If you don't recommend trucking then what?

Military. That's how I started out, I knew I would flunk out of college at 18 and needed something better than my McJob(s), so I enlisted because I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I then reenlisted because I still didn't know. Next thing I knew, I was 37 and drawing a pension... had to figure out life really fast but had a safety net of a paycheck for life.

 

The industry is what you make of it. Nobody is forced to work for a mega but that’s where many stay because it’s easy. It’s easy to complain about how wrong you’ve been treated before you go to a different mega and expect things to be different. It’s east to stay on the same path instead of learning new skills. But in reality there are many paths in this industry that offer a better living than OTR trucking. People just need the desire to make the changes to make their life better.

 

You'll usually make more money running heavy equipment. Plus you'll be home pretty much every night and only gotta worry about packing a lunch box.

If you get a camp job running equipment there's good money in that. Paid camp accomodations, free meals etc. Just work your 14, 21 or whatever days and then you take a week or 2 off. A lot of those camps are like nice hotels. Some of them make you take off your boots and coveralls the moment you walk into the lobby.

 

Just do what u want to do.. Theres no other way to live life, in my opinion.. Everybody has different perspectives and life experience, which determines how u think about things.. What somebody may say is bad, you may find is the best thing you ever had.. Truck drivers are miserable.. The same guys that talk about how bad it is , are the same ones that have been doing it for 30+ years.. So it cant be that bad or they wouldve left along tome ago. People like to complain and mope because its the easy thing to do.. There is an endless amount of opportunity in truck driving. Your mindset determines how you see everything.

 

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/14/1155...ollege-degree-thousands-of-them-are-sitting-e

 

Trade jobs available

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/14/1155...ollege-degree-thousands-of-them-are-sitting-e

 

The biggest issue with trucking is that two or three years in , you are maxed out on earnings .
There is NO room for advancement .

once you get the haz mat tanker job , or oversize hauling ,
there’s isn’t a where to move up and make more money , line

in every other trade you can move up .
Not InTrucking

 

Some of us are content with not clawing our way up our whole working career.

 

Eventually get a Pilots License. My Cousin does that. Good money. His Dad, and another 4 of my Uncles were all River boat Captains. Along with a few others as Deck hands, at different times. Current pay is between $500, and $800 per day for Pilots. Usually work 2 weeks on, one week off.

 

ALL of the trades are desperately short of new-hires. electrician, HVAC, plumbers, welders, carpenters, auto tech. Only you can decide what talents you want to use, environments you enjoy, and how much money you need, and where you want to live. I'm sure each trade and job has a place where the people doing that work communicate. The advice you get here may be out of date, a view from outside, etc. Buyer Beware.