“Freight may fall as economy stalls
Oct 14, 2010 11:25 AM, By Sean Kilcarr, senior editor
Recent data indicates freight shipments are in decline across the U.S. – signs of a broader “economic stall” that would limit gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the quarters ahead.

The Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI), which measures of the flow of goods to U.S. factories, retailers, and consumers, fell 0.5% in September after declining 1% in August. The decline indicates four consecutive months of limited to no increases in over-the-road movement of produce, raw materials, goods-in-process and finished goods since the PCI peaked in May 2010.
Moreover, Ed Leamer, chief PCI economist and director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast, says these PCI numbers indicate anemic growth in GDP for the third quarter of 0.7% to 1.7%. “It tells us that inventory is stalled on the nation’s thoroughfares,” he added. “Our economy’s loss in traction is alarming and … may foretell a coming decline in GDP and spike in unemployment.”
However, Leamer stressed that with residential investment, consumer durables, business spending, and other component indicators already at or near record lows relative to GDP, it remains unlikely that the U.S. would experience an outright decline back into recession.
“What’s clear from the PCI is that the economy has stalled,” Craig Manson, senior vp and index expert for Ceridian, told Fleet Owner. “Now it will be interesting to see where we go, because October is a key month for trucking.”
The sequential quarterly drop in the PCI is what concerns Leamer the most. He noted that the PCI began 2010 strongly with the first quarter 9.7% above the fourth quarter of 2009. However, the second quarter was only 6.2% above the first, and now the third quarter has increased a mere 2.1% above the second.
“In sum, over the course of the year, growth of the PCI has become less and less, edging toward zero,” he pointed out.
“Peak season demand trends diverged in September, with trends above-seasonal in rail and below- seasonal in truckload and airfreight,” noted Jon Langenfeld, transportation analyst with investment firm Robert W. Baird & Co., in the company’s most recent “Freight Flows” brief.
Langenfeld added that “diverging” freight trends highlight a “divided economy,” which is a function of exposure to different economic segments. Rail and LTL trends are influenced more by industrial/manufacturing activity, while truckload trends are more exposed to retail/consumer and inventory trends.
“We believe industrial trends can remain positive into 2011, given constructive outlooks provided by industrial-related manufacturers in recent weeks,” Langenfeld said. “On the other hand, though consumer deleveraging has been quicker to materialize than expected, debt levels remain well above historical norms; and inventory levels across the supply chain have largely normalized.”
Additionally, he pointed out that September’s truckload demand moderation limits upside expectation for third-quarter TL results, and if this trend continues could put pressure on the “consensus expectations” for the TL sector next year.
Other economic indicators are none too rosy, either. The Conference Board noted that its Employment Trends Index (ETI) declined moderately in September to stand at 97.0, down from August’s revised figure of 97.3. The index is up 9.3% from a year ago, but up just 0.6% from April, said Gad Levanon, associate director of macroeconomic research for the group.
“While continued slow job growth remains the most likely scenario over the next several months, the ETI suggests that the likelihood of another episode of job losses is increasing,” Levanon added. “As employment lags changes in the economy, and with GDP growth forecasted to slow even further in early 2011, we may see negative job numbers next year.”
Still, despite the poor showing of these various metrics, Ceridian’s Manson stressed that there are still some positive factors to consider.
“The ray of hope is that year-over-year – from September 2009 to September 2010 – the PCI is up 5.8%, representing the tenth straight month of growth,” he pointed out. “Yet year-over-year growth has continued to fall since May’s exceptional 9% number to 5.8% in September – and PCI results need to reach 10% to 15% year-over-year growth for a healthy job market. So though we remain in recovery, the tepid growth says our economy lacks the energy to drive employment in the near term.”

http://fleetowner.com/management/news/freight-may-fall-stalled-economy-1014/

This is great news for those in the trucking industry who are wanting a stable job.  The statistics shown in the Transport Topics Article states:

“Trucking added 5,900 jobs last month, bringing the total to 1.24 million jobs. The trucking industry’s payrolls rose 5.9% from July 2009, Labor figures showed.

Overall, the economy lost 131,000 jobs, led by a cut of 143,000 temporary federal census jobs that ended. Private employers added 71,000 jobs, following a 31,000 gain in June.”

The transportation  industry is showing a lot of promise. Everyone from mechanics to freight brokers are all seeing positive signals.

Truckinginfo.com wrote a similar article expressing excitement about more Truck Driving Jobs in the last four months.  Bob Costello, the chief economist of American Trucking Assoc. stated: “To be sure, this rate of growth is not as fast as one would expect after such a sever recession, but it is evident that the private sector is adding to payrolls.”

It seems to me that now is the time to get into the truck driving business and make the money and have the stability that most Americans are looking for right now.

There are a couple of very large Trucking Companies that actually hire those who are accepted into their truck driving schools.  And since the companies train, they make sure their curriculums are focused on safety and success in driving.

Go online and research Trucking Companies and look for those that guarantee a job to those accepted into their truck driving schools.

