Why do people say "don't be a trucker, go to college instead"?

I think it’s less about not being a trucker more grand delusion of the child getting a degree, working in a high paying field at an office with benefits and retirement. Idk maybe I’m wrong.

Then again, most big trucking companies and some smaller ones offer insurance and 401k.

There’s always the option to get your own insurance, like a self employed person would do, and there’s always setting up your own retirement. 401k, IRA, Roth IRA, SEP. so many possibilities.

I have multiple friends that went to college. 2 for welding, uncountable females in nursing, 1 friend currently in college for engineering. He was full ride paid for though.

Out of all those, I make more currently. Trucking might have a stereotype or stigma of being low class, nasty, dirty whatever. That’s fine, I laugh every Friday at midnight when the check hits.

So, In closing I guess my point would be depending on what that particular persons goals are, and what they want, college may be a great investment. If they’re stupid and waste 4 years studying German Polka history not so great.

I’ve thought about starting college while driving full time.

 

I have a B.A., spent 5 years getting a 3 year degree. Didn't work in anything related to my field of study after graduation, and now am living the best years of my life, feeling good getting up every morning and wanting to be at work.

 

All my friends with degrees wish they had my job.

They all work for Wells Fargo etc and are super stressed while I’m sitting out in the sun eating pad Thai waiting to fill a power buggy with mud.

Go to school but make sure you aren’t paying too much and can actually get a GOOD job. Don’t pay 50k for a communications degree and make 16 an hour at target corporate.

Not everyone is a school person, I could do a lot of jobs that “require” a degree. Most these jobs just want to you have a degree because it shows you can follow orders.

At the end of the day it’s not for me. I want to be outside, get dirty, not dress up, swear and take a break and get a burger if I feel like it without asking permission. Lol I can’t imagine getting up everyday worrying what I’m going to wear to work. Just need a ratty tee shirt, jeans and boots.

 

A degree in education or engineering doesnt do you much good if you never use it either. It's like buying 20k worth of snap on tools and a box and never using it, only worse because you can't sell it if you aren't using it.

 

Oh them things are the nastiest things ever cold though.

 

When I was a yard dog at Sysco in salt lake our Beaver shuttle guy had an MBA and turned down a job as a branch manager at a bank . He said he made more driving . We also had two shuttle drivers up north that had masters in animal science . They both shuttled at night and ran their ranches in the day , as did two cowboy shuttle drivers from Wyoming

 

Dont know.
All I know is that driving is all I wanted from diapers. Solo in the seat age 11. Permit age 18. Licensed age 20. Then 21y7m12d I pulled a trailer out of state on a 3300 mile run that began my career ending a lifetime of anticipation.
Not long after..... it started to suck. Almost 3 million miles & 25 years later I can't stand it. Hate it. I wish dad put a boot up in me each time I asked to go.
I had the grades. More than that even, I was a "gifted" child that everything came easy to. I could have been anything, went into any field if only I had the desire.
The desire was to bring dad's blankets/sheets/pillow inside and hold them tight, smell the aroma of the riad that was trucking. It was some blend of diesel & smoke I guess. Most of you reading this know that smell I'm talking about I know you do. I remember it like yesterday but because I'm so used to it I guess, I haven't smelled that in 15 or 20 years. My son used to love using my pillow back when he was young. I knew exactly what he meant when he described that smell.
I look at a truck and I see a divorce machine. A family separator. A destroyer of everything I hold dear.
Don't be a truck driver ?
Sounds like #### great advice to me.

 

It's a good job for those of us who never did have the grades though, or any interest at all in even looking at a school building. The only other thing I ever thought I wanted to do was work on cars, two years of that and I didn't even mind when I got fired, I'm glad I didn't spend any money going to school for it. My old man says all the time he wishes people had pushed him harder to do better in school i always tell him he's nuts, I've been the kid who just doesn't understand algebra at all and the more people pushing and trying to help just made it worse.

 

Nailed it with divorce machine

 

I dont know what I'd be doing if not this. I know every successful man had or has a passion for what they do. They love getting up in the morning to take on the day. They enjoy their work. I haven had that feeling since my 2nd or 3rd year in. Well, except for hauling cars I loved the hell out of that. It came along too late though. I'm on my last leg. Too much partying too much trying to forget about today too many hard miles.
Enough rambling on about nothin better put it in gear and go. I miss what I fell in love with. It wasn't like this. At all. It was something that put me in awe. Something to aspire to.
It all changed so fast. It never really was what I thought for forever would be.