Thinking of becoming a truck driver..please help !!

Mark it's really not a thing you want to get into @ 40. It's a tough life amigo. Kids make it. For a young single Person it's a ball. For a young couple it's an adventure. I advise you to do something else, for your family & you. I don't think there is a driver here, that will dis prove me. It's a darn hard life.

 

If you choose trucking. Stay away from lease op jobs! DO NOT sign a lease or become a lease to own. If you choose trucking, plan on at least one year OTR/Regional before you'll be experienced enough for tighter runs if being home is important to you.

In my experience...and opinion... TODAY'S trucking is kind of about being able to play the BS game with these megacarriers. I had to bide my time and I had some really great times. I definitely had some times where I didn't think I was going to make it. I got my CDL over 2 years ago and now I'm trying to do some Class A local in my area where I can be home every night, or most nights.

Trucking IS a way of life. It is NOT just a job. Really take some time to think things over. I'm not trying to discourage you, but INFORM you with what little experience I have.

I've been local since January. I do miss OTR a little bit. There's just something about camping out in a truck for a few weeks at a time. If I was single, I would likely do it again.

 

There is a thread under "Questions from new drivers" called, "Why so many crybabies out here" it will give you a good idea. Its very straight foward and a must read for potential new drivers.

 

as you see from the responses it varies per driver
I like it my wife would kill me if I was home too much
it isn't really that hard of work
learning to be away from home is harder
and plenty of people start in this business after 40

 

I bet there's a higher percentage of people in their 40's making it starting in the industry than people in their 20's .

 

Just finished school at Millis today, out of 8 students, 4 are over 50 (and one of them is a female) . I am 53 and am totally happy so far.

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Give it a shot-what the hell.If nothing else you can go back to the dead end jobs. You will receive many different answers to your question;cause there IS no REAL answer.. I think personally the toughest thing in Trucking is finding your "niche" if you will. What I mean by that is what type of Trucking do you want to do,the right company which works for you and whether or not you want to be OTR,Regional or a local gig.

Still that is "down the road" if you will and you have to get started somewhere. My advice? Pick your 1st Company wisely and by no means sign on with the 1st one that says there interested without researching THEM first..And when you get started;make up your mind you will stick it out for at least a year with them..

It will be tough at the start no matter which way you go,ain't gonna lie.But if you do YOUR homework it is possible to save yourself much unnecessary pain...Good Luck..

 

I'm a trainer and he majority of my students are 50+. I've even had one over 70.
The kids are grown and gone, the pay is usually a second income, the wife is planning to ride along or drive too. Its not bad starting out at an older age, you're more mature and aren't tempted to do all the stupid things the younger kids do.
But, if you think its a get rich quick job, forget it. Those days are long gone and you barely make ends meet out here. The mega companies are too busy under cutting each other to give a care about the driver or his pay and then wonder why their turn over rate is so high. If you see a sign on the back of a trailer that says 50 to 52 cents a mile, forget it. That's only if you have been with them many years, qualify for the safety bonus, the fuel economy bonus, the east coast bonus, the short haul bonus and the kiss butt bonus. Just sayin...

 

J-Frog you've hit the nail on the old head. Fact is what they have on the back of their trailers are not true for new drivers and these companies have a way of cutting your pay say things like your logs don't match your tolls and some pay household miles that are much less than your GPS shows. It's like a game companies play once you get your truck and they send you out for a load, it seems like they pay your dispatcher to see just how best he can screw you. Also there is always pay under the table with some. It's hard to play by the rules when they keep changing.