honesty needed - considering switch from IT to Trucking

From all the points you listed, #9 seems like a good idea for now. You have the money and time on the weekends, go do the school, see how you like it. It will never hurt to have a CDL.

Then I'm sure you can find something local or regional that you can do on the weekends.

I actually ran a few loads from the school I went to, they had a separate local company that did loads/relays.


You're a smart guy, you know what you're doing. Good luck with any decision you make.

 

I don't mean to discourage you but don't do it. There is a ton of bs and politics involved with trucking as well. Trucking is one of the biggest rat races out there, you'll be a number to a soul less company, thousands more before you and thousands more after you. I don't care how supportive your wife is now, trust me your marriage and family life will quickly deteriorate once 70k goes to 20k.

I understand you need to do something you enjoy, what makes you think you'll enjoy driving? You said you had a passion for IT, learn some more codes if you don't and reinvent yourself, learn JAVA, flash, start your own business, do consulting work, become an independent contractor, it's limitless for you.

Look there will be guys on here who think trucking is better than slice bread, it's not. If you read a lot of posts, sad to say there are guys who can't even spell at an eighth grade level. As I mentioned before, this is an industry where they openly recruit felons.

Can you make money in trucking? Yes, but those gravy jobs are far and few between. If you do your research, the industry is going down the toilet and you can't argue that. Yes there will always be freight but fuel is always going up and the price of freight is not matching that. I'll be flat out honest and say I consider trucking a bottom of the barrel job, a lot of desperate people willing to work for garbage wages along with tighter regulations and bs politics (look at CARB) will worsen the industry.

Trucking wasn't it once was, I beg you to think long and hard. Maybe even do IT for trucking companies, at least you have a shot of being treated decently then. Good luck.

 

Another reality check:
If you think you can quit IT for a couple years to "find yourself", try trucking or whatever and be welcomed back with open arms, you've got another thing coming. Employers HATE gaps in employment like that, because you'll have "lost your skill set" or fallen beyond on the technology and were obviously a malcontent so who's to say you won't do it again. Employers want to see a nice consistent, predictable resume. If you're going to be a trucker plan on committing to it full-stop.

 

didn't take too long to talk him out of it!

 

Trucking is not the 'glamorous' job everyone imagines. And I can tell from your post, that is partly the image you have, the movies, the songs, and a fun trip with an uncle you cared about. Trucking is hard, physical work. Long hours, traffic tie-ups which blow your miles that you should have driven, cars (and other trucks) constantly cutting you off in traffic. And there are those days that you just don't feel well enough to drive, Sorry, if the wheels aren't turning you aren't making money. No sick leave here. And the guys saying 3-4 days home a month... with our company you are lucky to get home for 5 days every 3rd month. Unless your marriage is rock-solid stable, trucking will be a BIG MISTAKE!!! There are dozens, if not hundreds of drivers who were sure that their marriage would survive that became single after a year or so. It's just really difficult when you are away for long stretches of time, and when you can't drop everything to be home in case of an emergency. I experienced just such an emergency in December. My sister had a stroke and due to other medical problems was snt home on hospice care. I was in Denver, CO and had to get to Knoxville, TN. It took 3 days and a lot of swapped loads to get there. By the time I arrived, she neveer regained conciousness. She died 2 weeks later. Plus, during that 2 weeks, I wasn't making any money.

Think long and hard before giving up a secure job that you are good at to chase a dream. That dream could easily turn into the worst nightmare you have ever experienced. That said, I wouldn't trade my 4 yrs on the road with my hubby (2 as team drivers) for anything, but I can not wait until the end of the year when we park the truck and become 'normal' people again. Our truck lease will be up and we are 'settling down'. He has a local driving job lined up in a family member's company and I can go back to my old 'tech' job.

Best wishes in whatever you decide.

 

Oramac, I'm going in the opposite direction. I'm making the move from trucking to the IT field. Here are the reasons why:

1) Pay. Trucking doesn't pay what it used to. Too much time spent sitting and waiting when I should be driving and making money.

2) Benefits. While plenty of trucking companies do offer benefit packages, the packages themselves are not as good as those offered to more "professional" fields.

