Hi gang, New to the site and my first post. I consider myself fortunate to have been with my previous employer for nearly 20 years. Then the economy tanked. I was doing technical support for electrical engineering simulation software. Surrounded by folks with advanced degrees and me being (just) a HS graduate, I counted my lucky stars to be where I was. Good work. Challenging. The best people too. I've been in the electrical and mechanical engineering fields since *before* graduating HS, and all I've known is the office environment. Over the years I made it through a company acquisition (Hewlett Packard bought EEsof), a spin-off (Agilent Technologies spun off from HP) and 4 waves of layoffs since 2001, but when "they" decided to restructure by shutting down their satellite sites AND reducing head-count, I (along with 60+ dear colleages) got my walking papers and severance early in 2009. So here I am, a 45 year old HS grad with little chance of competing in the job market of my previous field. What now? I love driving, love to travel. Always have. Many a time while commuting I've thought about how great it would be to actually get paid to drive. A few relatives and even a friend suggested being a commercial driver. The opportunities in the field appear to be endless, and having an office on wheels with a changing view is appealing after spending so many years being a cubicle monkey. At the moment I'm enrolled in a private trucking school, hopefully just a few weeks away from getting my California Class A. Getting behind the wheel of a combo (while learning the basics) has given me a new found appreciation for those that have made the highways and roadways their bread and butter. This website, particularly the discussion forums, are a treasure trove if information. I've just scratched the surface but I have already learned quite a bit about the industry through the experiences of others. You all have a great community here, and I'm really happy to part of it! Regards, Jay
Hi, ExDeskDriver, Welcome to our Truckers Forum! We hope you enjoy your stay and please read our RULES. We hope to help you and get to know you soon! Thanks, ExDeskDriver! ExDeskDriver, do you have a question about how to do something? Try our FAQ section or you can PM me or a Moderator (50 posts not required to PM a Mod) to ask a question! Also, you can read through our Truckers Forum Information Center!
Welcome to the forum Jay! This is a great community and there is so much that can be learned here. Best of luck to you as you continue toward your new career goals.
Hi Jay! Welcome! There is a lot of information on here. I have been a member since 2008 and I am still learning from reading posts. What school are you going to? Maybe you could share your experiences in the Trucking Schools forum?
A big welcome to you, Jay! Good luck with your new career, and hope to see ya out here somewhere along the way! Be safe! Judi Kay
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ing-i-have-noticed-potential.html#post1200983 You might want to read a thread I started. The beginning of your quote is often stated by people considering driving. I have seen it so much that is sends a red flag up when I read it. Most that I am aware of that say that pay into trucking and then soon vanish. I would say do plenty of research. Good luck on whatever you decide to do!
Hello and Welcome to the forum If you would like, please start a thread under, "Trucking Schools", so that you can post about your experiences in training for all of us to see. http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/trucking-schools/ Thanks and best of luck to you!!!
I too came from an office environment... and have always loved to travel. However, I think my enjoyment and success in the trucking industry is due more to the fact that I was never really an office type.. LOL I was also very fortunate to have already traveled throughout the country before getting into trucking.. other wise, it would be frustrating... Yeah, there is plenty of beautiful scenery you get to drive through... But it is not like traveling, where you get to stop and really take it in and there are alot of places you get close too, but can't just take your truck to sight seeing. So as somebody who loves to travel I am very glad I got to do that before becoming a trucker otherwise it would be a frustrating tease... still is sometimes! I do wish you luck and do keep us posted...
