Licences?

Good luck to you let us know how it goes when you go back to the nursing stuff.

 

Hey Slick, good luck on your new career choice.

Yes drivers have to protect their CDL but, from all the years I have been around the trucking industry at some point you will have to decide to do the legal thing or the thing to keep your job just like in nursing.

I know it is a twisted way for things to be, however that is the sad fact. Yes when told to run illegal you can say no can't do that and some carriers will change your load, delivery time etc OTHERS will just say do it or your fired. I hope you start out with a good driver manager/dispatcher at a decent company.

Trucking is a way of life and it can be a good thing. I wish you all the best!

 

While you are correct in you thinking if you get with the wrong carrier they will not use your refusal as an excuse to fire you . That would be illegal . More than likely they will withhold work and starve you out . Then when you quit they will give you a negative DAC report and most other carriers won't touch you .
CDL school graduates cut their own throats creating a growing oversupply of drivers . Carriers have more control than ever and show no mercy . There are always thousands of desperate applicants .

 

This is a great thread cause all of us know that this situation happens all day everyday ? I will be paying close attention to this one. GOOD THREAD SLICK

 

Kinda strange the best paying carriers are the ones most strict on HOS compliance while the bottom feeders have most violations from pushing people then wonder why their turnover rate is so high . My current carrier is VERY strict on copliance . My previous employer would push who they could but respected those who refused to run illegaly . They advertise make $750 - $1100 a week , interpreted run legal , make $750 . Run 80 -90 hours a week , make $800 -$1100 . Run grossing 90,000 lbs. also added to your income .

 

Round here it's red fuel. Your out on a job, you need to get some fuel they wanna run dozer fuel in there and when you refuse they say you don't wanna work and send you home for the day so 9 times outta 10 u run it and cuss yourself the entire time

 

You get caught running fed dye and you can hang your driving career up too. I've seen it done in Las Vegas and it was IRS checking and no one else.

 

Slick501 it sure would be a shame to not have your 12 years experience nursing. Can't you find something you like in that field and not driving a truck were you'll make nothing compared to what you make now. It's just at this time trucking is not the best career to go in if you already have one. The first few years are the hardest and you have to keep your record clean to move up and like Rick says the companies have the upper hand and they know it. So one little screw up and out the door you go and a new driver is in that seat before it get's cold.

 

Slick I know what your talking about. My wife is a RN and I work in the pre hospital field myself on a ambulance. I have my CDl license as well. It seems anymore that the boundries for right and wrong are being pushed more and more. I know it sucks in the medical field right now.

All I can say is this if you need just a little break from nursing and want to try something different for a while then by all means do so. But I wouldn't waste my RN degree and training just to be a truck driver. No offense drivers. Basically your going to be in the same boat as you are in nursing. Your going to be in stressful situations and put up with BS all the time, Be put in situations that are questionable all the while getting paid a hell of a lot less than you are now. If your looking at getting away for a year from nursing then go for it the experiance might make you look at nursing in a whole other way.

It will more than likely be enjoyable for you just because it's something different. And who knows it may be a perfect fit for you.

I'll trade you I will give my CDL for the RN degree.