Are we crazy? Need advice about going back to OTR and a good company

Listen to "semi" retired and Tonythetruckerdude and all the rest, they are spot on with there comments, the road 30 years ago were fun and are good memories, now, they are only nightmares...

 

I guess it comes down to whether you are a truck driver at heart or another steering wheel holder.

The difference is one chose trucking and one came to it as a last resort just to pay the bills.

One does the minimum to get by while the other lives and breathes it.

You sound like a true truck driver and i can only imagine how sitting in one spot living a "normal" life for all these years has irked you when you were born to run.

You had the family experience and raised some children. Now continue to follow your heart. Don't waste your life living all these other steering wheel holders dream of mediocrity.

 

Best post yet!

 

I don't think crazy is correct, only you and your husband know what would fit you best, I thought Averitt had some team stuff, maybe I would check into that first before loosing that kind of seniority???? Just a thought.... My wife and I ran team from 96 until 02, both company and O/O and I would absolutely love for her to come back out with me, maybe one day I will be that lucky again! But back to your situation... I don't know of any companies that are that good that would provide for training or schooling for you until your husband was on board and a proven worth while driver, with 25 yrs at one company that shouldn't take long though!!! Maybe try Abilene depending on where you live...

Good luck!!!

 

With things being the way they are these days, I would really look at what might happen to any pension/retirement pay your husband has managed to build up over the years. Not to mention your benefits. If the benefits are good and you don't pay too much for them, I would think long and hard about giving that up. I would only make the move if Averitt could "guarantee" that he could step back in with retirement/benefits intact if going back on the road doesn't work out.

I've wanted to be a truck driver for about the last 10 years or so but could never quite get into it because of family and all that. With the job I have now, I've still got 20+ years before I can retire and with the pension I will have at the end of that, I really can't justify giving that up for something that I might or might not hate. My main concern is doing something that will force me to work well past retirement age just so I can feed myself and have a roof over my head.

It could be a lot to give up.

 

Short answer, YES!!

 

What are you doing?? No seriously, I want you to think about what you're doing. You get 1 life 1 shot on this earth. You may get eternity in Heaven or disappear once that's over. I don't know, but that doesn't matter here. You get 1 shot to live your life and your spending it living a miserable existence because it makes you feel safe? Your not safe. Your not even guaranteed another heartbeat yet your living an unfulfilled life because you perceive it as safe. Stop worrying about retirement and start worrying about right now. Most retired people I've met just live a simple existence and look back on times past happy and sad. Give yourself something to remember and be proud of when your retired instead of a measly monthly stipend of paper. You can lose that stipend you lived this life of misery for in a days time like so many did in 2008.

I'm not saying you shouldn't save for the future because another heartbeat is never promised (it's not), but I am sure as heck saying if your living an unfulfilled life full of dreams that never reach fruition because you believe never making a move means being "safe" your wasting your life and their is plenty of folks sitting in hospital beds and senior care facilities that can tell you from experience that is a terrible thing to waste.

 

That works for you, and that's your personal choice. Some people hate being stuck in a comfort zone and always wonder what's outside their zip code. I know someone that had a comfortable life and good job. He and his wife won a trip to Las Vegas and while there were mesmerized by the lifestyle there, bright lights, entertainment, weather, etc. Spent his free trip time searching for a job and found one. Called his company back home and quit that good paying job and still in Las Vegas; been there for over 20 yrs. now with no regrets. No, that's not me, but I respect the guy & his wife for doing what they did.

Our bodies are pre-programmed to shut down and die at a certain time. This can, of course, be influenced by outside factors to a small degree, ie. lifestyle, tobacco, alcohol, drugs, depression. But, in the end, we all die. Taking the safe route by being afraid to change jobs or environment, doesn't change the fact that we're still going to die somewhere close to our pre-programmed date. If we live long enough to end up in a rocking chair reflecting on our past, what kind of memories will we have, regrets, excitement, mediocrity life of boredom. To each his own,it's personal choice as to what we're willing to put up with.
I know people that finished school, went to work for Dupont or some company like that, retired after 30 yrs. then eventually died. Their only excitement in life was spending vacations on the "Redneck Rivera" of Panama City,Florida. Geeeze, what a waste! Another friend spent his vacations in Panama City, Panama; Manila, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc.; now that's living!

 

everyone i talk to loves Abilene
husband and wife teams are in great demand
many people still love it out here
teams never need to worry about parking
and like everything else the good ole days were not all that good
my experience says 16 years but i was driving when power steering was just in my car
and the lines at the pay phone were as bad as the fuel line is now
Life is too short to not do what floats your boat
Dad retired a 6 figure income in 1979 and repaired Mercedes in his garage for next 25 years
Mom could hardly get him to come in the house at night

If someone gets sick and dies tomorrow he should die doing it the way he wants too

 

I'm sure your husband is vested and can leave with some retirement package. Roll that into a Roth IRA and move on. If you're out there working, what is there to lose? The worst that will happen is you won't like it. If you can be out there together it can be just as valid as getting home every night, you'll be together. Run team with someone to start. Get into a better situation in about a year. Life is what you make it.