10-4 Magazine / May 2025 49 more elusive, hiding in the shadows, waiting for those willing to ferret out the rewards. How many of us are actively watching for those chances? By the same token, not all opportunities offered are going to work for all people. A word to the wise here – know your limitations. If you have been hauling refrigerated freight and an opening presents itself for heavy haul, that may not be a good fit for you. Now, if they (the new company) are willing to start you at an entry level position and allow you to work your way up through advanced training, that might be different. By all means, expand your potential (choice). The economic situation here is changing almost daily, and according to many of the talking heads, we are going to run out of workers before we run out of work. I’m not so sure that’s true, but I’m not the one getting paid a 7-figure salary. Let’s assume it is true – this will open a lot of choices in the jobs market. Think back a few years ago, and ask yourself, “What did you do to earn a living then?” Most of today’s drivers had some other job before getting their CDL. Have you updated your resume? Are you going to need one, or will something fall in your lap unexpectedly? Just an idea, it never hurts to be prepared for your next chance at prosperity. One of the luxuries of living in a free country is the opportunity to change your personal course of employment. There was a time when our parents told us to dream big, saying, “The sky is the limit.” We may have believed them to a point. However, this year we witnessed a private citizen offer his company’s services to rescue astronauts stranded in space. Maybe the sky isn’t the limit, and we have far more potential than any of us ever even thought. The concrete cowboys of yesterday may in fact become the pilots of rocket transporters in space. No, I don’t see Peterbilt or Kenworth manufacturing the next space shuttle, but I’m sure they will be involved in the transportation of them. In short, this means there are job openings in all aspects of this industry. Trucking is more than just holding the steering wheel. For every new company developed or expanded there will be residual and related jobs that translate to “new” opportunities (change). The choices you make now can greatly affect the horizons you see later. How many of you owner operators have experience doing routine repairs? Those are going to be valuable services in the future. Have you pursued the option of getting certified? Some certifications can be obtained online in your spare time or through night school classes locally. As long as there are truck drivers there will be a need to fix trucks. I’m a firm believer that if you gave them (daily drivers) a rubber hammer and a steel ball bearing, they will break one of them. Not all these jobs are going to be blue collar or labor intensive. Someone will be needed to manage all this. There will be purchasing agents, inventory managers, design engineers and many technicians of all stripes. Do you have the desire to seek out these opportunities? Are you making choices to put yourself in a better position for advancement? There are many opportunities to attend night classes or advanced training for specialized operations. There is going to be a need for more trucks and, in many cases, specialized trailers with operators capable of handling them – could this be your calling moving forward? Have you looked over your current financials? Are they up to date with your
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