If you had to start over...

Best answer. Applies to any Job.

 

Sometimes responsibility and necessity put you in a position to stay and figure out an exit slowly. A responsible adult recognizes their problem, and acts appropriately.

 

In retrospect, (I’m 27 lol) (yes I already know y’all have underwear older than me)

I have a deep appreciation for what trucking has done for me. I plan to exit, and pursue my passions. Stocks, leather craft, welding.

Trucking is truly what you make it.

Went O/O at 23, never did company so I feel like I was really lucky to have a great beginning with the full weight of the experience.

 

@scott180, after thinking about it some more, your post #31 (above) is EXTREMELY WELL written and is second-to-none advice.

Well done--THANKS MUCH for that input!!!

--Lual

 

Would have gotten my CDL when I turned 21. By now I would have top seniority (at almost any LTL company) making $500 a night.

 

I would have stayed a company driver. Joined the teamsters, waited it out and paid my dues. Got a local ltl job, with great bennies. Right now id be top on the list or retired. Sitting at home laughing at all the other responses.

 

If I had to do a ‘reset’, I would get a job with the Railroad right out of high school, do 30 years, retire at 48.

 

What were the questions?

WOW! Winner winner chicken dinner.
The absolutely best answered question ever on TTR. Tons of spot on advice.

After 38 years of dotted lines I’m not sure how respond to the op. I’ve always had an answer for everything. It has been a long crazy ride.

 

Rail has many benefits (over trucking in logistical sense) and probably really should be utilised a huge amouny more than it is in the states.

BUT dont kid yourself into thinking its a better run operation than trucking, it has massive amounts of waste everywhere in it. There are also plenty of accidents, and defered maintenance in trucking can be bad, but its nothing compared to the disasters that railroads can create by doing the same

Probably the best use of rail today if you wanted to improve it and more peoples lives rapidly (ours included) would be to do massive amounts of investment in light rail for passenger service. (Not just in cities, but many cities really ought to have trains that dont) this decreases congestion, makes cities more liveable and just think of being able to go say new york to montana in 2-3 days *without breaking the bank* (at scale with investment rail should be down towards 200$ coast to coast) kids included, got your own sleeper, see the sights, dinner on the train. can just stop off in a small town in iowa to visit grandma then continue on the next day.
This USED to be possible, every small town had a train station with 1 or 2x a day service. i dont understand why we americans are so bad at it today.