What percentage of people make it

Ok, well dont worry at all about your background. A lot of people come from wildly different professions and do just fine. I was surprised to learn there are a lot of truckers here with backgrounds in technology or other office type work.

If its local you really want you can probably find something out of your school. If not, you can go OTR for a short time, get some experience, then land something after that. There are Also regional jobs where you work Monday - Fri on the road, then go home for the weekend. My uncle does that for my same company and he likes it. He has a wife and kids. He Also came from computer science type of a field. He moved out into the country here in TX and couldn't find work. So instead he makes the 3 hour commute to our terminal once a week in Dallas.

 

Doesn't matter what you do or did, all that matters in this field is willingness to succeed. Luckily, you have the luxury of this site to make a better decision. Years ago, it was trial and error. I had 2 jobs in a week once, because I had no way of knowing they were bad outfits. People that fail in trucking today, probably shouldn't have tried it in the 1st place. I say, give it a shot, but I'll tell you, it's going to be tough, like any new job, but you'll catch on quick, or at least you should. When things are going badly, it stinks, but when things go ok, it really is like no other job. 35 years, I think I qualify to say that.

 

I drove with a guy that used to do Oil fields out in Midland. He said its not as hard as it looks labor wise. Mostly just when you are setting up and taking down. Otherwise you are just monitoring guages and such. Sometimes he said he had to sleep in a daycabs. Lol but he claimed he made about 125k a year. Recommended starting for Haliburton due to a good training program they have.

 

You sound like me. I am able to do this but my family is suffering by my absence. Not sure I will be able to do this much longer as a result.

 

There are also trucking jobs that service oil fields hauling sand, water, and crude. They want experience, about 3 years. But the jobs I saw on Indeed ranged from 1500-2000 a week. Home most nights or all nights were mentioned in most of them. Its expensive to live in oil field towns though like Midland.

I couldnt do it because I dont want home every night. But it might be good for you.

 

A lot of guys blow their money. Its asinine. My regular partner, he gets paid, its gone. He comes back to work with $200 boots, jeans, a crazy expensive cowboy hat, like 20 new video games he'll never play. All that junk just sits in the truck and he never uses any of it.

I get a 2000 check and I buy 20 dollar walmart shoes and save the rest. Its a better life.