An e-mail to my wife, am I being realistic?

All, below is letter I wrote to my wife earlier this week. I figure I'd post it here to get some feedback if I truly am being realistic or am I mis-guided? Any advice or feedback you have is appreciated. Some quick facts: 40yrs, making 19.20/hr stuck in a cube 40hrs/week. I have 2 DWIs ('99 and '06 - conviction in '08 Nothing on my record since then (changed man via Christ), and stellar recommendations. Looking forward to your feedback! By the way, I have 5 kids, all teens, and my wife of 3 years and I work full time, so with the kids activities and work schedules we often send emails to one another because we have about 5 minutes of us time each day LOL. She's keeper though, and I'm looking forward to making her and the kids happy, doing something I enjoy, DRIVING!The email:

Glad to report some good news. A lot of folks are telling me that I can do this trucking thing locally and be home every night and weekend. There may be a night here and there that I'll be gone but it will depend on the local company I sign up with. Right now there are 10 LTL companies in Rochester that I need to pursue. LTL means less than truckload. These are basically expediting companies that take freight that is less than one truck load and get it to clients. They often run the freight between hubs (within 200 to 300 miles) each day and deliver to the airport to FedEx and UPS planes as well as local deliveries in Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse. In other words, I don't have to get a trucking job that has me away from home at days at a time moving whole truckloads for the bigger carriers.

So what's next? Well, for a new guy like me I need to contact each LTL company in person, by visiting them. Try to get in the front door in person and fill out an app, express my desire to get into the transportation field and become a driver. Since I'm new, a lot of them will want me to work at the dock first. Then, when a driving position becomes open, and they like what they see from me, they may offer me a shot to drive. The beauty here is I can probably start part time. I probably won't make much, but I will be able to keep my job with <current employer>, so I will have two jobs and the little I make will be extra income. Then of course, once I'm in part time, I will depend on my professionalism, networking, etc. to eventually get to a point where they can offer a full time position that pays more then what I making at <current employer>, and they pay overtime! This can happen anywhere from 3 months to a year. Once I'm driving, the opportunities will be limitless. Also, these jobs involve a lot of hard work, moving, etc, so it will also be a workout and get me in shape!

Right now I am reading up on the 10 companies here in Rochester. I am putting together a resume that highlights any relevant experience as well as my professional experience. I'm also doing a cover letter and business cards. Once I have all of this done (this week), then I will start visiting each company and trying to break through their doors. I hear the hiring period in around March so I am a little early, but it doesn't help to start networking now and at least get my info in there. Again, I might be attractive to them because I may be willing to work odd hours for next to nothing since I am all ready working full time at <current employer>. I'm using this to my advantage. Then we'll see whee it goes from there. I will also be getting my DOT physical and taking my CDL permit test so I am ready to start driving training with one of these companies or with Professional Driver Institute (Churchville, NY) if I need to. A lot of the LTL companies, if they are tracking you to become a driver, will pay for the training.

Some assurances for you:
1) I will not be quitting <current employer> unless I am offered something full time that pays the same or more than what I am making now
2) I will be pursuing local LTL opportunities that will mean I'm home everyday or almost everyday
3) I will still be finishing my last year of college <Bachelor's> since I will be home every day. Empire State seems the best option right now since I wont have much time to attend classes if I am working full time at <current employer> and part time with a LTL company. Or I may sign up and start taking classes on -line, one by one.
4) I am doing this to change our financial situation. Anything extra I can bring in is a bonus and I don't mind hard work. Down the road, I should be able to have you move to a part time position or a career where you choose when and where you want to work. In other words, you can do whatever you want to do and not worry about cash flow (2 - 3 years from now) Sooner if God willing.

Long range plans
Now - start part time LTL, get my CDL learner permit with HazMat/Doubles & Triples endoresements and remain at <current employer> full time
within 1 year - start driving for LTL full time
within 2 years - drive for the best paying LTL or go Regional dedicated that keeps me home often but pays 900-1200 a week (very doable in 2 years)
Within 3 to 5 years - have all of my debt cleared up so I can purchase a truck and possibly trailer (or lease). An become an owner/operator, At this point I can pick and choose when and where I want to drive and negotiate my own rates. <I have 20 years sales experience>
5 years and later - have our own trucking business, and making $$ as a result of all the hard work the first 4 years!
* from everything I have researched, this plan is very realistic and doable.

So that's an update. I wrote this real quick so excuse my spelling. Pray for me, pray for us, I love you and am excited. God is leading me, I am filled with such a rush every time I get to work pursuing this next chapter in my professional career.

Love you,
Greg

 

STEXAN - exactly the kind of feedback I'm looking for and very much appreciated. "LTL before and harder" is a very good point! Regional is definitely a plan B and I am keeping ALL options open. Willing to just about anything to get started as long as I'm not sacrificing the home life for more than 2 to 3 days at a time. If OTR is the only option, then I guess I'll have to do an email #2 LOL. Western NY has suffered a lot, the big 3 in Rochester: Kodak, Xerox, Bausch & Lomb are now operating at a fraction of their former selves. But we do have energy/fracking potentially coming and I'm thinking "heavy haul" down the road. We'll see, I'll keep in touch!