Chicago Area looking to become a trucker. Options?

IMHO, a person making $850 a week should even more seriously consider whether the trucking industry is for you. I love trucks and the industry. Still I spent many years in HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical while raising a family. I made that amount give or take while living in an area with below average cost of living with acreage away from the city.

If you read my post carefully, you saw the part about the sacrifices you would make. Most new people entering the industry fail to consider two major things, among many others, in my opinion. They are the necessary sacrifices and the cost of living on the road. Compared to a shared grocery bill, and cash if you are creative on your taxes, you will need more gross to net the same. Spending weekends doing resets on the road bites into the budget.

Nobody here is trying to talk you out of it. If we didn't have a love for the industry and a desire to help out, most of us wouldn't be on this forum. Most of us have other things we can do with our time. It's the horror stories we hear and read that make us want the new guy/gal to have a realistic view of the industry. I fear that your choice is about escape. That will lead to many bad decisions and unrealistic expectations. I fear you will be unhappier with your new choice.

If you think trucking is about driving, glamour or offers travel opportunities - - RUN. If you think a CDL is a license to learn and you are willing to sacrifice and work hard to learn a highly regulated industry with above average pay - - Go for it.

 

What makes you think that about skokie?


Mikeeee

 

If the only thing you will miss from Chicagoland is Rax then I do not know what to tell you, IMHO, there is better food than Rax especially the one over on Jefferson street. If you can digest that crap then being out for 3 months and eating some of the garbage that gets pawned off as food should not be a problem. There are 2 decent enough schools out by us that are private and not affiliated with any company, check them out. Like others have said do your research.