Author: Paradigm Media

Here at DriveCo, we want everyone to be fully informed about the trends affecting the trucking industry in 2023. Today, we are covering the four main trends you can expect in 2023.

Different Production Centers

During the past few years, there has been a shift in where production centers are located. Illinois and Ohio are some of the states that are seeing the most growth. The two jobs moving to our neighboring states will be dry vans and refrigerated trucks. This is excellent news for everyone at DriveCo, as it will increase the number of jobs for our graduates.

Increased Technology

2023 will be another year in which technology in trucking continues to grow and improve. New trucks are becoming the gold standard for fleets across the US due to the increased safety features and data reports built in.

One of the key technologies being developed and used helps drivers reduce the fuel their trucks consume. Telematics is being used as these help drivers shorten their routes while reducing the time the engine is idling. Telematics also collects data on driver habits that can help fleet managers and drivers eliminate bad habits.

More Job Options

Over the past three years, the trucking industry has seen an average increase of 4% in employment. This number shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon as the trucking workforce ages and demand increases.

Another reason why more jobs will be available in 2023 is that the trucking industry is expanding the types of jobs available to new drivers. There has been a shift from every driver having to spend the first few years driving over the road to more regional and local jobs being available.

Continued Rise of E-Commerce

The final significant trend affecting trucking throughout 2023 is the continued rise of the E-commerce industry. The rise of E-commerce has significantly helped the trucking industry as it has created more shipping and job opportunities. We fully expect E-commerce to continue its growth which will continue to support the trucking industry.

Here at DriveCo, we help prepare you for any possible career in trucking. Our job placement team will help you find the perfect career. Contact us today to get your career started.

Driving at night is very different from driving during the day. We have compiled this list of 7 tips to help you if you have a job that requires you to drive at night.

1. Maintain a lower temperature

When you set your cabin temperature below 80 degrees, you have a better chance of staying awake. This is due to the body being unable to get entirely comfortable, thus staying awake.

2. Dim inside lights

When your dashboard lights are too bright, you can become disoriented when looking back and forth. This can cost you valuable seconds of reaction time as your eyes need time to adjust. The best way to combat this is in most modern trucks; there is the option to dim the dashboard lights. Doing this will help reduce the time your eyes need to adjust.

3. Make more frequent stops

By making more stops, you break up the monotony of your drive. When you stop, get out of the cab to stretch and walk around. This will help you get your blood moving and keep you awake. This also enables you to get in some exercise to keep you healthy.

4. Drive more defensively

It is best to take on a more defensive driving style when driving at night. This will help you avoid any major incidents at any time of day but also help you remain safe on the road. This can be staying more alert and cautious while also reducing your speed. If you have any doubt about action while driving at night, it is most likely not the best choice.

5. Don’t be afraid to Nap

Before making your nighttime drive, if you have the chance, try to take a nap before setting off. Try to keep the Nap to at most 30 minutes. This will let your body sleep and have you driving for longer without feeling tired.

6. Don’t eat heavy

When you eat before hitting the road or during your trip, it is best practice to keep your meals light. If you were to eat something heavy, this would cause your body to waste energy which can make you tired quicker. The best practice is to break up the night by eating small healthy meals or snacks. This can help break up the night; if you pair it with your breaks, you can keep yourself awake.

7. Mix it up in the cabin

Keep your drive interesting so that you don’t fall into a lull. This can be by changing the radio to music you like and singing along, turning the radio off, and letting your brain take a break. Another way to mix it up is to roll down your windows to allow a blast of cold air to help wake you up.

By following these tips, you can make your drives at night better and safer. Nothing is more dangerous than driving while falling asleep so if these tips aren’t working for you, make sure you pull over. It is better to be safe than sorry.

 

If you are interested in getting your Class A CDL, contact us today to get started.

Trucking’s Role in each IndyCar Team

The Indianapolis (Indy) 500 takes place each year on Memorial Day weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana, yet plans for the event start at the end of the previous race. Truck drivers have a vital role to the overall success of the race. Truckers have to haul every piece of racing equipment into Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the previous race on the IndyCar calendar. This means the equipment is being transported over-the-road, across the country to Indianapolis each May. Each Indy 500 race has 12 full season teams, with three extra teams only racing during the 500. That brings the total number of drivers to 33.

Each team hires professional truck drivers for the season to ensure their cars make it to each race on the calendar. Every team must move the cars by trailer from racetrack to racetrack and ensure that nothing breaks in transport. When IndyCar has multiple races in one area, they split up the logistics to care for each part. For example, all IndyCar’s use Firestone tires hauled from race to race on two trailers holding 700-plus tires each. Each car needs enough spare tires to get through practice, qualifying, and the race. As for the remaining equipment, teams divide it amongst three more trailers. This brings the total amount of trailers for the cars to six per team because each car also gets its own trailer.

