So...we hear a lot of negative

wages, benefits and a pension while raising a family kept me in the operators though it didn't save my marriage but i'm happy that you've healed, there's nothing worse then heartache.

 

Thank you sir ! I'm a smart aleck somtimes and had get serious and point that out .
Hey if you got the bug and no wife then go for it !

 

For me, I did a career in the military and collected a stack of college degrees and certificates along the way. Unfortunately, I suffered some injuries in Afghanistan that prevented me from going back to my education and training in law enforcement.

Driving a truck has allowed me to provide for my family while being my own boss. I love the freedom, the running of the business, and the view from my corner office.

I really needed some time alone to work on my personal issues, and I'm not that fond of crowds after Afghanistan. This allows me to be by myself, while still working. I'm a better person for it.

I love listening to radio shows and audiobooks. I have my trucker's cat to keep me company. Driving a truck has been the best therapy I've ever had. It's done more for me than the VA ever could.

 

I hope you already know about podcasts, which can be anything from a saved & downloadable version of a radio show to the audio version of YouTube. They can be on any subject and virtually none of them cost money to listen to. Podcasts exists on every subject you can imagine plus many you never thought of. I've been kind of obsessed with them since about the same time I got into trucking. If you aren't award of them I can help you get started if you would like. Few have any commercials, the players are cheap, or you can use your smartphone.

 

Trucking has paid for two of my kids in full and the third on will be paid off in July.

 

I started working in the trades right out of high school. Your literally trapped there 11 hours a day covered in nasty stuff breathing in even worse stuff. Now I'm 25 with the freedom of being able to change companies and jobs whenever I want. Plus nowadays you can go local or at least get home once a week right out of school. Trucking is freedom compared to most jobs!

 

A few months ago a new cdl grad in your area landed a job with Trimac Transportation making over $60K and home every day. Some laughed at him when he said he was going to apply, because they said he must have 1 yr. experience. Others told him most companies bend the rules for a high quality applicant. He got the last laugh. He posted on here for a while .

 

I only got my CDL 3 months ago. I had 3 local companies offer me a job right out of training. Great time for truckers and for non truckers to make the switch. And good for him!!

 

You have a dirty mind! Imagine if your mother could read it! You should be ashamed!

 

I love it even though I am local and not OTR, but it's gotten me really far, I think. I work for what I would consider one of the better companies out there, I like working by my self and this is great, no boss nothing like that it's the closest thing to working for your self without actually working for your self.

There are days though that drive me crazy I mean that's life a bad day at work even though you may like your job isn't anything new.

The job I have now I am alright with eventually hopefully in 5-7 years I can get a transit spot and be done pushing a wheeler, but for now I get by.

But it's gotten me far I have money all over the place (helps also being single), but I have money, I have my own house (I don't live there yet, but it's mine I put away money every week to make the monthly mortgage payments) but I have a nice house in one of Clevelands premier neighborhoods, my first home cost over $200,000 and I was able to put 20% down as well which was a big deal that all came from throwing groceries as they say.

Although I am with @Pintlehook
the odd hours as well are also going to do me in eventually, even now this 3am, 1am, 2am and 3am get up and start stuff eventually wears me down, and the weekends fly by very quickly now sometimes though my day is over at 12:45pm or 1:00pm which is rather nice so what you lose on the front sometime you gain on the back, but the late night starts or really early starts they do grind you down after a while, I know when Friday comes I am B-E-A-T beat and about 10:00pm I'm ready for bed.

I'm hoping that our early set transit comes back in 5-7 years and I can get on that 2pm start 10pm finish that's my kind of run that way I can stay up late and won't have to wake up at 3am, because after a while those late night stars or early morning starts it just does beat you down over time. I've always said eventually that will be my deal breaker.

However yes I have a nice home now in a really fancy neighborhood, haven't found a nice girl friend yet, but all things in good time and that issue takes care of it's self one way or another, plus there's no need to push that one.

Yes it's been well, good home, nice 22 year old automobile to drive all the amenities my home has a bunch of cool things in it, and all kinds of cool toys so I can't complain it's been good. It's nice being able to go to the store anywhere Lawnmower store or Home Depot and being able to buy some of the cool stuff there when you need it. Like I inherited my Grandfathers 9.6 Volt DeWalt drill and I bought new batteries for it and then bought some cool DeWalt Black Oxide drill bits and screw bits for the drill.

I also want to buy the Husky Mechanics tool set from Home Depot as well as a new set of screw drives and stuff, and because of my job I can afford to have a house that has top of the line appliances and tools and things.