After 19 years of a mix of local and OTR driving, I'm burnt out I think. I feel like Forrest Gump when he's running and just stops, turns around and goes home for no reason.
Currently, I'm working for a very small outfit, I've been here 8 years. I love the company, the trucks, and the people I work around. But the job is very dirty. And I'm kind of a clean freak.
Furthermore, I've realized that the owner of the company, who's a great person that I consider almost like a father, is making some decisions I don't totally agree with. We had a guy quit over winter, and another part timer pass away. So, to compensate, he hired three full timers. They basically replace 1 and a half guys. And we don't seem to have the work to support such a move.
I questioned him on it one day, and the answer threw some red flags up. His vision is to be a seasonal operation. He's 52 years old and has no expenses anymore. His kids are nearly through college, and he has zero debt (according to him). So he has no incentive to work as hard. I, on the other hand, have a 9 and 11 year old at home, and all the bills to go with them (braces, college eventually, vacation, etc). Basically, I can't afford a seasonal job at this point in my life. I gotta work!
This seasonal thing he's envisioning isn't a total deal breaker for me though. I can survive on Unemployment for a few months. But, I won't be the one getting to enjoy sitting home all winter. I'm one of the ones he will call out in the worst weather, on weekends, and whenever. But I won't be making any better money than on Unemployment.
Meanwhile, some of our other people will be home collecting unemployment for the winter, hunting and doing whatever. Those guys make the same money doing the same runs I do all summer, but get all the free time they want in winter. It's always the same ones getting laid off every winter. I'm always the last one to be laid off. And I've been here longer than everyone but one other guy.
So, as I sit here on vacation, thinking about my future, I wonder what I should do.
19 years experience, a spotless record, 38 years old. I can go about anywhere I would like. But I'd be starting all over again at a new company.
I have some things that look promising, including a local position running lowboy, transporting equipment from job to job for a construction company. They're a large outfit, and they have tons of work, and it's pretty much a year round deal. And it pays hourly. It seems like a good fit for me and the family.
Then there's the LTL companies in the area that are always looking for linehaul drivers. Again, I'd have to eat crow for a while at those jobs.
Or, I could hang up the keys and do something else, out of the trucking world forever.
So, with all this in mind, I'm kinda torn on what I'm gonna do. As I said, I love where I work, and I'm comfortable here. But I see trouble ahead.
Do I call around and start over again, sit tight and see what happens, or quit driving altogether? What would you all do?
Thinking of hanging up the keys for good ( warning: long post)
Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by rbrtwbstr, Jul 10, 2019.
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Once a trucker,,,always a trucker. I got out several times, and always went back. With your record, you could go anywhere, pick your job. Stay with it, you won't find anything better than trucking, trust me, I tried. Besides, I hear there's a waiting list at auctions to drive those high end classics across the block,,,remember, I started fresh with lots of companies, I found it's the same crap, different shovel
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Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
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