I am an antisocial MBA student considering a whole new career in trucking.

Edward, to sum it up, I can relate to your condition. People who first meet me may think im anti social but I pretty much just like to keep to myself. I like people but in small dosages. Its far easier chatting with people online than sitting in a room with someone face to face especially if they get on your nerves. Like anything else you wont know until you try it. As some of the others said its an industry where you work your way up into the better paying jobs that your treated like a human being at. If you can manage a year at one of these mega carriers that only require a pulse and a warm body temp than it will open up some doors. I know plenty of people who have managed to make trucking fit into there family life by working there way into a local home daily job. Ive also watched my bro in law piss away his marriage and relationship with his young kids due to being on the road all the time yet wont move over to a local job with 20 years experience and a clean license.Its called priorities. It may not be 9-5 but very few jobs are anymore this day and age.

 

I'm confused. Can't you learn those things? Especially since you know you lack them? It's not you have mental retardation and just don't understand.

 

This is a very important point DTB.

And I'm not one of those saying OP can't handle it ... since Aspergers materializes on a spectrum he might be on the end where he can handle these interactions or he might just be able to learn how to manage them - but I for one anticipate it being very difficult and perhaps the biggest challenge in the job for me eventually.

Day to day in the organization I work for I do encounter people who are not making decisions logically or in the best interest of staff or the company, but at best these are grey area's and there's an institutional framework in place that's meant to contain and punish poor decision making and alleviate issues caused when it occurs.

My feeling is that as a trucker there's probably less support for when you encounter difficult or irrational dispatchers or receivers and you have to rely more on your instinct, persuasion skills, wits and patience to get you through.

If trucking is what the OP wants, fine ... but he should keep in perspective that corporate America probably isn't all that bad for someone like him and on the other hand, trucking is no panacea for his condition either.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome

 

This is the only issue I have, I would think that in this business behind the wheel, that concentrating for long periods of time would fatigue a person quickly, however knowing what you are talking about with the condition you have the intensity would burn you out quickly because it is not like school or any other job. There is a lot going on, even for some the need to multitask in both action and thought is a serious problem and some people who are conditioned to focusing on one or two things only have an information overload at times which can be fatal.

 

You won't have any issue at all. As you can clearly see there are some really messed up people with CDL's, so I would venture to say you are way better off than a guy that's just a jerk off. Rock and roll.

 

Slow down here, my friend. While corporate America may have that "institutional framework" in place for mediating differences, the girders of the framework are rarely strong enough to prevent sway during extended periods of ###-kissing and posturing. :smt120

"Instinct, persuasion skills, wits, and patience" are beneficial to have in just about any job. And those with Aspergers do not necessarily lack any of these. In fact, I know plenty of non-Aspergers people who don't possess those skills... and some are, indeed, driving trucks!

 

Understand every word that you're saying...just don't see how you can speak to the way the OP would handle any or all of those scenario's...he may handle them fine...OR , he may loose control and react after he gets out of the place where someone really gets under his skin....I'm talking about on the highway where he would be in control of a very , very dangerous piece of equipment...you could also say the same for anybody , I guess , but those without the problem we are speaking of would be less likely to ...at least IMO anyway. We have differing opinions here Mack....you have yours and I have mine...doesn't make either one of us right or wrong though...

 

No thanks..I think after over 30 years in the industry , and after living through what I lived through in Vietnam...I think I'm pretty well adjusted....thanks for the concern.