a major problem, both on the school, company, and government level.

The schools will paint the rose colored picture of life on the road, not explaining the lifestyle and sacrifices. Also,  many times they will make promises that are just not realistic, such as salary and expected home time. Many people within the government placement agencies are not fully aware of the lifestyle or training process ( which occurs after acquiring the CDL and moving on to a "new driver" training company) This happens most often when those in charge attempt to match people with careers during the  government education and career  programs, and aren't knowledgeable of the details involved.

Example: A newly divorced  displaced homemaker with a history of spouse abuse may not be told that she may be spending 3 months in a truck, 24/7 with a male trainer. She may not discover this until after she has graduated from CDL training.

3-  Poor Company Training Programs- This is an area that needs much addressing and improvement. One needs to know that a major reason that company drivers become trainers is due to the fact that they will receive more money for becoming a driver trainer.  The actual requirements to be a trainer in many companies involves very little screening or actual education on the part of the potential trainer. In other words, many times the criteria a company bases a trainer on is the sole desire for that person to want to be a trainer.

Note: With the up and coming truck driver shortage, an all out appeal to company drivers to become trainers is being made by their employers, the trucking companies.

Without the proper screening and requirements put into place by the trucking companies, to assure those willing to train new drivers are capable of such a responsibility, many situations occur causing a high failure rate of new drivers.

Examples of new driver compromised situations due to inadequate driver trainer screening:

• trainer allowed to train a new driver with as little as 6 months driving experience
• trainer allowed to train with history of anger issues
• trainer allowed to train with history of spouse abuse
• trainer allowed to train with severe control issues
• trainer allowed to train with history of students complaints, including sexual harassment

Note: Many companies are allowed "X" amount of dollars from government programs to train new drivers. The trainees are required to stay within the training program for "X" amount of months before they can receive credit payment of a new trainee.

There are many highly qualified people who are training new drivers, but that is many times because there are just many good people who are willing to train new drivers. Unfortunately, it is not because of enough adequate training guidelines, but rather it is more, "the luck of the draw" and the fact that good qualified trainers do exist.

Recently a company has been established which I highly endorse called DriverMatch.  This company owned by Jim Weldon is attempting to address these serious problems by methodically and carefully matching up drivers to trainers and also assisting those interested in team driving. I strongly suggest you look into this site before you complete you CDL school training.  Not only will such a specialized service help alleviate many of the above mentioned circumstances, but it will also aid in the number 1 problem: basic personality clash among drivers. This problem alone has caused many drivers to end their "short lived" trucking career.

 In Part 3 of the Trucking schools and CDL training series I will discuss a few solutions needed to improve truck driver training for new company drivers.