Am I crazy for wanting in?

I’d say go for it!

Just don’t buy a truck right away, try it out for a year, this way you’ll get all weather driving, if you are still in the same mindset, then go for the truck, best wishes on you next adventure

 

@MechE, see post #30 in the thread titled, "Educate Me on becoming a trucker...."

--Lual

 

@MechE, since you're an engineer, I would encourage you to look seriously at the option of tanker duty.

I can't believe that no one else here recommended that you check out Western Dairy Transport:

Western Dairy Transport (wdtmilk.com)

WDT has a driver training academy in Byan, TX; this school & location should prove of interest to you, if you are currently in the Houston area:

DRIVER ACADEMY | wdtmilk.com

If I had it to do all over again--I'd start out in tankers--with someone like WDT, most likely.

Many drivers that eventually switch to tanker duty end up wishing they had done it A LOT SOONER.

--Lual

 

I was asked last year before my last Heart Attack this same question. The man had just finished a nasty divorce but was 100% free of his ex. He too was an Engineer and had spent close to 25 years in the white-collar world. Kids grown. I directed him to a local school and advised him to avoid company-paid training and use it as the last resort. I then warned the guy the same warning I will repeat to you! The OTR life is NOT an easy life to get used to. The hours can be demanding. Over half of new drivers burn out within 5 years and get out of it. I HIGHLY advise you to go on ahead and get your CDL, but try to do something local or regional at first. Oh, you're going to find hundreds of opportunities and they will promise you the moon and stars. What you find a while in almost every case will be inversely proportional! Drivers also do this when they job hop. They hear about all this green grass when they hear another driver starts in on how superior they are to you! Then they hop, only later to discover that green grass is astroturf!

OP, I am NOT trying to be a Debbie Downer! Not my intent! I just feel I would be remiss if I did not strongly warn you to take these next steps with BOTH EYES WIDE OPEN!

 

I agree

companies that hire chemical and mechanical and Enviromental engineers usually do not lie lie lie lie lie to recruit you to work for them , which EVERY EVERY trucking company does .

the promises from a trucking company recruiter are far worse than the military recruiters .

and I also agree about finding a community college or vocational school and please do not become a indentured servant to a company for a year just for their horrible 4 week training class ,
That the trucking company charges you $9-10k for .

the CDL classes at the community colleges in my state are $1,600
And 12 weeks long ,
So you get a pretty good training .

 

Exactly, I have said this many times. Right now there are so many programs available that will pay for this. I remember a guy telling me he got a loan against some property to pay for the school. This is not something I advise though. Just do research on all the options before you sign!

 

And I can't believe not a single WDT driver ever post on Truckers Report but that's true. There was one for about 3 times a few years ago and that's been it.

I'm getting serious right now about getting in and they're very appealing to me. I've got a call out to a dry van company that's close to my location so I'll see what I hear from them.

Ironically when I was coming home from my non driving job Friday I followed a WDT tanker right through my town so I know they come through here. It was an O/O tractor not company. I live in the dairy state but can't say I'd seen WDT before. I easily see 30 to 50 or more milk tankers daily along with the bulk trucks that pick up at the farms around here. There's a lot of milk tanker traffic through here daily.

 

Here's a good thread on Magnum, Ltd.
Starting at Magnum Transport
~
Here's one on Leonard's Express
Leonard's Express gamble
~
Freymiller Trucking New CDL Grad Training Journal
@VinceBlack

 

@runallnight - Good thread here to read.

 

The funny thing about trucking is that there really are people that have come to it from all kinds of different professions.

And it's usually a similar story. Tired of sitting at a desk. Tired of being micromanaged tired of being part of the corporate thing.

You are far above most people because you not only have the funds to do what you want to do, you're willing to go to work somewhere for a while and see how it is before you make that investment. That's a very good intelligent approach.

If that's what you want, go for it.