Hey guys,

My name is Andrew - I am 18 and from Minnesota. I have been trying to think of a career my whole life. I've always thought of things like construction work, management, law enforcement, and trucking. All of those subjects, except trucking, have kind of faded away from me. I could care less about them - but trucking still sounds cool.

My dad also had a friend that recently became a trucker, he let me sit up in the cab. It was a cool experience. He said he makes about $60k year, but is gone often. He gets to bring his dog with him, bought his own truck for $125k, and has a laptop and bunkbed.

I have always liked semi trucks, traveling, and being alone. Trucking sounds like the perfect job for me - but I want to make sure I ask questions before I seriously consider it for a career.

Anyway, some questions for anyone that is or has ever been in trucking:

• What are the 3 most general "pros" or good parts of the job?
• What are the 3 most "cons" or bad parts of the job?
• How much is your annual salary?
• How much away/home time is there?
• Is driving the semi truck itself difficult in any ways, or fun?
• Do you get restaurant/food/gas/lodging/accomodations paid-for by the company?
• Are there any benefits (healthcare, pay increase, etc.)?
• Are "sleeper cabs" better than "normal cabs"?
• Would you recommend buying your own semi truck, or use a company one?
• Do you have to go to any college or anything to become a trucker?

Please answer my questions and feel free to add anything you think is important for anyone considering to be a trucker to know.

Thanks! Your information is vital to my future career;
Andrew

Wow I'm stumped on the first question.

I would seriously think about looking into something else maybe go to college. But trucking is not a life long career if you want to live. Two weeks on the road, home for two or three days. Drive 11 hours a day, try to find a parking spot in some crap hole truck stop with 700 trucks in it. No companies dont pay for food, the only time they might pay for a hotel is if your truck is in the shop but it wil be one that cost about 30 bucks. and most he companies give you a card for the gas if you are a company driver. but if you have your own trucks everything comes from you, gas repairs, insurance, plates, tolls. Some of the driving is fun and yes it is a challenging job especially when you have to drive through some big cities like phili, new york, L.A., and the best CHICAGO(traffic jam city)/. Seriously think about something else besides trucking. Especially for a first career.

i know alot of people say this, and when i was younger i would roll my eyes
every time i heard it. but you really should get into college...there is just
so many things you can make money at if you are educated. you become a
truck driver then you can only do one thing and have no experience in any
thing else. and if your health goes south then you are really in a bad position.

you are always away and hardly any flexibility, so its really hard on a family.
which is why so many truckers have been divorced so many times. its hard
on your body as well since the vast majority of your money is made driving
so you hardly ever get exercise.

you still have a few years to go, why not goto college for something you are
interested in. then when the time comes you can cross that bridge, and by
then you have 2 options.

if anything get on your dads friend cb, and ask truckers what they would
advise. i bet most will say do the school and be somebody

__________________
i drive for estes

well i'm 23 and my tour is coming to an end in the navy, been in the trucking industry my whole life.. my parents drive(o/o),, my brother is company driver,, now i have a family and navy just aint paying the bills.. so im falling into what seems like a family tradition.. what ever you do go to college dont get suckered in to the military like i did a bunch of unkept promises and contracts dont mean a thing to sam, so start applying for college

Hey, you're young. Get your CDL, drive some OTR for awhile and see if it's what you want to do... You can raise some $$$ and do the college thing later... and you'll always have a saleable skill as a driver...

no, he should get an education first, decide later what to do. it'll be easier to attend college noow, rather than in the future when he might be strapped for funds. whatever money he "might make" as a driver, i think he will blow it away.

personally, get into the construction trades, anything but driving. land surveyors(sp?) for construction companies do quite well and hardly get dirty. and can lead to city/county/state work, with good pay and benefits.

Iam glad that I did not delay College to long.

I did do the PEACE CORPS thing for about three years and then came back and went to Lansing where I got a degree in Computers.
Knowing me and my attitude, if I would have waited, I would never have accomplished this.
Iam always one to say....I'll do it tomorrow.

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The Truckers Report Merchandise

Nah, how the hell can you know what you want to study for that will influence your path in life at 18? College is expensive and a serious undertaking. Better I say to see some of the world and *then* make a decision. I'd rather it be trucking than Uncle Sam.


Yup, blow out your back, fall off a roof, amputate a finger or something... that'll be good... Been there and done that. It REALLY sucks!

I have worked construction millwrighting for 11 years now. Good money but hard on the body. It is hard work. My ex was in law enforcement. The hour and the pay suck. My wife now is a manager of a store and it is a big headache. My son is going on his second year of collage and he still doesn't know what he wants to do. He will be 50 thousand dollars in the hole before he has a job. You will learn alot obout trucking right here. You won't see much good about it. I say take your time and do something you enjoy doing. Money ain't everything. Live on what you make and enjoy your life. Good luck