Rounding out the rest of the group of ten! who started yesterday are Eloise, Jacob, Josh, Rob, “CJ” and Ron. We’re looking forward to a fun filled three weeks of working together!

Manufacturing rose nearly 1 percent in December, according to the Federal Reserve, marking the largest gain since December 2010. Factory production has grown by 15 percent in the past two years, which means business for commercial truck drivers is on the rise and giving hope to economists that the economy is headed in the right direction.

Signs “that manufacturing in the U.S. is gaining global market share appears to be growing, and this could be an important dynamic supporting growth in 2012,” said John Ryding of RDQ Economics in an Associated Press article.

The more goods produced by factories the more goods that will need to be shipped by commercial trucks. However, the boost in factory output isn’t just starting a rise in the commercial truck business, but aiding an industry that has already been experiencing rapid growth and rising demand for more professionally trained drivers that can help trucking carriers keep up with the growing demand.

If you would like to take advantage of the strong growth being experienced in the commercial trucking industry then you might want to consider completing the West Michigan CDL training program where some of the nation’s top drivers are trained and where some of the nation’s best carriers often look for future employees.

According to ACT Research, used class 8 truck sales increased 13 percent in December 2011 when compared to the previous month. The research firm also found that trailer orders were up 38 percent in 2011 when compared to the previous year.

The commercial trucking industry has experienced dramatic growth over the past few years and is looking to keep up with demand, as there is often more work than there are drivers.

“Following some mid-year sponginess, the trailer industry ended 2011 on a particularly strong note,” Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst at ACT, said in a Truckers News article. “Orders in December were a virtual duplication of November’s five-year high, backlogs rose to their highest level this cycle, and cancellations were virtually non-existent.”

As the economy rebounds – particularly in the areas of manufacturing and construction – and commercial truck business raises the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the growth will continue for at least the next decade, as thousands of professionally trained commercial truck drivers will be needed to keep up with demand.

The increase in truck sales – both new and used – is another indication that the trucking industry is growing and carriers are experiencing an increase in business and shipping orders.

The American Trucking Associations recently announced that the turnover rate for truck drivers in 2011 had dropped by 11 percent. However, the rate was still reported at 116 percent. Despite the positive move the turnover rate remains incredibly high and it is putting a strain on commercial trucking companies that are already finding it hard to find qualified drivers.

There are many reasons for a high turnover rate in the commercial trucking industry. The biggest reason is there are too many drivers entering the field without the right training. The demand for more drivers and more trucks is so great that many companies are hiring anyone they can find with a CDL. However, by hiring just anyone companies are putting themselves at risk of losing those drivers in less than one year as untrained truck drivers are often overwhelmed by the job. Companies would gladly hire more experienced drivers and those with professional training, but it is hard to find those drivers.

Another reason for the high turnover rates is because many job seekers are enticed to the profession because of the high demand the quick hiring practices of some companies. However, these job seekers that jump into a career as a professional truck driver without the necessary training are not likely to last.
Driving a truck is not like driving a big car. It takes skill and experience to become a professional truck driver and to be successful at it. It’s not an impossible task, and with the right training many people from all walks of life can be a successful truck driver, but it is a mistake to jump into this career without taking the proper steps.

Drivers without professional training are more likely to have an accident and new regulations make it hard to find a job with a bad driving record. Drivers without professional training are also less likely to advance and are not as good at maintaining vehicles, which is important to commercial trucking companies looking to cut down on costs.

Besides reducing your chance to quitting, receiving professional training can lead to a higher starting salary.

The potential of becoming a professional truck driver is great and it employment opportunities exists almost everywhere in the country, but it is important to start your career as a truck driver with professional training from a school like the West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School where students receive the best CDL training and are put on a path to having a long-term and satisfying career as a professional truck driver.

