One year in

Im just a few weeks shy of having my first year in. I have to say that I am definitely loving my choice. Im making enough money that my wife was finally able to leave her dead end job as a gas station manager and be a stay at home mom for our daughters. Us as a family have come a long way from where we were when I started. I know a year isnt much, but my dad told me when i started that if I can make it the first year then I should be doing good. I started with TMC and appreciated the recommendation from Chinatown. It couldn't have gone any better, but when they started pushing me to become a trainer, I had to look elsewhere. That led me to PGT on a dedicated customer account pulling a conestoga with an occasional dry van or refer hauling refractories into all the steel mills. Made a couple of trips out to Cali and back across the Rockies in winter. Made it to all states but south Dakota up to the Canadian border and west to Washington. Ive talked to my wife about me looking for a local job but the local jobs dont pay anywhere close to what I make now, the state garage starts at just above minimum and on part time till a spot opens up, and my township isnt hiring right now. I like the account I am on, making roughly $1k a week after taxes, however this account is boring as its the same delivery places each week. Not much changes, they push me hard to get places that Im really bumping up against my clock most times. A lot of times they set me up for such slim margins of time that I get to my pick up or delivery and I have maybe 10 minutes to spare before cut off time.

This past week I spent most my time down south in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Thursday morning I picked up in Augusta heading towards Columbus Ms, I got in at the Steel Dynamics plant at 254pm, they stop receiving at 3pm, After that they bounced me to Wurtland KY for my next pick up. Friday I started my day at 530am exactly 10 hrs on my break, had to push to get to my pick up in wurtland at 3pm, I pulled in the gate at 250pm and had 1 minute on my drive time. From there I had to head to Dayton Oh for my truck service, I got there with 15 minutes left on my 11. Thats just part of last week, but its like this everyday. Get worn out by the time i go home on fridays.

Some of the naysayers will discount this and tell me to come back again in a few weeks, others will say that I havent got much to say till ive gotten to 2 years.Others will comment on me being on Elogs, to them I say it is what it is, you do your thing and Ill do mine. Ive got a few opportunities that im looking at, and a possible partnership with my father in law that Im considering. Hes wanting to buy a truck, but doesnt trust many to drive it, then he is talking about leasing it on with a flatbed carrier. Maintenance will be handled by him since hes the certified diesel mechanic with 30+ yrs exp and the place, tools, and knowledge, hes just not allowed to drive OTR. We havent worked out the particulars yet as he isnt in dire need of money. He is retired from his mechanic position and has been farming since before that. Hes just looking at insulating himself with multiple revenue streams. Hes got a solid business sense, and a great accountant.


In the end that is where I am at currently. I dont regret my choice of a complete industry change as my income level has increased, and the relationship I have with my family has gotten better because Im not home complaining about things not getting done my way.

 

Yeah i left in February, been with pgt since then. I make more on average here and get home weekly. They run the crap out of me here, but it's consistent

 

Im home weekly for my kids, and they like it cause we do things together as a family. Not sure what you mean as for how i can roll after 10hrs.

 

Depends on where to and what for