Advice, possible career change

Did you post this again by chance?

 

Local community colleges tend to have a better reputation for training? You'll find a job fairly fast, but the money takes some time. 50 or 60 grand your first year will be hard to do.

 

Good questions, Teresa.

You can start by viewing "Trucking Diaries" (not the game; I mean the videos by a woman who drives) on YouTube. You'll find hundreds of YT videos by women who drive and who address issues women face on the road. There's also Women In Trucking (Google it). There are books by drivers -- men and women -- available at Amazon. You're basically asking, "What's it like out there?" I'd be wary of "this company hires rookies" posts from people who don't know you, don't drive for those companies (or never did), and have no say-so over hiring. Try first to decide if a driving life will work for you, then look at training.

Some drivers have been trained by the companies they work or worked for (I did it this way but I paid up-front for the classes. Then I went out with a trainer for four weeks; it wasn't a bad experience at all -- he was there to teach, I was there to learn, we became friends, and I went on to drive 1.2 million accident-free miles and lease two new trucks, all at my original carrier. Not to put too fine a point on it, some of the "trainer was no good" or "school was lousy" posts you'll read seem to come from people who had trouble learning in the first place and came to trucking with attitude problems.

You're 49 -- not to worry. I started driving OTR when I was 45. I'm a guy, but there's no reason a woman can't steer and gear if she wants to, and many have.

Oh -- there used to be some awesome blogs by women who drive; not sure if they're still active, but I think you can still find them online. There was "Road Rage - Little Trucker," for one. Google "Truck Driver Blog" and you'll probably get some good hits.

 

Sorry. I could have posted a link or two.

Trucking Diaries/Tekilka 29:


This driver is from Poland and she drives all over Europe. She's a great example of someone who wanted to drive and does (former school teacher):
https://www.youtube.com/user/TruckinGirlIwona

 

Are you sure you want to go down the truck driving road?

If you thought your time and expertise were disrespected in the IT world, you will be sick when you discover how little truck drivers are valued and respected by both the general public and the trucking companies.

 

If your going to start fresh. Go ask your local state office (highway crew) if they need drivers. Then I would ask at any dirt contractors. Go that route before you try to get a expensive license. These CDL licenses are not cheap. In 2006 mine was 7k! No idea what the cost is now where everything in the stores has doubled since then.

Are you aware how small the cab is? There are no toilet facilities in these cabs. It is a closet about 64 square feet. In that closet you have a set of bunk beds, 2 chairs with air suspension, 2 doors with functioning windows, and one mediocre bay window called a windshield. There is some closet space but not much. You will need a laptop when you get your truck in 6 months (after your apprenticeship). You will want to have a inkjet/laserjet printer with copy ability. You will be expected to work weird hours (this is not a 8-5 job!). 11 hours driving with a total of 14 hours per day working. Your day might begin at 3 am and go to 5pm. During this day you will be expected to realize the directions you were given dont apply to the truck you are driving. All this can be done, yet it isnt easy. Imagine going camping in the wilderness. But your usiing the class 8 truck and your not camping at all, as camping is fun, this is real work.

 

Honestly SW Florida will make things a bit more difficult for you and limit your training choices.

Are you hoping to end up running local, home most nights? Getting the CDL will be the first stage and how you do that will affect it's cost. But you need to have some sort of short term potential employer idea as this will have bearing on a lot of other decisions that will come up.

What about getting a realtor license or property claims adjuster license? Or selling home health care services referrals to doctors?