24/7 Chat About Anything

[tx2sturgis]

Grandpa missed his nap time and drifted out of his lane is as dangerous as a driver in their 20s. I vote for all truckers being over 30 and under 40. Technically it is pretty easy to be a grand parent at 40. But it does not explain how a person becomes an experienced driver by the age of 30

And you hit the nail on the head, as they say. When a driver is starting out, how do they gain experience until they get a driving job...but since they have no experience, they can't get the job to build up that experience.

It's a catch 22 that even our government has noticed and is now involved in helping young people get started in trucking, its called the SDAP Program. (Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program)

I dont know all the details but basically it means that carriers can bring in 18, 19, and 20 year olds for training to drive 18 wheelers in interstate commerce. Previously, you had to be 21 years old to even begin to drive class 8 trucks in interstate commerce (within a state, called intrastate, was allowed)

The problem has always been, that at the time many young people are looking for a lifetime career, they were not eligible to drive the big rigs from state to state and so they crossed that line of work off the list, if it ever was on the list.

We have a very real driver shortage and we have to put warm bodies in those seats, or people wont get the stuff they need, including food.

Without trucks, America stops.

 

[bullfrog !]

The average OTR truck driver working in the USA is making around $50,000 to $60,000 a year.

But the average starting pay for WMT drivers is hovering between $80,000 to $100,000 depending on location and their particular preferences, such as working holidays, weekend differentials, part time/full time, etc. Every year the pay goes up and after 5 years it's possible to make $120,000 per year.

With quarterly safety bonuses, stock purchase matching, paid yearly training and retraining classes, paid sick days, vacation, safety days, maternity leave, short and long term disability pay, 401k matching, associate discounts, and various other incentives, the total package is really good. But I put in my 26 years there....I'm done and retired.

Now I say: Let the young-uns have it!

The starting pay was high then because a proven performance record was required. If beginning drivers are offered more than experienced drivers Walmart may create their own shortages. This effort may be mainly about profits as Walmart gets challenged by Amazon.

 

[maki2]

Apprentices never have and never will make the same wages as experienced craftsperson’s in any trade. That is not how the world spins and is simply not going to happen, not even to the bosses son who is just starting out. Apprenticeships is a very ancient practice. Even the organized labor unions have apprenticeship programs. The masons were organized into masters and apprentices systems centuries ago for doing stone work for building cathedrals and castles. So were the teamsters unions back when there were no motor vehicles. Trade schools were one paid to attend and get taught came along later.

If Walmart is conducting this program there will be plenty of book work and class time to go with time on the road. Lots of videos too, very likely computer simulation time with students presented eith scenarios while doing a simulated drive on highways and city streets including the use of feet for breaks and shifting gears while steering. If you are going to do a program and do it right a company the size of Walmart can set up such equipment. It works for pilot training and remember many of the younger generation grew up using lots of computer simulation games. Those simulators require quick and coordinated reaction times. Not crashing and burning is already a long time practiced goal.

I never did like those types of video games, poor me My coordinated skill sets lie in making physical objects with tools and designing objects in 3D CAD.

 

[Gr8ful]

It's getting paid to learn a valuable trade which with enough experience will be a very valuable career. Like my son becoming an AEP lineman. When he completed the training his pay doubled. Now he teaches newbies part time & makes $125k with no student loans & no unpaid 4 years like university. Best of all he loves it.

 

[LargeMarge]

...4th of July week...

.
Independence Day week.
Or we could go straight to Independence Week.
Independence Lifetime...

 

[maki2]

Heatwave week!Low 90s. But a good breeze out of the north in the afternoon! Fortunately I have a nearby air conditioned cooling station, at the Pilot gas station which is a short drive away. There is a McDonalds there. For the price of a iced, large cold drink I can sit inside in the cold AC for a while and use the free internet too. Plus take along a small bag of garbage. Good to do that chore as a bonus. There are a lot of foreign languages at that McDonslds as it is a stop when heading to the Grand Canyon. But it is way too hot to visit the Canyon, triple digit hot. in a July heatwave! Poor tourist