Anyone have a legit fear of trucking and still did it?

Didn't read all the reply's, but for me, NEVER!! To me it was just a big pickup truck. Not to say I haven't ever been scared, I think we all have at one time or another, and perhaps I'd have a fear if I still did it today with all the new regs, but bottom line, I had a gas! ( why I did it for 35 years)

 

When I must go downtown there is always someone trying to use fast talking. (To confuse) I smile and point at ears, im deaf so save it. However... once in a great while because we have a deaf school downtown there is someitmes one who wil convert jive into language I can understand. I slow them down further using Galludet method until I can think over this developing situation.

The problem with the use of signs in big cities is confused with gang related. And some are close enough to get you killed on sight. So, that is another problem to work around. It's unnecessary but it has to be done to save lives.,

Fears are not diffcult. They are there and have to be set aside while you make decisions and follow through with them to eliminate those fears and or literally work around them.

The one question I cannot answer is what is coming. Is this life all there is? No. It is not all there is.

 

If you can work 60 hour weeks at $15/hour you'll make what your average OTR driver makes, maybe more - with a schedule, giving up none of your time for free, being home everyday, etc...
Most people who get into this industry realize that at some point and end up leaving. Unless you really love trucking your first year is probably just gonna piss you off. Especially if you look at your time spent on the job to your earnings ratio.

Not really wise to get into this for the money unless you live in a terrible area with no work. Just the way I see it.

If you still want to get into trucking for more than money or you can't find work around you then your fear won't be a problem. Confidence comes in time.

 

loggers have cajones.

 

I'm getting into this for the money to stack up money quick to buy property. Living out of the truck will allow me to do it much quicker then working a 9-5 and paying around $12,000 a year in rent. That $12,000 plus the rest i save will get me property in 3 years or less. If i had to pay rent and all the other things I couldn't save quick. I'm 38 now i'd probably have enough to buy a place when i'm my 60s. I don't want a 15 or 30 year mortgage i want a fixer upper or build a small house that is semi off grid out in the country.

 

I would be fearful a out some of these leeching trucking companies taking advantage of you and making you work like a slave and go broke.

Many trucking companies talk a big game to fleece and manipulate drivers.

To avoid this be very very careful and not fearful.

 

There are a lot of reasons for it besides just loving the road, you have a good one it seems.

 

The sad thing about this post is most believe you making 15/hr for 60 hrs of work is the best you can do.. Why do we settle for so less for so much work. I couldn't see myself working for less than 20 Hr js and even that's low for this type of work.. And to the main subject of this thread I believe we all get scared one time or another when getting started.. It's not being scared after doing this job for a while it's more like respect for the dangers of this job going forward

 

I simply put that as an example for people looking to go OTR with a mega.
That's $1,050/week with no CDL, no regulations, or risk of legal troubles after an accident.
For some it's a better route and $15/hour isn't hard to find in a lot of cities.

If you look at the time you show up to work to the time you go home and compare that to what you earn everyday and then figure out what your hourly rate would be if you factored in OT after 8 hours you'd probably be surprised how low your rate actually is.

That's what you have to do to figure out what I call your "real world" hourly rate - because the real world outside of trucking gets paid OT.
If you're getting a good rate & OT after 8/40 then kudos to you because that's rare in this industry.

This is just the formula I use to compare jobs and look at the true efficiency of earnings to time spent working.
My job factors in at $18-19/hour "real world" time and I'm happy with that. It might be low to you but in my mind I've got a pretty sweet gig lol

 

I look at it this way too... Sure trucking is a lot of hours working but most of the time the work is just sitting and driving. I rather take that over working at a day job where you have 5 different bosses looking over your shoulder all day and giving you #### about not putting cover sheets on your TPS reports lol Not having to deal with that crap everyday is priceless.