Hey everyone,

Right now I am at a crossroads in my life and needing some advice. Currently I work in IT and I make about 30K a year. I am supposed to be getting a position upgrade that will pay 35K a year. But that was two months ago and I am still waiting. They say that this will be solved soon, but I have serious doubts. Plus I HATE my job. It's beginning to be a struggle to pull myself in here everyday to sit at a computer screen all night long.

This has got me thinking about my life, my future, my finances, and my family. I have a wife and two young sons. Right now I am home everyday, but I am close to broke. I love being with my family, but let's face it being broke is no fun, it's stressful, and it's hard to enjoy life having to worry and struggle with how your going to pay the bills.

So I got to thinking about trucking. In all honesty I never gave it much thought. My dad was a trucker for about 10 years when he retired from the Army before he passed away a few years ago. I went out on the road with him a few times and I liked it, but I never gave driving truck any thought, because my dad always drilled it in my head that I needed to go to college and get a degree and "make something of myself". Well I went to college got my degree, and this is where I am at, and now student loans are pounding on my door.

I am thinking about trucking because I love to travel, I love to see new places, a change of scenery, and I like driving. The only drawback for me is I feel guilty because I wouldn't be there for my family as much.

How do you guys handle being away from home so much? Is it something you get used to?

I am realistic, I know I won't get rich driving. But I would take some comfort knowing that I am providing well for them so when I am home we could truly enjoy life and not worry so much about money, but if I were going to make the same amount of money and still be away from home I don't think it would be worth it. I see some people on here saying that you don't make much money driving truck, especially your first year. My dad always pulled in about 900-1200 per week, but I am not sure if he ran real hard or what. What do you guys realistically make a year? What do you realistically make the first year?

Right now I am looking into Central Refrigeration, FFE, and Rhoel as possibly company training options. Any advice on these?

I am trying to do my homework and take a long hard look before I leap. I don't want any surprises and I am trying to be real about this, without sugar coating it. So any and ALL advice would be appreciated.

thanks for your time!

Chad

For the first yr you may not make much more than $35K. Then again you might.

Being away from home over the course of many months slowly starts to get easier. NOTICE I DID NOT SAY EASY. I've been doing this for 5 yrs, three of them married. Its never EASY to be gone from my wife for several weeks.


Out of your posted choices Roehl is the better pick. In your area Maverick, Watkins Shepherd, TMC, Arrow, Melton, Passmore or others may also be a viable choice.

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Hi Chad,

Brickman is on the money at about $35k the first year, and it will never get easy for you with a young family....cell phones help, and so would a laptop..your wife will need to be self reliant and ok with being separated from you for 3 weeks at a time...probably more.

Now, I find myself wondering if it is doing IT work you hate or the company your working for?

A member of our 'family' has recently landed a State Job doing IT for the Justice Department. He was unemployed for almost a year, doing small jobs as he found them, before this perm. position came through for him.

Have you looked into other avenues in that regard? ie; with the state or the Feds?

KJ

For the first yr you may not make much more than $35K. Then again you might.
Thanks, glad to hear an honest opinion. If you can make it through the first year, what do you think the earnings potential is for a 2nd year?

Being away from home over the course of many months slowly starts to get easier. NOTICE I DID NOT SAY EASY. I've been doing this for 5 yrs, three of them married. Its never EASY to be gone from my wife for several weeks.
I can imagine. I know it won't be easy at all. I will have to think long and hard still. But I know that my dad made it work, but then again we were all older.

Out of your posted choices Roehl is the better pick. In your area Maverick, Watkins Shepherd, TMC, Arrow, Melton, Passmore or others may also be a viable choice.
I will definitely look into those. Thanks for the tip.

Brickman is on the money at about $35k the first year, and it will never get easy for you with a young family....cell phones help, and so would a laptop..your wife will need to be self reliant and ok with being separated from you for 3 weeks at a time...probably more.
I have a laptop already, was thinking about getting a sprint broadband card, so hopefully we could see eachother on video and audio chat or something. I know it's not the same, but I bet that would help bringing that along. My wife is pretty self reliant already, my only worry is she can get frazzled without her own personal time.

Now, I find myself wondering if it is doing IT work you hate or the company your working for?
Not sure honestly. I wish I knew. I think it's the company or department. I have tried and tried to get my foot in the door other places, but the door keeps shutting on me. I have tried to make myself a valuable team member, and indespensable, I think there is just so much competition around here. Here (a university town) degrees are a dime a dozen, especially in IT.

A member of our 'family' has recently landed a State Job doing IT for the Justice Department. He was unemployed for almost a year, doing small jobs as he found them, before this perm. position came through for him.
I actually work for the state. The state isn't the problem, except for the fact that we just got our first raise in 5 years because the budget was frozen. But I'll take whatever they give. I have tried to get a job at the finance department in KC doing what I do, application still sitting there no word yet.

Have you looked into other avenues in that regard? ie; with the state or the Feds?
Always always on the lookout!

Personally I haven't delt with FFE.. but there is a fellow that lives not far from me that drives for them. From what I can tell he is doing GOOD!
He is home alot. Has a new mustang gt, new crotch rocket, his wife/girlfriend has a new car, and they are in a nice house. I dunno, but it just looks like he is doing good there. I would talk to him over the cb but I never catch him in the truck.

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Personally I haven't delt with FFE.. but there is a fellow that lives not far from me that drives for them. From what I can tell he is doing GOOD!
He is home alot. Has a new mustang gt, new crotch rocket, his wife/girlfriend has a new car, and they are in a nice house. I dunno, but it just looks like he is doing good there. I would talk to him over the cb but I never catch him in the truck.
Pete, thanks for the info. I checked their website and they say that 1st year's should make 40K and up, but I thought they were probably just saying pie in the sky to get the most nibbles possible. But I haven't heard anything bad about them, other than the FFE stands for Fruit Fly Express instead of Frozen Food Express.

I've heard that first yr Maverick drivers do pretty good, better than $35K and Watkins Shepherd also boasts of doing better than that.

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Fruit Fly Express are they on the winshield, in the cab, or in or around the trailer?

You may want to look into the high trucking job turnover rate also, before you make the big step....best of luck



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After hearing some of these trucker stories, you ever think about Professional Hockey, or Wrestling as a career

Truckerwannabenks....

I've had the same experience of Civil Service with frozen wages...it isn't pretty. Looking forward do you see some relief? The reason I ask is Truck Driving, while it has an aura of romance and adventure...isn't something I'd recommend for a young family unless there wasn't any other possibility to keep afloat.

Who do you think they sing all those broken hearted Country songs about?

I'm not saying it can't be done...it just seems you have more to work with than most even in this job market...

Now, If your wife is up to this she will need to get together with some women friends and work up a play group so all the Moms have some time off, to themselves, without kids.

I found the best working group of kids was 6...they play well and any more is a problem. It worked well for me, helps the kids gain social skills and helps get a lot of work done while they are there...you can't sit down...lol

She can find ways to deal with things, she'll have to because you won't be there. Using the computer with visual will be great for everyone.

Good Luck,
KJ