A 2003 law requires some Michigan motorists with bad records to pay fees of up to $1,000 a year to keep their license in good standing. Since the bill was enacted nearly 2.5 million motorists have had their license suspended due to nonpayment and the bill has been criticized as too harsh and unfair to certain segments of the population.

However, Sen. Bruce Caswell, R-Hillsdale, has introduced a bill in an effort to repeal the fee program.

“This program was created as an alleged ‘quick and easy’ fix to the state’s budget problems, but it failed to generate the money promised,” Caswell said in a statement after introducing his bill.

One of the challenges opponents of the bill face is that the state receives over $220 million in revenue each year from the fees, meaning the state budget would take a hit with the ouster of the bad driver bill.

The bill can make Michigan a tough place to drive and work for those that struggle to drive safely and is another reason why those considering a career as a commercial truck driver should participate in an accredited program like the West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School.

Students of the school’s truck driving program receive professional training on the ins and outs of driving a commercial truck, including how to operate the vehicle safely and without accident. A career as a commercial truck driver can offer good pay and long-term stability, but it is tough to keep and find a job with a bad driving record.

Part of safely driving a commercial truck involves paying attention, but there are also steps that drivers can take to improve their safety performance and those steps are covered at the West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School.

Even without a bill on the books that requires motorists to pay a fee for a bad driving record, commercial truck drivers in Michigan and beyond will find it difficult to find a good truck driving job. Part of the shortage in professional truck drivers comes from the fact that new federal regulations introduced over the last several years have made it tougher for habitually bad truck drivers to stay on the road. That has led to improved safety on the highway but it has also increased the importance of completing a commercial truck driver training program before beginning a career as a professional truck driver.

If you are looking to start a career as a commercial truck driver it is most likely that you are looking for a long-term career. If that’s the case, starting your career at the West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School is the first step in doing just that.

President Barack Obama recently signed a spending bill that includes a study by the federal government on the lack of truck parking near highways and how it impacts commercial truck drives in complying with the hours of service regulations. The bill, HR2112, extends the current level of highway funding through next year but the parking study was also included and many trucking officials say it will help address a growing problem that many of America’s truckers face.

“Truckers know that one of the biggest stressors is finding a place to park at the end of a driving shift,” said Ryan Bowley, director of legislative affairs for OOIDA. “This (bill) is the first time the FHWA has been ordered to study how that shortage of truck parking can have an impact on truckers’ ability to comply with HOS requirements.”

Bowley said the hope is that improved parking facilities can be included in any long-term highway funding measure that might be created and approved in the coming years. It can be difficult for a truck driver to comply with the hours of service regulations if there isn’t anywhere to park for the night. The shortage of commercial truck parking is becoming an even greater problem as more and more truck drivers are hitting the road to meet the increasing demand for commercial trucking services.

The parking study in HR2112 includes taking a closer look at what some states have done to successfully improve facilities for commercial trucks, which include more parking lots, improved truck maintenance facilities and dedicated truck lanes on portions of highway.

The urgency is increasing for the federal government to create solutions for the trucking industry as some estimates predict that at least another 400,000 truck drivers are needed in the coming year to keep up with the demands hitting the commercial trucking industry. These challenges are forcing the government to find solutions but it also means the commercial trucking industry is a great job market for those looking to enter a new career field. If you are looking for a job that offers strong pay and long-term stability, becoming a truck driver may be your best option.

The West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School offers some of the best truck driver training in the nation from expert instructors. Students are given the proper training and necessary skills to enter this growing profession and establish a long-term career.

The American Trucking Associations recently announced it is exploring a recruitment program for veterans, especially as the unemployment rate among veterans is rising and the demand for more drivers continues to grow.

“We are now seeing unprecedented levels of unemployment and underemployment among members of the Armed Forces when they transition out of the Military,” ATA published recently on its website.
“The promise of a secure job provides service members and their families with peace of mind, which is increasingly important.”