Each truck is driven by a team of drivers, so the trucks don’t have to stop to rest on the way to their destinations. Nearly all teams require their trucks to return to headquarters after each race to perform necessary repairs. It also gives the team’s engineers a chance to check the equipment before the next race. That means the driver teams must make two cross-country trips per race. Many times, these drivers also help set up the pit lanes once they arrive at each track.

Finally, after the race is over, the truck need to be packed back up and head to their next destination. Depending on the damage done to the cars during the race, the re-packing process can take more than an hour post-race. The drivers then prepare for the next race on the schedule. If the next race is more than a week away, the drivers set off for the team headquarters to inspect all of the car’s parts.

Logistics for the Indy 500

The Speedway itself also needs a fleet of trucks to have enough food, merchandise, and drinks for the 400,000-person crowd. For the Indy 500, this requires approximately 15 truckloads. When it comes to the amount of merchandise required for the race each year, there are about 10 truckloads brought in.

This brings the total number of trucks coming to and from the Indy 500 each May to 63 trucks. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and each IndyCar team handle logistics for their team so that each race can go smoothly. Most of the teams have mastered the logistics required for the race by now, as most have been running in the Indy 500 for many years.

Does this sound like an event you want to be a part of? DriveCo CDL can help prepare you for jobs like these during our Class A CDL training. Contact us today to reserve your seat!

The ELDT Mandate has officially gone into effect on February 7, 2022, which means there are changes in the trucking industry. What do these changes mean for you as a student and the CDL school you decide to attend?

What Is the ELDT Mandate?

The Entry-Level Driver Training Mandate is a new set of federal training rules that all certified CDL training schools must follow. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) has designed the ELDT Mandate to make trucking safer for everyone involved. All new drivers entering the industry will receive the same standardized training.

How Does it Affect Students?

Students are affected by the ELDT Mandate in two distinct ways. First, anyone taking their CDL test will need to have received training from an FMCSA approved training provider. Secondly, training is now be standardized for all students. CDL training includes the following rules:

Theory Training:

  • No minimum number of hours; must score at least 80% on the assessment
  • Lectures, demonstrations, computer-based, online learning, etc.
  • May use a simulator
  • Topics covered:
    • Basic Operation
    • Safe Operating Procedures
    • Advanced Operation Procedures
    • Vehicle Systems and Reporting Malfunctions
    • Non-Driving Activities (e.g., Hours of Service)

Behind-The-Wheel Training:

  • The actual operation of a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) is equal to the type of vehicle the Class of CDL covers.
  • Takes place on a range and public roads
  • May not use a simulator to meet requirements
  • No minimum number of hours, the training provider will assess and determine each student’s proficiency.

ELDT forces schools to adhere to the FMCSA training rules while also requiring that all schools register and self-certify the following:

Curriculum:

  • Must meet the new FMCSA changes listed above

Facilities:

  • All facilities must follow all Federal, State, and Local regulations.

Instructors:

  • Theory and Behind-The-Wheel Instructors must meet one of two requirements:
    • Instructors must hold a CDL of the same or higher class. They will also have the required endorsements to operate the CMV that schools provide during training. Must also have at least two years of experience driving a CMV that requires a CDL of the same or higher class.
    • They will also maintain the required endorsements to operate the CMV that the schools provide in training. Must have at least two years of experience as a Behind-The-Wheel CMV instructor.

State Licensing:

  • Schools must be licensed, certified, registered, or authorized to provide training per the applicable laws and regulations of any State where training is in person.

Vehicles:

  • All behind-the-wheel training vehicles must comply with applicable Federal and State safety requirements.
  • Training vehicles must be in the same group and type that driver-trainees intend to operate for their CDL skills test.

At DriveCo, our CDL training already adhered to all the required standards before the FMCSA implemented the ELDT mandate. We are also proudly registered within the FMCSA Training Provider Registry.

 

Are you ready to get your ELDT certified Class A CDL? Contact us at 219-336-8722 today, and our team can answer any questions you might have or get you started!

When students get their CDL, they mainly focus on what company they want to work for and not on the type of work they will be doing. The three main types of employment for new drivers are OTR (Over the Road), regional, and local driving. While all three of these jobs have similarities, certain differences make it an important decision for all new drivers when considering career options.

Over the Road

OTR driving is the most common job for new truck drivers. Many times, it is the way drivers gain the experience needed to move on to other jobs. While OTR drivers haul similar freight as regional drivers, the main difference is the number of miles these drivers travel to make these deliveries.

