What did YOU do before driving a land barge?

Just a random name pulled out of...the air. Being a family law clerk had it's good sides. We put dead-beat parents in jail and did adoptions as well.

 

Funny name
We must be getting big, if thats the last name available LOL

 

I was a PEACE CORPS Volunteer for 4 years. Came home and went to College and worked as a Counselor for the Mentally Handicapped in group homes for a few years.

Also was a member of my Father's Country/Bluegrass band for 16 years.

I've been a Trucking Industry employee now for 7 years.

 

I am not a trucker yet, but getting ready to head to school to be one. My past is, well interesting to say the least.

I have a BS in motion picture production
I worked in TV news for 10 years as a news photographer and as an assignment editor deciding what news got covered. I got burnt out and went into Information Technology.
I then got my Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer MCSE.
I worked at a hospital in the IT department, until the hospital went bankrupt and closed.

Then I worked at local company that makes ATM machines, on a help desk until that job got outsourced to India and I had to train my replacement to get my severence.

Then I got a great job with MCI-WORLDCOM (WORLDCOM) and had it made, spent most of my time going to school and getting company paid for training. Until they went bankrupt and I got laid off. THANK YOU BERNIE EBBERS!!!!

Then I worked as a System Administrator for Large company, until my job was consolidated and moved to a different city, so I stayed with the company but took a pay cut, and went back to a callcenter help desk. Then of all things, this too was outsourced to India.

I decided to get out of IT and stay with that company, but working in sales. I worked direct sales and would knock on doors hoping to sell our product. It paid well, if you could have a ton of sales. But then, BAMM my position was eliminated .

So at the current time I am unemployed. I have always loved driving, and I am married but have no kids so I discussed it with my wife and she is ok with my decision to become a trucker.

So open road here I come. Stay out of the way...lol

 

Man-0-MaN, Sabre!

I sure wouldn't mention all that to a potential employer at any Big truck truckin' company. You just might spook 'em, thinkin' they'd be next on your list of companies to go under or send the work to India.
Ya reckon?

 

Know any companies that you would like me to put out of business Anyway, I have at the ripe old age of 37 pretty much realized that the thought of sitting in an office all day being tied to a desk and a phone isn't for me. When I worked my last job, I really enjoyed the freedom of not having a boss watching over my shoulder all day, and drove roughly 200 miles a day (on my own dime as they didn't reimburse for gas). I have always thought about being a trucker, and would have done it sooner, but I always had the next job lined up. I went from making close to $90,000 a year at my highest point to making minimum wage at the worst point. If I can get on the road and make $35,000-$40,000 I'll be happy. I already know I really really don't want to do a lease deal on a truck. So I'll be happy as a company driver.

Oh I went and took my "learners permit test" today, and passed General skills, air brakes, combo vehicles, hazmat and tanker although I don't really want to be a tanker yanker.

Anyway wish me luck

 

You got it, Sabre!
GOOD luck.
And I'll go a step farther,.................
Best of SUCCESS!

How's that?

 

Im sorry, I couldnt read your message, it was outsourced to India.

 

When I was around 13 I used to help dad with his general contracting business. I painted, cleaned, and whatever else he needed. I mowed lawns, raked and shoveled snow. when I was 17 i joined the Guard and went to bootcamp between my junior and senior year of high school. When I got out of school I started working for a Toyota and Volvo dealer in the parts department. After a short time was promoted to management. From their did some other sales, marketing and management jobs and ended up in retail management until just fed up with it. the most I could make for the 80-90 hours a week was a wopping 42k a year witch barely pays for the house and car. I had always thought of driving across the country and driving the big rigs so I'm giving it a go. I completed the first week of cdl school friday. We start actually driving (range) this Wednesday. I am very much looking forward to it.
Well that's my story and I'm stickin" to it. lockednloaded

 

i am not a trucker yet, but I intend to be one by the end of summer

for almost 30 years , i have worked in the gaming/casino industry. mostly as a craps dealer in a lake tahoe casino, then about 6 years as a pit boss, and the last 4 years as a poker dealer (learned to deal poker as it was getting really popular from all the TV coverage).

2 years ago i was making about 45K doing poker, and over the last 9-12 months our business has steadily declined. The poker boom might be fizzling out.....so it's time for a career change for this 52 year old.

I am also burnt out dealing with the public, and poker players. The idea of a job where I don't have to kiss the customers ###, and smile at them when i want to call them stupid ###es, really appeals to me.

So, currently, my plan is to deal in the 08 WSOP (world series of poker)in Las Vegas, which should make me enough to get caught up on some bills AND pay my way through a SAGE school. I should be done with school and hopefully hooked up with a company by the end of august.

I am having a really tough time trying to decide which company to go for.

I am leaning towards GTI, Schneider, Watkins/Shepard.....but still researching. I am really looking forward to getting on the road.

This website has been invaluable to me as i have spent countless hours perusing these forums.