Would you give up this gig?

Border Collies are smarter than some drivers

 

You're missing the 1-2 years experience. That's a big one.

 

You have a job working for the city , county etc and you want to leave it for trucking is that correct.

 

You can always punch your trailer if you miss having cut up knuckles.

 

Research is how you increase your odds of making a good choice. Talking to drivers working at the companies you consider is a must. IMO. Ads and web pages are not enough. And your looking for a job that's good for you, not a job that isn't for you at a company many consider good. "If the shoes don't fit you, those aren't good shoes."

 

if you are wanting the switch for money - hire on with an LTL; such as R&L carriers, fedex etc. which one is up to you. there will be no shortage of work and the odds of a consistent schedule are much higher vs a regional or otr company. the flip side is you are on a strict schedule and expected to perform in all conditions. idk about pay but i have seen several teams claiming to earn 1700+/wk each.

ill be honest. i’d never quit what you have for money. if you need more income, drive part time or do something on the side. team driving means you will have 0 life and live in a truck, as it rarely ever stops. you will live in the truck. the truck; you will live in it. it is your new home. think about that.

 

Tough decision, I don't envy you or your wife for having to make it.

Most of us here can relate to being burned out on a job where we've been for a long time. Making a transition into trucking though might not be the best way to go. The biggest complaints most drivers have about this industry are low pay and horrible employers. Unless you're an owner/operator, you will always be under somebody's thumb and doing things their way. You said that Kroger treats your wife like crap, well expect both of you to be treated like crap in trucking, it's just part of this industry. You're also going to be dealing with very low pay for the first couple of years, and that's just part of the industry too. Employers don't take drivers seriously until they've proven themselves for a couple years with no accidents, tickets, and are easy to get along with. Until that point comes, you will get the worst loads and the lowest pay. Expect to make less for at least the first year than your current combined incomes. That should be a big consideration with a mortgage payment. Remember that you may find the perfect trucking job and the company may not allow pets on the truck. Many companies don't.

If it were me and the wife and I decided to go with trucking, I would sell the house and relocate to a state that's less expensive with low or no state income taxes. Colorado is getting very expensive, especially around Denver. There are much less expensive places to live that are just as nice. Pick a few states that look appealing to you both, then do some job hunting for companies that will work with new team drivers that have terminals in those states so you can live close to them. When you have some good prospects for jobs, start looking at the real estate markets in those areas. I would rent for the first year just to make sure the job works out before committing to a home purchase.

Alternatively, you could stay at your current job and work on finding your wife a better and higher paying job. Look at smaller chain stores or even single family owned grocery stores. I would think that the combined income with a better job for her would make you more money than you could make team driving.

Whatever you decide, best of luck to you both.