Visit these sites for the full and complete articles.

http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=24937

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=71283

Through these letters they are able to teach the students about the importance of truck drivers in our country and incorporate lessons about geography, history, math and English. As the class receives these things from the driver they can respond with notes or cards asking the driver questions or simply responding to what the driver has said.

The driver is encouraged to go and visit the class at least once a year and possibly take their truck to show the kids. The students LOVE this and it creates even more opportunities to teach and learn.

I think this is such a fun idea implemented by C.R. England. It creates a great way to give back to the community while at the same time providing drivers with a sense of satisfaction as they strengthen the community in their own way. While truck driving is a growing and important industry it is a great idea to teach elementary age kids about this career. It gives both parties an opportunity to interact and learn more. I can imagine the satisfaction it would give a driver as they saw the interest that these young students have in what they do everyday. Any driver for C.R. England can be considered for this program so if you are interested please contact Jeanie at jeanib@crengland.com or at qcom ext 3824. I would encourage any driver to get involved and give back in any way that they can!

First of all, CR England is the largest refrigerated trucking company in the nation.  They have been around for 90 years and specialize in freight that is temperature sensitive, such as chemicals, meat, produce, dairy products, and beverages.  With that said, here is a top 10 lists as to why CR England is a better company to work for:

1. Drivers receive more of their net check from CR England than other companies because they have the longest length of haul in the industry.
2. Their driver trainers have the opportunity to make up to $85,000.
3. Fleet is top of the line and new.  And, they only use top quality trailer brands for their refrigeration equipment.
4. There is more than 800 support staff to help their drivers.
5. They know their stuff because they have been in business for 90 years.
6. CR England has been family owned for 4 generations.
7. The Safety Management Program is top quality, keeping safety for the drivers in mind.
8. This company cares about the people!  They haul emergency supplies at no cost to areas that have been hit by natural disasters.
9. They are Award winners of the 2009 SmartWay Transport Excellence for going green.
10. As a charter member of the Healthy Trucking Association, they care about the health of their drivers.

As I wrote this top 10 list, I realized why people were talking so good about CR England. If you are interested in looking at their great qualities or want more information about working for this company, go to www.CREngland.com to see for yourself. We are always looking for experienced drivers and students who want to learn the ropes in an exciting field.

The main discussion was dedicated to JB Hunt trucking and PAM trucking. Both companies have seen a slow down and reduce the number of tractors they have on the road.

According to the article one retailer in particular, Dillard’s Inc has reduced its inventory by almost 20 percent over the last year. The article points to cash strapped consumers as the root cause of the reduced inventores. The article points out that consumers ae saving money due to the countless lay offs and furloughs.

The article stated that JB Hunt trucking cut their tractor count by 1200 in 2008. PAM has also cut almost 300 trucks from its fleet. With less freight to haul its no wonder the companies have tride to cut back and reduce their power unit count.  Another note from the article was an announcement that JB Hunt made to sell an additional 700 tractors with a large portion of the sale coming from its intermodel and dedicated fleets.

Another important issue covered in the article was the issue of employment. With reduced freight quantities comes fewer truck driving jobs. PAM trucking along with cutting its fleet has had total miles traveled each work day drop by almost 100 miles. That is a significant number for any trucking comapny.

The article also mentioned how large retailers like walmart are doing what they can to save as well. Walmart for example has moved more cases in fewer miles during this economic slow down. That means fewer truck loads for other carriers to move for them.

More information on PAM trucking and JB Hunt form the original article written by Kim Souza and Lana F. Flowers of The Morning News can be found at   http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/09/12/business/091309bistruck.txt

The amount that employment for trucking companies dropped was 0.3 % seasonally adjusted. This information comes from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and was released to the general public on September 4th, 2009.

The job losses of August bring the total number of Truck driving jobs lost so far this year just over 80,000, with a year over year number close to 130,000 jobs lost.

Since the pace of total jobs lost is slowing, this could be sign the we are on the right road to getting a recovery. Certainly we are not out of the woods yet. And having a jobs number that says the industry is still shedding jobs is proof of that. But overall if this is the last job loss number we see for a while, could mean that as freight increases, trucking companies will need to hire once again to keep pace with demand.

Large carriers like CR England and Con-Way have certainly been affected by the slow down. CR England has even continued to recruit and hire drivers through the slow down. Truck driving jobs information can be found at http://www.CREngland.com .

There are a great number of good reasons for someone to become a truck driver. First and foremost among those reasons would be the great pay. Did you realize that most truckers, their first year out on the road, earn an average of $35,000 a year? And, that after just a few years out, those same truckers are making an average of $45,000-$50,000 annually? And finally, veteran drivers who own their own trucks make average salaries that are over $100,000 a year. What other profession can you get into, where the pay is that good?One other great reason to get into trucking??.. is the chance to see some of this great country of ours. How many states have you been to? Are you one of those people who haven?t been to very many places? Well, get into trucking and you will have the opportunity to explore America. See why most people consider this to be not only the greatest country in the world, but also the most beautiful one as well. What other country has sights like The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, New England in the fall, and so much more? Want to explore America? Become a trucker.One other great thing about being a trucker is the camaraderie that you feel with your fellow truckers. It?s a special bond, much like the bond that people who are in the military feel. You and your fellow truckers know that you are doing a job that is vital, Vital for the country. For without trucking, we would be in a heap of trouble. Do you have any idea how many products that you use, that are delivered by truck? The percentage of products delivered by truck is around 78%. So think about something that you use (car; food; pharmaceuticals; etc.) and there?s a really good chance that it got to you, by truck.Trucking is not an easy job. I won?t try to make it seem like it is. For one thing, you?re away from home a lot. But even that, you do have some control over. For example, if you?re the type who likes to be home quite a bit, there are truck driving jobs where the drivers are home every weekend, and in some cases, there are trucking jobs where the drivers are home every night. It must be noted though, that some of those jobs don?t pay as well as the long haul jobs do.Is trucking for you? Only you can decide that. If you think that it is for you, the first step is to enter a truck driving school. There are great schools located in every region of this country.