3) Time. I'd love to have the kind of job where I can make a decent (or better than decent) living while still having time to have a social life outside of work.

4) Food!! Trust me, truckstop grub and the food you can typically prepare on the truck gets old REAL fast.

5) Traffic. Wow would it be nice to not have to deal with constantly having to deal with the traffic nightmares found in most major cities these days.

6) Showers. You have no idea how nice it is to use your own shower. Having all your stuff set in the medicine cabinet, or the closet, or laid out on the sink, instead of working out of a shower bag.

7) Travel opportunities. Believe it or not, trucking is not a good way to see the country. Every Interstate pretty much looks the same, every truckstop is starting to look the same, and every industrial section of every city looks the same. While there are some opportunities to park the truck and get a cab to "go see the sights", I haven't often had the opportunity because I typically get stuck "back of beyond" when I have some free time.

8) Pulling 34-hour restarts in a rest area or truckstop. Not as much fun as it sounds like, trust me.

If you want to get your CDL, and can afford it (which you obviously can), by all means go for it. But spend some more time researching what actually goes into this field before you leap. Truckers give up an awful lot to drive those big trucks, and the return is nowhere near as good as it used to be.

 

Long hours. I'm a home daily guy but a lot of times I'm up between 0145 and 0300 to go work a minimum of 8 hours but usually around 12.

I have a dirty job (hauling dry bulk cement) using old worn out equipment. Making little money. Bustin butt.

I'm not saying I've had BAD experiences trucking. I'm saying they are real and grueling. But, nothing I'm not used to.

It is getting better and easier though

 

Not to mention the amount Technology is going to change between now and then. He'll have to be re-trained/updated in the IT field as well.

I think (actually, literally, I thought) that there is a "glamour" about trucking. And in some regards, I was right. I have moments when I'm driving I'm like "d*mn I love this job" and smile at certain things. But there is the other side. Low pay (at least for me), subpar equipment, long hours, etc.

In the end, I feel it is a job.

 

I can empathize with some of your situation. I have a college degree and have been in sales and/or self employed for my entire career. I've made good money and I've struggled also. Today my situation is different. I can't find a job and can't make any money with my business anymore (Catering). My wife makes decent money and has good benefits. So that is covered. We don't have any debt other than the house. We don't need me to make a lot of money but we do need me to bring home something.

I have done a lot of research on here and see all the bad as well as the good aspects of this business. I have a very realistic understanding of what I'm getting into and I would be telling a lie if I said I was okay with all of it and I was ready to go for it. There are things about it that scare me to death because I understand the reality of it. There are also things I would like about it.

My plan is to get my CDL from a good school and not a company mill. It will cost me much less and will last 8 weeks instead of 2 or 3. I'm interested in a local company (NC) that only runs east of the Mississippi. Epes is the company and from my research they are a very good company to work for. Drivers are home on weekends if they want it and compared to the industry averages the starting pay is on the high side. From what I've found so far they offer the best balance of cpm, mileage and hometime. This is what I've found out to this point. I know that it might not be reality.

If I had a good job making that kinda money or even an okay job making decent money I probably wouldn't be looking at this. I have to support my family and I don't have any other choices at this time.

The only advice I can give you, given my newbie status, is to read, read and read some more!! It won't take you long on here to figure out those that are just bitter people and those that are honest people who shoot strait about the pros/cons. As long as you aren't naive and you understand what you are getting into you will make the right choice...and if you don't you will grow and learn from your mistake!

I wish you the best and am very interested in following your progress so please continue to post with updates!!

Todd

 

To Oramac:
Have you taught about the possibility off keeping your IT job and doing something with trucks as a hobby?

Rebuilt a old truck and run it as a mobile home for holidays?
Or drive a few days every month as an extra driver for guys needing a day off,or doing 1 weekend shift(i knew a bankmanager who did that)

Just some wild idea's i'm thinking off.


My final taught is this:for all the advice we can give you,it is you who must decide.
If you are thruly unhappy in your present way off life...............then change it,you only live once.
Make shure that when you are 70 you don't say:"i wish i had done this or that"