I am an antisocial MBA student considering a whole new career in trucking.

Welcome to our forum. You will find a wide verity of people on here and in the world who drive trucks for a living. You will find that we are most generally a warm group that loves to help out our fellow drivers. Of course we have those who are a little bit slower to except peoples with differences.

I suffer from Depression. Cause by genetics and 38 concussions. So of those happened in the defense of my country. Some of them happened trying to go real fast down snowy mountains on little pieces of wood. The last one happened when I lifted my head up too fast under a trailer. I knocked myself out and then tried to drive in my confused state. I hit a post in the middle of a giant parking lot. No reason to have been near it, I just was driving while knocked out. ACT fired me because of it. I found another job quickly enough.

My most recent firing was from a company call FASTENAL. The company is a nice company but they have some problems. I would recommend them to drivers who don't have depression. One of the problems with depression is that I tend to see humor in places were others do not. When you live with depression it is like being inside a dark cave. It doesn't take much of a spark to throw some light your way so we joke more often then we probably should. Most of the great comedians have suffered from depression which is why they are sometimes self destructive. My sin that got me fired was joking with a female forklift driver at on of the companies warehouses. I ask her if it bothered her that a man was out of a job because she was driving a forklift instead of him. I meant it as a joke. If you are female and I have run into you in a parking lot, I like to ask if your tractor has a Kitchen in it. That is also an attempt at humor. Forgive me if you do see it as such.

What I am telling you is that having personality problems can and at some point might get you fired. Knowing what your problem is gives you a chance at keeping that problem to a minimum. Avoiding others is a good plan. I hope to in my next job.

You will have to deal with people who load and unload your truck. You will have to deal with a trainer at some people. Keep your mouth shut as much as possible. Tell your trainer on the first day about your problem and explain that you don't mean anything personal. Also, inform the legal department of your company so they can accommodate you under the employee disability discrimination act.

As to your education. I have both an MBA and a Phd. I am currently in my 3rd year of Law School. Driving is a great way to earn and learn at the same time.

Again, welcome to driving. Feel free to be a jerk to me, I will understand and give it right back to you.

 

In modern day corporate American I have simply never encountered the type of abuse that I hear many drivers experiencing on this board. I'm sure some of it is exaggeration but then again I know this year everyone in my org will attend diversity, respectfulness and sensitivity training. We have mentoring in place as well as employee support groups. Beyond that management and HR is very protective of anyone with unusual challenges. Are you telling me similar controls exist in most trucking companies?

And unfortunately the OP by having his condition simply does not have the same ability to read social signals as most, that's just a function of his situation, no point debating it.

Based on that my recomendation would be to use his analytical "geek" skills in business where he might get more social support than trucking.

The grass always appears greener etc and the OP may be looking at trucking this way, I understand where he's coming from because I too want to go down that route ...but like me I think the OP should be realistic and not enter this field with unrealistic expectations.

 

I just don't get it....every wannabe or someone thinking of getting into trucking never seems to actually know why they want to get into it. Being anti social isn't enough. With that being said, college is NOT about making you smarter but it is education to further your knowledge and hopefully get you into the field of your dreams. Why did you go to college for MBA? What do you want to do with your life? These are the questions that frankly you should have already figured out given that you're close to graduating. Now what about trucking do you know and why are you considering trucking?

 

I have meant drivers with every degree you can think of and they liked driving. Many go to school because they want to learn something the idea that you have a degree so you have to use it to work is just wrong. My son got a driving job to get through the last semester and he loves driving. He is a very successful owner operator for about 10 years now. He does not care that he trained for something else.

 

Edward -- PM sent to you

 

Edward - I think trucking sounds like a good fit for you. I wouldn't worry too much about the social interactions involved with your dispatchers or dealing with shippers/receivers. As long as you aren't rude to them and can communicate your issues effectively without throwing a fit you'll be fine, and that's about all the communicating you'll have to to do. Usually the extent of my communications involve a "hey, how are you", smile, hand them the bills, and that's it. If they wanna make small talk, ok, I'll bite. But am I going to sit there and have a 15 minute conversation about their granddaughters ex-boyfriends stint in jail? No. I'm ready to get loaded and row gears.

 

Antisocial? Like being by yourself all the time? Able to focus on repetitive tasks for long periods of time? Don't like answering dumb loaded questions ? Smarter than the boss? Welcome to the trucking industry. If you can live in a box with a trainer for 30 days without getting him in a headlock and safely navigate a truck, I say you'll fit right in.

 

Hi I am a retired driver who now transports special need students. One of my older kids has Asperger's syndrome. He has been thinking about what do do when he is out of school . I will let him know that trucking is not out question
Thank you for the info

 

I am probably an aspie myself. The only difference is i am not interested in a professional diagnosis. Life is too short for me to give a flying ####.

 

Now that's why I love this forum.

Yeah I am a ASU graduate in a Masters program and yes trucking is by far the best job I have ever had.