A bit stressed out about this career move into trucking.

This one in West Palm Beach.
(If applicant has less than one year of experience a certificate of completion from an accredited CDL training school is required)
Click ---> Apply On Company Site

 

I enjoy the tranquility and that it's not fast paced and urban. Some walk with their nose up but generally everyone is cordial.

One company I have my eyes on is U.S. Foods. I see their trucks all the time and may consider applying either entry level if I don't have any school obligations or after I gain some OTR.

 

One driver in another state was hired by this company right out of cdl school and that was this year.
AmeriGas Propane
West Palm Beach, FL
Click ---> Apply On Company Site
Job Summary:
The Delivery Representative - Cylinder is a key point of contact for customers. They are dedicated and responsible people that can excel in a fast-paced work environment and possess exceptional people skills. The Delivery Rep is assigned to a large cylinder truck and delivers cylinders of various sizes and picks up empty cylinders. Cylinders are delivered to primarily industrial customers on a flatbed truck that may be equipped with a lift gate to assist with loading and unloading cylinders.

 

This company sometimes hires new cdl school grads.
Jacobus Energy
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Click ---> Apply On Company Site

 

@Chinatown you really hit the nail on the types of positions I'm looking for. Thanks so much for your input.

 

Not many young people want to pick up a tool belt and learn a trade. They think it's beneath them. I met a hard-charging Russian legal immigrant recently who does flooring. The guy is a work horse and appears to strive for perfection. He's pulling a $7000 aluminum 7x16 cargo trailer with a shiny, new, $50,000+ GMC 2500 Crew Cab. He either paid cash for it, or he's admitted to enough income over the years to get a loan for it. Either way, he's kicking butt in his pursuit of the American Dream. He told me his house is almost paid off, too. He's not even 40 yet.

Heck, I paid this man $240 to scrape the floor for six hours before doing the self-leveler. FYI, that's $40/hour...to scrape floors.

A contractor friend of mine offered me $13,000 to do the interior doors, baseboards, crown, and ship lap on an upscale, new construction house. He said he'd give me a month to do it. Even if it took me two months, that's still a darn decent paycheck. My schedule conflicted, to I had to pass.

My son, who's still basically in training for cabinet installation, was complaining that the job I told him I could do in two days was taking him four. When he got finished, I wrote him a check for $1050 and told him he was still making close to $40/hr. He shrugged and left Thursday afternoon on his 3.5 day weekend with his girlfriend.

You can make a good living in the trades while still being home by 5 pm every day and have all weekend to boot. There's going to be a shortage of tradesmen in the future. Young people just want to sit at a desk looking at spreadsheets and drinking Starbucks, and they're going to have to pay someone $500 to switch out the flapper valve in their toilet tank.

 

I agree. If I could start all over again, learning a trade or two would be it. If you're young, take notes. As for me, I need a good balance of physical activity so I think pairing my CDL with something like a crane or forklift cert will help me to pop out amongst the other candidates. I just need to move out and about a bit and sweating and not be stuck in a truck like OTR.

 

You can never go wrong being able to look at your hands, saying we can do this. My son is in trade school for mechanical electrical training. The opportunities is unlimited. Their isn't nothing we can't do with our hands. I appreciate my dad so much for helping me to be mechanically inclined.
The joy alone of being to fix the majority of anything that is a problem in my home, cars, trucks, pays for it all. It has saved me thousands overs years.
You're right about having to pay people for everything if you don't learn to fix it. I say that all the time.
There is so many opportunities here to be an honest tradesman, you can't go wrong & you definitely won't be hungry.

 

Just my very Humble Opinion here. I have one son with Crete and the other with Amazon. The network IT job can and does lead to high paying positions just like trucking. My trucker son gained 10grand on a move to a low paying region. The IT son keeps pushing his military work ethics and is climbing the Amazon ladder quick. Pick a career and give it everything. I chose to go back to trucking as my pension did not cover medical bills enough and I still want some toys.

I am patient and have had 3 chances driving. It looking like the third time really is the charm this time. If this company keeps me we will have a great relationship to last. It is easier for me with a pension to ride out the storm looking for the right fit. Sometimes age and family make the need to push more important. Keep options open and never leave on a bad note. When the right deal comes you will know it.

That said, Amazon hires a lot of network positions as work at home. It is all a matter of what certificates and qualifications you have. For me I love driving. It is easy even with a long nose Pete with steering cut short and pulling spread axle flat beds making any turn a challenge. I enjoy driving. It calms me with the right music and I can still accomplish things others cannot. At my age feeling needed and having self worth matters to my temperament.

Electricians, Industrial or commercial AC, drivers all can make good money. Heck my Army Friend started with one used van in a small ski resort and in 3 years made a multi million dollar electric company. His jobs are so big he had to go union just to find enough workers to hire. Do what makes you happy and keep family in mind.

 

At my age feeling needed and having self worth matters to my temperament.

^This!^
I’ll be leaving a career making almost $70k with 10 weeks a year vacation for trucking.
My teaching vocation is over and I’m looking forward to the next (and last) chapter in my working life.
Work satisfaction and self worth mean more to me than a paycheck, although having a pension will really help