Wanna be a Trucker?

going to college doesn't mean much these days. there is no where to work when you get out. all of our manufacturing (and all the careers that went with it) is gone. companies are importing mexicans and indians to displace the rest of the workers in this country. so most people don't have a lot of options. sprawl mart doesn't pay that well.

 

went to college, got a nice cozy office job consulting on maint. contracts for large corporations, lost a couple contracts and the consulting firm is no lonnger. Dad was a driver and thought id try it out...actually making a little more money

 

If McDonald's would pay me $350 a week take-home, I'd stay off the road... er, on second thought, NOT! I actually like driving a truck'OTR that is. It does take a certain kind of mentality to do it though.

Would you newbies like to know if you're an OTR truck driver before you even leave home? Answer this one simple question:

Would it bother you even the slightest bit, to pack up all your stuff in storage, right now, tonight, and leave out on the road in a truck for a year'never coming home?

If you can truthfully answer 'no' to that question, then you are, without a doubt, an OTR driver. I think those of us who ARE like that, are few and far between.

I was watching Judge Mathis the other day when he said to the plaintiff's daughter, "Find something you would do for free'and figure out a way to get paid for it." Truer words were never spoken. I've been a Jack-of-all-trades'done a little of everything'and this will be my third time back in a truck. I think it's what I was meant to do.

 

if you've been driving 17 years and you're only taking home $350 a week - something's way wrong with that. but some people honestly love being a truck driver. I've talked to people who said they turned down the chance to go to law school to drive a truck. and this guy had driven for over 40 years. gotta love what you do!

 

Barcode, if there's a Mickey D where one can take home $350 per week, it would have to be in la-la land. Ain't gonna happen.

And my answer would be 'Yes'! Of course, reality is that the wife is still at the house, so couldn't stay away a year. Of course, if we were talkin' about my ex, I'd look at bein' gone 2 years.

I think reddemon71 is one of those driver types like one finds in the truck stops all the time, just sittin' and complainin' to whomever will listen.

 

It's a job; one that is comparable with what I was making in the military. If I could have found one making the kind of money needed for car payments, credit card payments, child support, and everyday living expenses while being home every night, I would have. Sadly, those jobs don't exist for separating military unless you're an spook or a nuke. So I went through GI Jobs Magazine and behold, trucking companies.

 

I'm on the border with it all anymore. I love driving. I mean I really love what I do. I guess thats how I can put up with low pay for so long. But from what i see its not going to get much better and I'm looking to buy another truck. Not sure how wise that is right now, but its just what I want. Unless you get into something specialized, really I can't see where the good money will come in.

 

When I was a kid my father left the miltary and did some job hopping. When we moved to Phoenix, AZ he got into trucking. That first year I didn't see him much. But later he made it a point to take me in the truck when he could because he knew I loved trucks. When he became an O/O things changed. He was losing money and stressed to the max. At one point he told me that if I ever become a driver that he would break my arms. He couldn't of hated it completely because he would get antsy and irratable when he was home for too long.When we moved to MO he gave his truck up and became a company driver. He was home every weekend and still made good money. Things were better around the house. And his attitude towards trucking was at least a little more positive.

Now I am getting ready to follow in his footsteps despite what he said to me. He is no longer with us to protest but I think he would be supporting me in my descision to go with this. I know what it's like out there. I know NOT to be an O/O or L/O. I know that this life isn't for everyone but I will do my year and if I can't do it I will have my year so I can do local. But I doubt that will happen.