  • Pros
    • Highest pay: Truck drivers are paid by the mile, making OTR drivers the highest paid of the three jobs. The average salary of an OTR driver is around $55,000 starting.
    • Travel: OTR drivers are tasked with taking freight across the lower 48 states, which means they get to see the full beauty of the United States.
    • Independence: OTR drivers set their driving schedules as long as they deliver their load on time. Drivers are able to drive when they deem best for themselves without anyone constantly looking over their shoulders.
  • Cons
    • Home Time: Many OTR drivers are gone for weeks, which means that the amount of home time they get is minimal. Most drivers average one day home per two weeks.
    • Lonesome: OTR drivers are on the road by themselves for long periods, which gets lonely.
    • Health: Drivers have minimal access to healthy food while on the road. This, combined with being behind the wheel for long hours, makes living a healthy lifestyle hard but not impossible for drivers.

Regional

Regional trucking is the best blend of OTR driving and local driving. For regional drivers, their work is focused within geographic regions of the United States. These regions usually are 4-5 states and don’t go past a 1000-mile range. Regional drivers also have more dedicated routes to deliver to instead of the independence that OTR drivers have.

  • Pros
    • Home-time: Regional drivers spend the week on the road but can come home on the weekends to spend time with family.
    • Travel: Drivers can still see the US as they drive throughout their region, but they have less travel time than OTR drivers.
    • Relationships: Regional drivers can make relationships with customers as they are likely to make deliveries to the same customer repeatedly.
  • Cons
    • Stricter Deadlines: Many of the jobs that regional drivers take will be back-to-back to return to their home state. Many jobs will have tight turnaround times, which can leave the driver stuck in their truck.

Local

Local drivers typically deliver in a 100-mile radius which means they can be home in the evenings. These drivers also tend to make the same deliveries each day.

  • Pros
    • Home-time: Since local drivers operate within a 100-mile radius, they can return home for the evenings during the week and could be off on the weekends depending on the company they work for.
    • Health: Being home for dinner and close to home for other meals means that local drivers have easier access to healthier meals. Local drivers are also in charge of loading and unloading their trucks, leading to less time sitting behind the wheel.
    • Consistent routine: Local drivers are given their routes and deliveries at the start of the day, which provides the driver with the ability to schedule things outside of work.
    • Relationships: Drivers build relationships by making constant deliveries to the same people over time. Local takes this to the next level as drivers build relationships daily with customers. They also are able to stay in close contact with their families.
  • Cons
    • Pay: Due to local drivers not traveling as far, the pay opportunities are less than regional or OTR drivers. The average starting salary for local drivers is $41,000.
    • Manual Labor: Regional and OTR drivers, once they have arrived at a pickup or drop-off point, their part of the job is mostly over as there will be a team that loads or unloads their truck. Local drivers load and unload the truck on their own, which leads to more manual labor for the driver.
    • Longer hours: Many local drivers work similar hours to OTR drivers; however, they usually don’t get to choose when they start and stop. Many drivers feel like they get home just in time to go to sleep and start the next day again.

Students who graduate with their CDL have many options available to them to decide which type of job they take. Recognizing the difference between the three types of driving jobs will help students decide what career option best suits them.

Now that you’ve seen not all trucking jobs are the same, contact DriveCo to get your CDL and get started today!

The 2021 year is being forecasted as a transitional year for the trucking industry. The economy and truck driver demand are expected to bounce back throughout 2021 from the negative impacts the pandemic and have an upward trend going into the 2022 year. Anyone looking to become a professional truck driver should strongly consider starting your training as we move toward 2021!

Economic Rebound

Even though the economy took a hit in 2020, the need for truckers hauling freight is still high. E-commerce and online shopping sales have never been higher, and they are only expected to increase in the coming years. This means America will continue to need drivers to move more and more freight. FTR Transportation Intelligence forecasts that truck freight will grow 6% in 2021, which should be considered strong growth when looking at year-over-year comparisons.

The trucking industry will need to hire more drivers to meet the growing freight demands. Currently, the trucking industry has a shortage of drivers. Unfortunately, if this trend continues, the trucking industry could have a shortage of over 100,000 drivers by 2023. Even though this number is high, it is good news for new drivers. New drivers will have a variety of jobs to choose from after obtaining their CDL.

Increase Pay Rates

Another reason to get a career in the trucking industry is the increased pay rates that companies are currently implementing to beginner drivers. Spot rates are increasing compared to earlier in 2020 due to the high demand. Drivers are seeing new rates that are much more incentivizing to them. The average salary for a truck driver right now is between $55,000-$60,000 with an entry-level driver making between $40,000-$50,000. The more experience drivers gain, the more their pay can increase. Pay rates can also increase with different certifications and licenses, such as hazmat or oversized loads.

Fast Training

Fortunately, CDL training does not take long, meaning individuals who want to obtain their CDL can be driving into their new career in as little as 4 weeks. Truck driving does not require years of training and learning like other careers, so students can get out and start making money quickly.

The trucking industry is always changing, so more forecasts and insights may become available as we get closer to 2021. But right now, a job in the trucking industry could give you a long successful career! If you would like to get your CDL and start your trucking career, contact DriveCo CDL Learning Center today and see which campus is closest to you!