Choice poll: Are you a trucker by choice?

Yes I am a Trucker by my own choice. I used to work a grueling physical labor job with atrocious hours. On top of that I did a little of EVERYTHING... I was the welder, mechanic, driver, fabrication and design, electrician, general repairman, warehouse operator, equipment operator, ECT... This was ALL at the same job.

And even though the pay was really good for the area where I live it was not enough for the life my wife and I wanted for our family. See at that time both me and my wife had to work fulltime jobs to make ends meet. When we decided to expand our family, by having children, we knew we didnt want the kids to be raised by daycare personnel. Not to mention that the cost for fulltime child daycare is totally ludicrous. So after talking it over we decided that I could go OTR and make enough money that my wife could be a stay at home mom to raise our children.

We have never looked back. But we do plan to change the employment arrangements once the kids are old enough to be left on thier own for several hours. At that time she will probably get a part time job. And I will switch to doing local/regional runs, or maybe work in the shop or maybe try dispatching drivers. Either way I would still be employed by the same company I'm currently at.

 

It happens to the best of us

 

Its very easy to love driving truck, but easy to hate trucking. Gotta find a position that suits what you like and that isn't always easy. Theres a whole lot of variety in trucking

 

Sounds like you are on the edge of a swimming pool wondering how cold the water is. You are doing it right, years ago, we just jumped in and found out it was too cold. There's no question for me by choice. I had lots of friends that did lots of things, and trucking was it for me. It wasn't until I had a home and family, and I COULDN'T quit, is when I began to question it. If I was to do it today, all regs withstanding, I'd say you're nuts, BUT, if you don't know any different, and most new drivers don't, I say go for it.

 

The problem is't trucking , it is the people that have came into the business. They don't like it, but can't get any other work. Therefore lets make everone else unhappy too.

 

I really appreciate this story. I wish more men would figure out how to have a parent at home with the kids. In my case it was owning my own business that allowed the kids to be around and with mama at home depending on the day. The kids even rode in the trucks with me and now my son drives for our company an d my 21 y.o. daughter is studying for her CDL written right now.

On any given day I can also be a trucker, forklift driver, equipment operator, electrician, plumber, bookkeeper, mechanic, welder, fabricator, and the dude who cleans the bathroom. It never gets old for me because I get to do stuff every day that is different. I now employ people who do most of those jobs, so I get to just choose what I feel like doing and get to it.

Our family success can all be traced back to my first trucking job 32 years ago and my Class A CDL license. It allowed me to build the company and opened doors for us that otherwise couldn't have been opened.

 

That’s what we did. It was worth it. 28 yrs later. No regrets. At the time, She had a great Job. Made more per hr. than I did. I had to work a lot of overtime, to make up for the lost income. 3 yrs. and 3 Jobs later. Bought my first Truck. There’s always a way to get by and make things happen. We did a lot of free things. Like going to a park or Lake, ride bikes, take a walk. Took more than a few Trucking vacations. Along with a few real vacations. Just being together, and having fun. Best years of my Life.

 

i was forced into it by slave labor. I'm an indentured servant haha but the strippers and cocaine makes it all worth it

 

How long you been otr now ?

 

I used to be a Gentleman Escort for wealthy nymphomaniac women but sadly I had a Rollover one night and blacked out from oxygen deprivation.

Weeks later I tried to get back on the horse but couldn’t Face my fears of that terrible night.

I’ve had a Bad case of the Heebie Jeebies ever since.

Fortunately they didn’t show up on my DOT physical and I got issued a med card so I decided to drive a Big Truck .