Considering CDL / Trucking as Career Change

Hello! I'm new to the board but spent a few weeks on various threads lurking'n'learning. I've been in many different jobs but was stuck in low level customer service jobs for many years until my 40's when i discovered a talent for computers. I fought my way up to network support, help desk Internet support (etc) but have found that I'm pretty much relegated to tier 1 call center work in my 50's and while I am grateful to be working ( I do mean that, I am very grateful.) I find that I'm needing a change in career. I *hate* phones and hate being chained to a desk to a call queue unless I commit to expensive degree that I'll be nearly 60 when I finish and no guarantee that it will produce a better high paying job when it seems trucking has much better potential for that. I'll leave it at that for now. in the past few years, I was having a ball driving to & from contract jobs and it was then I realized I found driving to be relaxing and I loved it. I love seeing new, different places love exploring and have wanted to explore this beautiful country of ours for a long time. I spent some time reading on this forum, to get an idea of what the frustrations & issues would be as a trucker. things like trying to make an appointment on an under powered truck when you have to go thru mountains or bad weather, traffic. crappy gps or other directions. having to keep within 11 hour rules. having to document time correctly. (ALL THE ABOVE ALONG WITH HAVING an appointment to be on time for! ) those are only examples and I know I've not got a clue but this forum has been a help.I'm currently calling various companies, have put an application in one and working on funding cdl school with Sage Trucking. things I would like to see in a company- allow dogs. a company that has good rep with females, and older more established workers (aka over 50 ) I would like an inverter so I can have a fridge, and way to cook to save money. I would love to be OTR driver and just stay on the road.

 

Just updated profile, I am in salt lake city utah. i considered central refrigeration but decided against it when i saw they had recent harrassment allegations. I am not that familiar with APU's, I'll have to read up on it. thanks for the company suggestions!!

 

ROFL DrivertoBroker I knew CR England was a scam when I first started considering trucking months ago. Thanks for the warning tho I've never seen a company so universally panned by so many different venues & sites

 

hey DrivertoBroker the "ROFL" was not me laughing at you. Investigating the companies chinatown listed. Lots of wonderful information here thanks for all the posts, and thanks for this forum.