How many miles/months/years till you knew OTR was right or wrong for you?

this IS what i see now at my school. deadbeats NOT wanting to be drivers just going to collect unemployment benefits....but there is nothing we can do about it. we (as a school) cannot turn down the students, UNLESS from a criminal history or incredibly BAD driving record, or DOT pre-employment drug screening.

so yes, the numbers i have mentioned would of course change dramatically, but the instructor i had back then was speaking statistics in the industry that wasn't the way it is now.

 

Time: 2 seconds Miles: Local suburbs Chicago, sometimes 500 mile radius, home every day or afternoon, 37 years driving. Never would go OTR. Sometimes feels like it though. But if I run the 500 in one day, the next day, 8-10 hrs local. I have about 12 years Tractor Trailer Downtown Chicago, and the other 25 years local suburbs. Probably shortened my life span a bit running the big city. LOL

 

We use to based out of Chicago when we hauled horses. We used to drive through there almost everyday with a semi load of horses. Did the racetracks there and a lot of jumper barns up in WI. and MN. These people would have so much money they would have us take a horse to Wellington, Fl. to go to the vet and come back the next day! A lot of times they would have their grooms (mostly of mexican heritage) ride in the back of the trailer with the horses. In the winter time! I am not really sure how they survived! Mas Tequila! When we would stop at the truck stop every 5 hours to feed and water you would see 6-8 guys all jump out of the back of the trailer and run into the truck stop. The DOT at the AG station in Fl never said anything about it.

 

Lots of experience responding on this question, and I thank you! This is an expensive (and time-intensive) endeavor to "try out." I'm sure some of the reasons some people have for trying this lifestyle, and I do agree that's exactly what it is, are sometimes less than what is needed to endure the hardships; but, I'll also offer that this seems one of those careers that one has to go fully into, and earn their own truck (for those looking to solo--like me), to actually find out what it feels like to be out there, and whether it's the fight fit. There's a lot riding on a decision such as this.

 

The biggest question for the newbie going into trucking is how tight are the family ties? Is there a young wife/mother with 1 or more little ones missing Daddy? Can Daddy learn to have a "long distance" relationship instead of being home every night? How much will "not being there" for the little "special" things...the first Christmas play at the school, the trick-or-treating on Halloween and the likes.

As an OTR driver there are many little things we have missed that we can't get back...but with the camcorders and phone cams...most of these things are held in posterity to be watched over and over in our declining years....some think this might be just reminding us that we weren't there when it happened.

 

Not being there is the hardest , then when you try to be different when GRAND KIDS come along you risk getting resentment from your kids because you missed a lot as they were growing up.

 

I knew this was what I would do for a living for as long as I can remember...I knew I was right about it as soon as I slammed the door on my first ride! I knew it again when I unlocked the door of my first O/O truck and with every truck I've bought since then.

I still love it today after all these years out here.

 

Must have been thoroughbreds you were hauling with the mexican heritage grooms. I worked the harness racing circuit in Chicago back in 85 - 86. It's amazing how far owners and trainers will ship a horse for something! Some of them thoroughbreds are so flighty that you need someone in the trailer with them. Standardbreds are mostly much mellower than the thoroughbreds.

 

I have heard the same equation applies to Nik!

 

Didn't you mean slam the door on your little fingers?