Truck Driving Jobs

NIC Trucking Program Helping Train New Drivers

Anusha Roy | KXLY4 Reporter Posted: 6:15 pm PDT June 22, 2011

 

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — The truck driver market is tight as the turnover rate for long haul truck drivers went up in the first part of 2011, according to the American Trucking Association.

It’s an indicator of competition growing more fierce between companies to get drivers. The ATA says there’s a potential for a driver shortfall, making a new truck driving course at North Idaho College all the more important.

 Truck driving can be demanding, stressful but also very rewarding. It’s a passion that Myra Kearn is passing along to her students. She has experience as a bus and truck driver, and is now the instructor for a new NIC course that helps students get a commercial drivers license.

It’s a demanding course that matches demanding driving hours. Students are in class for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week as part of a month-long program that started in January. At the end of the program it gives some students a shot at finding new careers in the trucking industry.

 ”I’ve worked in construction trade for over 30 years and with the economy the jobs are just not out there anymore,” student Randy Mensching said.

 For others, on the other hand, it’s a chance to capitalize on their love for driving.

“I’d been driving for a friend of mine, I like to travel a lot, mostly just moving small trucks,” student Dick Freser said.

The American Trucking Association says there are a lot of reasons for this potential shortfall of truck drivers, including the economy, retirement rates and new federal regulations.

As the economy picks up, more goods are being shipped putting more pressure on trucking services. New federal regulations, yet to go into affect, will cut down driving hours, which means more drivers are needed. It’s especially important because people are retiring faster than new truck drivers are entering the business.

It makes classes, like the one at NIC, all the more important as a way to train future truck drivers to help fill a potential gap in the trucking industry.

A better paying driver job with great benefits  is waiting for any who quality and love the freedom and adventure of the open highways. Open road big rig truck driving is one of the best paying jobs in the world today for those without a college education. Good paying jobs are screaming for good dependable drivers with clean driving records.

A cross country truck driving job is open road freedom with responsibilities. It takes a special breed to really enjoy this type work but many men and women worldwide wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

Its not only the freedom an open road truck driving career provides but its the pay and benefits as well. Responsible and dependable semi-truck drivers are often hard to find and many companies will pay top dollar and great benefits to attract and keep them. Many driver/owners earn salaries in excess of $70,000 a year and enjoy major benefit packages. A top notch driver/owner earning less should always be on the lookout for better pay and benefits.  If a driver is not top notch he/she should always be striving for improvement. The awards are too great to do otherwise.

There is a present day increasing need for reliable, experienced and dependable cross country truck drivers as our economy rebounds from the recent recession. Transportation of goods is a vital part of economic recovery and truck driving is one of the very best careers to be in at this point in time.  If you’re already an experienced and responsible truck driver you’re in an excellent position to reap better pay and benefits for your services. The ones who seek better opportunities are the ones who will profit the most.

If you’re just starting out in the exciting and rewarding truck driving field be encouraged by the fact new research shows semi-truck driving as one of the most rewarding and respectful careers there is today. The outlook is very optimistic for those who devote their time and energy toward the skills and responsibilities necessary to be worthy of such a rewarding career.

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