Hello everybody

I'm set to attend school for all classes and endorsements this august in the olympia area, Washington State. Really new, here to learn and ask questions. Looking for a drastic change of career, and one that will support my sizable family, even in a rough economy. I'm in my late thirties and starting over. Lots of years of military service, Marines. Always liked truck stops, my uncles who were truck drivers and the folks I'd meet on the road with my father. I like the idea of a measure of freedom and independence, but the more I research the industry the less I think I will find it here (cameras on drivers, etc). I am excited about the idea of a career that is in demand almost everywhere in the country. Heard lots of good things and lots of horror stories, and here to learn how much of each is true.
Read a bunch today after starting my account, I have many questions but prefer to try and find at least the more common ones before asking much. Am grateful for all advice I can get, especially in reference to Washington, and which types of driving I should focus on. Willing to earn a place in the industry however I have too, but been deployed and away from my kids for too many years already. Hoping to find a happy medium between locality and a living, though that may have to wait for the breaking in period any industry has.

Thanks for reading, it seems you have a good group here and I hope to get to know you folks.

 

Thank you for those informative replies. I appreciate the time and info. I'm still learning what is out there. Being honest, I dread the idea of backing in and out of a place or doing a 26 point turn in the middle of a city more than I ever did a firefight, but I am hoping that its just like getting shot at, you get used to it.

I'm also trying to figure out if there's any benefit to having paid for my own training and since I am going for all the certs the school has, I am trying to figure out which areas of trucking are the most enjoyable, most profitable, give the most marketable experience, etc.

I did thirteen years in the Marines, served all over the world. Drove a fox nbcrs vehicle that weighed 21 tons. Closest experience I have to trucking. I have a bachelors in homeland security and lots of counterintelligence and human intelligence experience and training but it seems tougher than it should be to find work.
I do like the idea of a fresh start. It seems like most cdl holders have worked a few rough jobs, but have told me they can quit a bad job and be working the next day. After a few rough patches since getting out, including a stint at McDonald's, that sounds good to me. Yeah, I guess I could say that I'd like to have a local, home every night job that would pay me well and where everyone would be very nice to me, but it seems presumptuous for a new guy snd besides, who would drive all the trucks? Anyway, I appreciste the info and all I've already learned just from reading through the threads today.