Many military personnel learn combat skills, but they also have been taught in mechanical maintenance, management and problem solving. Many of these skills fit in nicely in a career as a commercial truck driver.

“(Veterans) are one of the most undervalued and under-appreciated commodities that can be hired,” Sean Lenhan, a veteran’s employment program manager with the Department of Commerce, said in a Driver Jobs article. “One of the things I believe that is different is that as a veteran, on active duty, you may have had a specialty — but everybody that has served knows that’s just your primary duty. You may be doing six or seven other things as well. As a veteran and as a service member you are tasked to do a variety of collateral duties — that’s a diversified set of skills you bring to the table as a veteran.”

It’s that diversified set of skills that has led many trucking companies to look for veterans to fill the growing demand for professionally trained truck drivers. The experience of serving in the military, along with the completion of a professional truck driver training program, can launch America’s service men and women into a long-lasting career as a commercial truck driver.

At the West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School students are given professional and expert training that provides the necessary skills to enter this growing profession and establish a great career as a professional truck driver. The demand for more truck drivers grows every year as more drivers enter retirement and the need for trucks to ship freight continues to increase.

Students of West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School are already some of the most sought after applicants and students with military experience will only add to their attractiveness to some of the best trucking carriers in the country.

The positive economic news sent stocks up the following week and caused many economists to raise their expectations for the Christmas shopping season. The news is good for the economy and it is good for the commercial trucking industry, which is expected to be in high demand this holiday season.

Fears of a double-dip recession caused many retailers to cut back on ordering for the holiday season but last month’s Black Friday put a huge dent in retail supplies. Stores did not overstock their shelves, like in years past, and that means many retailers will be forced to place new orders in the coming weeks to keep up with consumer demand.

Orders by retailers will have a direct impact on the commercial trucking industry as it serves as America’s most used shipping method. Trucks will be scrambling over the next few weeks to keep up with holiday demand and that will only add to the demand for more professional truck drivers.

The West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School is helping to meet the growing demand for truck drivers by offering some of the best CDL training in the nation. Job seekers are turning to the commercial truck industry because of the demand for more drivers, attractive pay and long-term stability.

“News from carriers is good,” Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst at ACT, said in an interview with E-Trucker. “Expectations for future freight and profitability are upbeat. Coupling truckers’ positive outlook into 2012 and the better than consensus economic news supports demand levels that we are seeing in the Class 8 market.”

The growth in new truck orders is being fueled by a rapid demand in trucking services. As the economy recovers and American companies focus more on domestic shipping, it is placing a burden on the commercial trucking industry that many carriers are doing all they can to keep up with. Carriers are in need of new trucks to ship goods but they are also in need of more drivers to man those new trucks hitting the road.

You could take advantage of this growing market by completing the West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School program, where students receive professional training in the necessary skills to enter the commercial truck industry.

The American Trucking Association’s advanced non-seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index equaled 118.5 in Oct. 2011, an increase of nearly 6 percent from Oct. 2010. Overall the ATA’s tonnage reading was a bit lower than the month before but the trend continues to point to a bright future for the trucking industry as the demand for professional truck drivers continues to grow across the country.

“Tonnage readings continue to show that the economy is growing and not sliding back into recession,” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said in a release on the ATA website. “Over the last two months, tonnage is up nearly 2 percent and is just shy of the recent high in January of this year.”

ATA officials say they believe trucking freight might increase at a slower pace in 2012 but it is still expected to grow faster than the overall GDP growth.

“Manufacturing output has been the primary reason why truck freight volumes are increasing more than GDP,” Costello added. “The industrial sector should slow next year, but still grow more than GDP, which means truck tonnage can increase faster than GDP too.”

The commercial trucking industry’s growth continues to make it one of the best performing industries in America and the demand for professional and CDL trained drivers to handle that growth continues to increase. The West Michigan CDL Truck Driving School provides students with professional and expert training that provides the necessary skills to enter this growing profession and establish a long-term career.