Am I outta my mind?

I think you're on the right track to start off running flatbed if you want better pay starting off. don't let people change your mind about working hard running flatbed. All you need is a good work ethic and common sense. I started pulling flatbeds and then reefers and couldn't stand the hurry up and wait and sitting in my truck waiting to get loaded at midnight. I went back to flatbed, I'll never pull reefer's again and the pay was better pulling flatbeds if you don't mind the exercise.

 

I agree with gpsman. What other careers could you get into that would leverage your experience? You're retaining yourself why not move up in your field? Problem with trucking that nobody talks about is youre always one ticket away from being bounced it of the industry..... And then you have to start again.

 

35+ years in IT consulting. My own business. Net is "indeterminate", because my company pays for all my "toys" and expenses (LOL). I've got a pretty #### good life (materially) but I'M MISERABLE.

@ 55 years old - I can't see doing computers for another 10-15 years. Every morning is a struggle to not just change my phone number and disappear. It's getting to the point that IT business is making me so nuts - that I may end up as the "lead story" on CNN one day (I kid, but really). I pretty much am down to one client that gives me $7K a month to keep everything running (medium sized law office - 70 users). That goes into my corporate account that pays for everything (pretty much). "On The Books" - I'm showing $24K of "income".

Got my CDL 6 years ago - full time CDL Course (320 hours) - never used it - but kept it (PTX Endorsed) and my TWIC/Passport/Dot Med all current.

This year is PROBABLY THE YEAR I go (notice how long I've been a member here).

Either grab a refresher somewhere - or just go as a "greenhorn: with one of the training companies.

So the question - "Am I Outta My Mind?" - is a very valid one.

People who DON'T KNOW ME - think I'm CRAZY for considering dumping all my crap, putting what I can't dump in storage - and hitting the road. People that DO KNOW ME - are concerned for my SANITY if I DON'T CHANGE WHAT I'M DOING for work.

People (especially "older ones") get into trucking for various reasons. These are MINE.

Rick

 

I remember a guy years ago, was in corporate management and a self-made millionaire, but miserable. Said he just did was he was expected to do in life, not what he really wanted to do. When I saw the report about him on "60 Minutes" he was broke but happy. He bought a small farm in MO and had a bunch of stray dogs he cared for. He looked very healthy and happy and was content with his life and has no regrets.

I recently read Dartco, Inc. website and they have a pretty good program for refresher.

Take care Rick, the clock is ticking.

 

And I don't want to appear to sound UNGRATEFUL here. My life is quite an enviable one. I went to high school with the managing partner of this firm - I've been doing his IT since '83. I could coast here for the rest of my life. It's not a "go in for 40 hours" gig. I go in when I need to lay hands on something - everything else is remote. But I AM ON CALL 24/7 - I'm a solo act, so there's no such thing as "vacation"

I just HATE THE WORK. I HATE MICROSOFT. I hate the MORONS that you've told 1,000 times not to open zip attachments in emails, or click on links in emails. I am BORED TO TEARS (literally).

People tell me I would be "wasting my talent and intelligence", if I decided to go drive a truck. "But you're SO GOOD AT THIS, why would you QUIT?". BECAUSE I'M OVER IT.

Where the "Am I Losing My Mind" FEAR FACTOR comes in - is that moving into trucking means BURNING MY BRIDGES. There's no choice here. Once I bail on this client (who IS my business at this point) - there's NO COMING BACK. Trucking income is not going to cover my current overhead - the 2,400 sq foot warehouse that I built out into shop space and a man-cave (that I live in) - and it makes no sense to keep an expensive homestead that you're never going to be at.

Which means getting INTO trucking, requires me to GET OUT OF all my stuff, get out of my (current) home, etc. Being single, kids grown, no girlfriend or attachments - this should be relatively easy to do. There's no sense in keeping a home that I;m only going to see 3-4 days every 4-6 weeks. Doesn't make financial sense.

The flipside is, that I won't be coming out on the road broke - between liquidating assets and having no "homestead overhead", I won't be "suffering" during the low-income-training-phase. And I won't have to worry about the "wife and kids" not eating, while I do that all-important first year (where you really don't make a whole lot of $$).

So - the question "Am I Out Of My Mind" - comes up multiple times a day.

Rick

 

Sounds like you understand yourself quite well, so no your not out of your mind, but others will think you are...

I was divorced, single kids grown when I started my trucking career... I put a few things into storage, sold the rest, and enjoyed the ride... Keep a local home mailing address as your residence... A united states postal box will not work. Need that home address to be able to claim the per diem deduction on your taxes...

take the leap, enjoy your life, and stop worrying about what others think... life is getting shorter every day, need to enjoy what you do.

 

Understand all about the "per diem" thing. Have friends throughout the state that I can use an address to get mail. Some people are using "UPS Stores" as they show up as "Regular Addresses" (but probably wouldn't stand up to a full IRS audit).

Downside is - no one (what's worth anything) really hires new drivers out of a South Florida Zip Code. I have to somehow convince a recruiter, that I will not be requiring "home time" down here. Once you get a year or two down - the opportunities open up.

Despite having friends & family down here - the only thing really holding me her - is my business and my STUFF (which I realized this year - is JUST STUFF - and your STUFF DOES NOT DEFINE YOU).

Rick

 

You guys should get job as mods here at TTR. All the money and power you can handle.