There are many truck driving jobs in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and many employers are reporting difficulty hiring. Some jobs may come with camp accommodations, while others may include a living out allowance or a retention bonus. Do your research to determine which company will fit with what is important to you.
December 2007
The road to a future in trucking is paved with hard work and long days, but many drivers feel the benefits outweigh the challenges. And fortunately for those people, Fort McMurray employers, as well as those across Canada, are reporting a shortage of skilled truck drivers. The word on the street is there are a lot of jobs out there and not enough qualified people to fill them.
However, insurance requirements and training costs make it challenging for younger people to get into the industry. Even after meeting the requirements, “they certainly aren’t qualified to jump into a tractor trailer unit and hit the road,” says Mayne Root, executive director for the Alberta Motor Transport Association. “The company then has to provide them with on-the-job training and mentoring to get them to the point where they can safely operate the equipment and handle the freight.”
Company training
According to Canada’s Driving Force: Phase 2 (www.cthrc.com), a report published in 2007 by the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council, employers feel that most prospective drivers are not properly trained or qualified for driving positions. But the study also found that a large proportion of employers provide no training or only limited training to their drivers. And while some employers may provide mentoring and internships, employers generally do not hire people under 21 years of age.
Contrary to popular belief, insurance companies do cover people who are under 21, as long as they are old enough to hold the licence. Rates may be higher, which is probably the reason for the industry-wide practice. Also, drivers who haul to the United States must be at least 21 years old and be able to pass U.S. drug testing requirements.
Canada’s Driving Force report states that the highest number (32 per cent) of people taking a Class 1 licence test were 35 to 44 years old. Only 17 per cent of the applicants were under 25 years old. The higher licencing age shows that people are not entering the industry straight from high school, and probably also means that trucking is not a first career.
A good way to get into this industry is to start out in a driving job that only needs a Class 5, such as driving a five-ton delivery truck or working as a swamper (someone who helps drivers, often in oil and gas transportation). This is also a good option for a young person wanting to get into the industry. After a few years, they will have the experience employers require.
Drug testing
In Fort McMurray, employers are having difficulty finding qualified workers. They cite problems such as drivers not being able to pass site-access drug tests; not being able to physically handle the job; job hopping; and not enough experience.
Some companies in the Fort McMurray area do not enforce drug testing, but many of the oilsands sites do require it, so drivers should be able to pass a test. Ambrose Rumbolt, president and CEO of Oilsands Expediting, says it is sometimes difficult to find drivers that can pass the drug test. “The drug testing for site access in this area seems to be an issue and it’s what the sites require,” says Rumbolt.
Job hopping
Employers in Fort McMurray find that employees do not have as much company loyalty as they once had and the result is job hopping.
“The advantages are not in the hands of the employer, that’s for sure. They know that the demand is out there [in any industry]. For $0.50, $0.75 an hour, a driver will go somewhere else,” says Earl Drummond, operations manager of Legal Freight (Canadian Freightways).
While changing jobs is possible, it is not recommended. Someone who has had many jobs in a short period of time does not look trustworthy and employers may not hire them because of it. Also, benefits generally do not start until a person has worked with a company for at least three months.
What you need
For job seekers looking to get into driving, characteristics to have are good health and vision, time management skills and a customer service orientation. A person should like driving and not mind driving long hours and in poor weather. Often driving jobs include a large amount of lifting and moving freight, so a person must be physically able to handle the job.
Long vs. short
Long haul drivers transport goods over long distances and can drive at any time of day or night and work long hours. Short haul drivers transport goods over shorter distance and drivers have the benefit of being home every evening.
Companies may include living allowance, retention bonuses, camp accommodations or any number of other bonuses. Some companies also help drivers get their licence. In this arrangement, they may ask the employee to sign a contract and if they stay with the company for a certain length of time (e.g. a year) the company will cover some or all of the cost of training. With the cost of training and the test being well over $1,000, this can be a significant amount.
Salary and pay
Salary varies by the type of truck (e.g. tractor trailer, five-ton delivery truck), the kind of driving (e.g. long haul, short haul), the company and the employee’s experience.
By looking at recent job postings and talking to employers, Class 1 drivers in Fort McMurray can make from $25 to $35 per hour depending on experience. Class 3 truck drivers can make from $22 to $28 per hour. Class 5 drivers start at about $21 to $25 per hour.
See further in this issue for definitions of the different classes.
Training
There are many different kinds of programs and courses available to learn how to drive Class 1 or 3 trucks. Facilities that provide training in the Fort McMurray area are:
Also, job seekers may be able to receive funding to upgrade their driver level from Class 3 to Class 1 if the eligibility criteria is met. Applicants must have a letter of employment from an employer saying they will hire the person if they get their Class 1 licence. Contact Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry in Fort McMurray, CHOICES Employment Services, or Franco Job for more information (see Career and Employment Services for contact information.
Where are the jobs?
A good place to start looking for trucking jobs is with the links on page 2. Another option is to visit a Fort McMurray employment service provider or call the Wood Buffalo Labour Market Information hotline (780-715-0222) for an Employer Contact List. It lists some of the employers in the Fort McMurray area with their preferred contact information. Also, view websites of employers working in the Fort McMurray area at www.woodbuffalo.net/linksEMPL7NOC.html.
The information in this issue of Labour Market News was current as of the date shown. Employment outlook, salaries and educational programs may change. Please verify the information with additional sources before making career or business investment decisions. Contact us for more information.
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