What percentage of people make it

Not a lot.

I imagine it would be very hard if you have a family. I don’t. I did OTR for a year and work in LTL now. I love it. Making about $2k a week and home every other day. But don’t get me wrong I work as much as I can and sometimes don’t take a day off during the week if I have hours to take another load

 

Only the strong survive.

 

It's really cool for the first 3-4 years. Seeing all the different scenery. Even though its through a windshield I think it's cool. I don't know how some folks do it for 30+ years though. I enjoy the job somewhat still, but I am planning an exit strategy, whether that be have more trucks under my authority or just do something else altogether. There is no way I will continue driving forever. I feel like I've done it. Yes I see different scenery every trip, but none of it is new anymore. Accomplished everything I've wanted to, from a drivers standpoint. And getting to that point again as a single truck carrier as well. Need the next thing, within the next few years, whatever that might be.

 

there wasn't any CDL school back in my day, just truck driving schools.

we were taught way more than any CDL schools do these days. all the CDL schools seem to do is help you pass the CDL exams and road test, then when you get a job, the employer basically trains you and hones your skills.

i put in 48 years, but many nowadays get out long before that.

i turned wrenches before i gave that up to drive......

 

This is what I always see

I want a cdl tomrrow
I want a local job
Benefits
150k/year
Paid holidays and vacation weekends off

This is what I tell anybody who’s curious in getting a cdl

Do you need a job? There’s work in trucking. Does it take time to get a cdl and find a job? If Yes then you’ll do
Whatever it takes.
I use to work 9pm to 6am then drive to cdl training and train from 8/9am to 3 then go home see my family nap and back to work.
Started at 30cpm with a regional job for the Europeans and paper logs. They pushed me and I pushed me to exhaustion. But no one else was willing to hire me being so young and no experience. So for 3 years Cali to Denver was an over night run drop load and head back.

BUT hard work pays off I saved up enough to quit while looking for a new job then I found a great local job benefits hourly pay vacations paid sick days holidays off and weekends off.
Did that for a few years and just like anything else I got bored of clock work everyday same thing

Went and worked for some Russians otr at 60cpm I ran myself numb because I had a goal.. that was to buy a truck. Saved up money to buy truck, insurance etc.
leased onto the Russians and ran how I wanted to.

Fast forward to today still under 30years of age and I own a few trucks and work whenever I want to and my vacation time from the home/ or office life is to hop in a truck and go driving a week or two

So to answer you question. I could have stayed in school and done something else
But I wouldn’t change a thing if I could go back.

Edit: enjoy this novel

 

100% of the males in my household have made it.