What drives you new drivers to trucking?

I drive because I'm a truck guy. I like motors, I like the sound of the exhaust, I love the smell of diesel fuel and I love staring down the highway at 7:00 in the morning listening to the whine of the turbo watching the sun come up. Am I ever gonna get rich, no, do I like to do paperwork, HELL NO, do I love the physical act of driving a truck, HELL YEAH!

What better vehicle for a gear head to get his motor fix on than 15.2L of Cat POWER!

 

Well, as for me, I am currently an unemployed industrial maintenance mechanic. Done this for 21 years and am fed up with it. I'm thinking this is a great opportunity to make a career change.

Growing up I was around trucks alot. My dad worked at truck dealerships and sold parts for many years, was a trucking manager for a large firm and did almost 20 years as a manager at Cummins.

I sure aint getting into trucking for the money. In fact I will be lucky the first couple of years to make half of what I have been making.

I enjoy driving and want to see the countryside. I am aware that there wont be much time to stop and sightsee though. Gotta keep those wheels rollin!

Not really being my own boss, but not having a boss watching everything that I do. In other words if I want to crank the music, thats what I'll do. If I want to stop and eat, thats what I'll do...

I have always wanted to drive a truck and I think now is the time to do it.

 

Well I was not born into a family of truck drivers, my dad was a engineer at IBM. I have worked as a graphic designer for the automobile industry for the last 30 years. I got sick of all the ups and downs in the automobile industry so I took an early retirement. After being off a while I started looking in a different direction. Being a truck driver will allow me to do something I enjoy (drive) and let go places I have never seen and get paid for it. I know it is going to be hard work at times, but I can deal with that.

 

Trucking seems to be all of my interests wrapped into one career. I've always tinkered with cars and trucks, working on them and driving them. I've had a desire to travel and see more of the country. And, well, as others have said...it pays! Probably about the same that I'm making now, too, if not better.

 

Well I was in the army and thought I would retire there. After 7 years and 2 tours in Iraq I said no more of this. I then thought I would go to school but I was 30 with a wife and chid so I looked for something shorter to study. I was going to go to trucking school before I joined the army but did not have the money for it. I drove while in the army I know its not the same but I like the thought of being out by myself for short periods of time. And like someone else said it beats a cubical.

 

I'm going to put a different twist on this. I too always wanted to drive a truck since my high school days. It was my dream just like everyone else here. Went on the road during the summer months with my uncle. Then I got a great paying job w/benis with GM at age 19, and knew that if I could stick it out for 30 years, I would end up with a very nice pension and put trucking on the back burner. I then decided that I was going to team with my uncle after my 30 years at GM. Well, my uncle lost his life in a crash back in '91. So much for that plan. Back in '06, one year before I planned on retiring from GM, I still had the truck driving bug in me, and that's when I started my research into driving.

My had things changed in the trucking industry since the days that my uncle drove. It really opened up my eyes and turned a dream into a nightmare. Too much added BS now to be even worth it for me in my situation. I have a decent pension now, no mortgage, no debt and am very happy with my life right now and i'll probably never step foot in a truck. It just wouldn't be worth it for me at this point just to fulfill a dream. For the rest of you that want to get out there on the "open road"...it's not so open any more...I wish you all luck and be safe.

 

Knowing that I drive something bigger than alott of most people and that I can run them over if I want to!!!!

 

I drive because iam stupid and can't find work doing anything else, and the goverment told me this job is easy and made for idots like me.

This is what i get from Truckin School ads and state job placement programes.

 

I started because I thought it would be a good way to meet guys. Just playing I started because it gave me a chance to go out and see alot and plus I my school said I would be making $50,000. I didnt even make half of that.

 

Aw , I bet you didn't meet half as many guys s you thought you would either . Or did you end up wishing you hadn't met half the ones you did ?