O/O vs Company driver, which to choose? New CDL holder

Life is Great,but i have to give him the ''reality'' of a truck drivers Life...It is not all roses and alot worse for the ''newbies''...They put the new guys through hell..

 

Im in training has been that bad yet. Describe hell. Is it sitting in an office everyday talking on phone to customer complaining about dumbest little things in the world? That was my personal hell for 10 years. Anything is got to be better than that.

 

AW YEA!!!! you giving up one office for another one but the best thing about being a truck driver is you can go to work in yo underwear lol!!!!! you giving up the people yelling at you but you are picking up the idiots that drive 4 wheels they think you are in their way. they will try and make you run over them they will jump in front of you then decide to turn or stop. slam on breaks trying to make you hit them. they will call in on you trying to get you in trouble. then you have to deal with the butt hole of a shipper/ receiver or that security guard that is making $8 bossing you around thinking he/she is more important than you. they just don't realize if we don't work they don't eat, drive, have clothes to wear etc. ALL I CAN SAY YOU AINT SEEN NOTHING YET!!!! JUST WAIT AND SEE!!!! take with a grain of salt because they expect you to be professional driver. or you can be a bad driver and kill up some folks. look on you tube they got a driver gone mad tearing up everything in a white truck. that is what not to do as a driver but when a 4 wheeler cut u off sometime you feel like it I cant lie lol!!! just feel it don't do it!!!

 

so as you're telling people to get a degree and an office job, I assume you have had the pleasure of spending every single day sitting in one spot at a desk looking at the same screen and wishing like hell you were anyplace else right?

college degrees don't mean you're guaranteed happiness and sure don't mean guarantee money. lots of grads flipping burgers now days.

just for context I have driven years ago and now I sit at my desk.............anytime you want to trade, let me know. but I tell you right now no "backsies" you're stuck with it once you get it.

 

now as for the OP -- getting a PHD in Astrophysics? I assume your chosen career would than be a univ scientist at Cal Tech right? Jobs requiring degrees have about as much in common with "Big Bang Theory" as trucking has in common with BJ and the Bear. I know you're young, look it up. the old farts around here know what I mean.

first you need to look at yourself and ask "what do I want to do, every day for the next 40 years" Is there a progression you can follow that takes you where you want to go? we all hate the question "where do yo usee yourself in 5 years"? the fact is for you, that's an important question. Do you want to wear jeans every day or do you like to dress smartly? like to work hard with your hands or prefer to "work" by thinking.

I tell many younger people you get one shot at picking a great career that you will love. you can change later of course but it's not easy with a family to go back to square one and start over. If you do you cut your chance of promotion in half. get it right the first time and you will be much happier.

 

Regarding the roller skate (4 wheeler) activities, that's easily dealt with by having a patient attitude and GIVING a lot of space. As a wise old trucker once told me 30 years ago, "Show me a trucker that's complaining about getting cut off all the time and I'll show you a trucker that's tailgating". They can't "cut you off" and "take that space" if you are giving them the space.

Regarding the trials and tribulations of dealing with minimum wage guard shack employees at shippers or receivers, that's part of the territory. I've found that a friendly attitude and a well deserved compliment here or there will "grease the 5th wheel" and help make things go smoother or at least give you a more Zen like attitude to handle it. No need to "go agro" over it, it is what it is. Go with the flow. I once read a short lived best seller called "Winning Through Intimidation". I tried applying it's self centered mantra for a business trip or two, and found that although I temporarily vented myself to feel better it never really got me better service or a better deal. Give respect and courtesy and that's most likely what you get in return.

 

I would have to agree with Lonesome. It would be an EXPENSIVE lesson to invest in a truck & trailer and 6 months or so down the line figure out that you HATE driving.

My $.02.

 

Dude, you need to read some of the replies that are telling you what reality is before expecting to hear something you want. As said, some of us have a sixth sense about others and this is the case.

No matter what, you need to forget the idea of being independent and get some real seat time to gain the experience you need to make a better move to a better company. Most of us who are giving advice have started at some really bad companies and have all survived to go onto better things. Take what you get and plan on a move in the near future. Apply to every company you can, even look for P&D or LTL stuff, anything that will get you driving. There are literally thousands of companies you can apply to, so start.

Being an owner isn't easy, you need more than enough money to buy fuel and pay for a truck. It isn't easy as many make it out to be because they are used to the expenses and know how to sock money away. You should at least have two months operating capital in the bank after you have other things paid for, like plates and insurance. If not, don't bother.

 

I say 20,000.Many use the 10,000 figure.This 20,000 figure is after the money for making the truck and trailer legal...So i say at least 27,000 for everything to get started...

 

I understand, the problem isn't with making it legal, it is making it go after it go broke.

I've bought a couple trucks where the owners were clueless of what it takes to keep them going, and I've turned down a bunch for cheap that I would make money with but after a $30k investment to replace the engine or what ever it needed. There are too many people who see the gross and think that is what they make, not understanding that it takes a lot of money to keep their truck on the road.