In 10 years what has not changed..

Personal responsibility is what is being suggested , not a need to raise the heinie. Millennials are just to quick to blame someone or something else for their human condition in life. My experience as someone who barely qualifies as a boomer is that things change because of you, not for you. Entitlement is a great idea until you run out of people to pay for it.

 

Let's keep it factual for those who might be here gathering info and trying to decide if trucking is for them. There are plenty of trucking jobs with steady schedules and even daytime hours. And, those types of jobs are often among the best paid in the industry. (note: they won't be found at the links inserted in this post by this website )

 

Perhaps I should have specified.....OTR trucking. Fact is, it's the nature of the beast in OTR. Fact is, 9 times out of 10, a new driver will end up having to go OTR. Some get lucky and get those types of jobs right out of school, but the reailty, they are not readily available everywhere. Also many places require some OTR experience usually a year or so. Cant forget that fact.

 

Not... entirely true. I talked with a few local companies that apparently will employ someone in a non-driving capacity while they earn their CDL, and then transfer them into a driving position once they're fresh out of school. Decent sized companies, too, with fairly well known customers. I mean, ####. If I'd known that was an option, I never would've gone through Swift for my license. The best advice out there is to do some real diligent research

 

Exactly. I've only ever worked with like 3 guys that drove otr. Pretty much any food/beverage company will hire with no experience or train you to get a CDL. Pretty much every ltl does the same along with FedEx and UPS. If you live somewhere very rural I could see having to go otr to get in a truck tho.

 

I feel that I need to say, though, that I don't regret doing OTR. It's been fun seeing the country, and I've gained quite a bit of invaluable knowledge along the way. The pay and the oddball hours, though... those I'm about ready to be done with. I think I'll be driving a single stack Mack with a window in back before 2020 is out

 

There are downsides to local work also. I finally burnt out on working nights and put my two weeks in yesterday.

 

I once got a truck in bad, smelly conditions. And I knew it would be mine for at least a few months. So I bought 2 boxes of laundry softener sheets and spread them all over the cab. It helped with the smell. The sheets kinda absorbed it. Just an idea to help you out.

 

Your last sentence was my point. It all depends on your location.