Why Become A Truck Driver?

Many of the unemployed from Wilcox County Alabama were laid off when a Weyerhauser plant closed and the logging business slowed down. R.J. Browder of Browder Veneer Co. said that business had slowed so much that he had no choice but to halt production. “Flooring and furniture makers cut back their orders for hardwood veneer, thin sheets of poplar, oak and sweet gum peeled off logs and dried in an oven, and with a warehouse stuffed full of product, Browder said he had no choice.”

Closure like these certainly many industries from the jobs truck drivers do to the local restuarants.

Wilcox county is not the only area in alabama suffereiung with economic woes. The article says other counties have had employmenyt problems, but that they are thinking outside the box and trying to bring iin new businesses into their area.

Certainly many people have been effected by the economy. CR England however is still hiring through the economic down turn. CR England has many CDL jobs open and can even offer cdl training to those that need it.

If your finding yourself in a situation as those form Alabama and are looking for a new career tat offers great pay and benefits visit our truck driving school website @ www.CREngland.com .

The original article writen by Jeff Amy, Press-Register from AL.com can be found at http://blog.al.com/live/2009/07/wilcox_county_rural_alabama_we.html

Both the medical examiner and the truck job applicant play an important role in the process of DOT medical certification. The department of transportation has set forth a code of ethics
pertaining to the medical examiner. It is assumed that if a physician performs a DOT medical exam, he/she is familiar with the regulations and will enforce them.

On the other hand, the truck driver is also held accountable for the truthfulness of the medical exam. If an applicant does not disclose medical information in order to gain certification, the medical certificate could be considered invalid and a civil penalty could possibly levied against the driver. So, in order to comply with safety, the medical examiner must enforce the regulations and the driver must provide the necessary medical information in order to qualify.

Here are some tips so you may be prepared:

1. Bring a copy of your previous DOT medical long form to your next DOT medical exam
2. Bring a list of the current medications you take and also bring the name and contact number of doctor who prescribed the medication to you.
3. When you fill out the health history portion of the long form, do your best to explain any previous or current medical condition you may have.
4. If you have high blood pressure or diabetes:
1. Make sure you are following your doctors instructions when taking your prescribed medications.
2. Be prepared to provide a log of your recent readings.
5. Supply the medical examiner with any necessary medical release(s).
1. Conditions that may warrant a medical release:
• Any cardiac history (MI, Stents “Angioplasty”, Bypass surgery, Cardiovascular conditions, Pacemaker, Valve replacement)
• Stroke
• Brain injury
• Psycho logic / psychiatric disorders (depression, ADHD, Anxiety, PTSD)
• Previous spine or joint surgery
• Chronic low back pain
• Muscular disease
• Episode of altered or loss of consciousness
• History of fainting , dizziness
• Sleep Apnea
6. Lastly, don’t wait until the last minute to re-certify!

We hope these Department of Transportation Physical tips will help you when it comes time to recertify or if your looking at testing for new truck driving jobs.

A great article from eTrucker Staff goes through the June Payroll Employment Numbers and how they relate to the truck driving jobs industry. In the article they discuss the some of the month over month changes from May to June.

Here is the article:

“Trucking jobs drop in June”- By eTrucker Staff

Payroll employment among for-hire trucking companies in June dropped 0.9 percent from May levels and 9.2 percent from June 2008 on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The latest numbers also reflect a slight upward revision in trucking employment levels for May and a slight downward revision for April.

With the estimated 11,000 jobs lost in May, the trucking industry has lost more than 75,000 jobs since the end of 2008 – a decline of 5.6 percent. Job cuts since the beginning of August when trucking jobs cuts began to accelerate total 124,700, or 9 percent. The BLS numbers reflect all payroll employment in for-hire trucking, but they don’t include trucking-related jobs in other industries, such as a truck driver for a private fleet.

Seasonally adjusted trucking employment peaked in January 2007 at more than 1.45 million, according to BLS figures. Since then, for-hire trucking companies have shed nearly 189,000 jobs, or 13 percent.

In May, the decline in trucking employment slightly outpaced that in the entire U.S. economy. Nonfarm payroll employment fell by 467,000 jobs or 0.4 percent from May to June on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to June 2008, non-farm payroll employment is down 4.1 percent.

This complete and original article can be found at http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=79941