Is it reasonable to ask for 6 weeks off?

Is it 2,000 trips per semester of tuition? Or hit 2,000 trips and maintain 'pro' status? The details matter, because if you need to take 6 weeks off each semester, the math doesn't math.

What you need to do is figure out what your annual income would be if you maintained your current job, let's call it $60K, or $1,100 a week. Then what you annualized income would working at Amazon ($17 an hour, 20 hours a week, 50 weeks) - $17,000. A quick google tells me most uber net $9 an hour, so figuring a 40 hour week -$360, or $18,000. Add both together and you're at $35,000 a year ($700 a week) on the lower side $50,000 on the upper range ($950 a week).

In state, online only ASU tuition is $5,000. On a yearly basis it's at best a wash, on the lower estimate you'd be better of to keep trucking and pay tuition out of pocket.

Now let's assume you could keep your job and not be starting at square one in trucking (big if, no - not big HUGE IF), for the 6 weeks you're losing out on $900 to $2,400 (not counting health insurance or 401K) but getting s $5,000 a semester (in state, online only ASU tuition). Looks like a 'savings' of $2,600 to $4,100. If all you have to do is a couple uber rides a month, then it works out - but if you have to take 6 weeks off next semester you start feeling diminishing returns, particularly when you take into account pay raises. If you're not making $80,000 after 4 years of driving truck, that college degree isn't going to be worth anything anyways. And that's assuming you take a full load, which probably isn't realistic in the truck. Going by a 3 credit hour average, you'd be paying uber for the privilege of 'free tuition'.

Now look at the more likely scenario where you have to get hired back on as a new driver and go through orientation and training again. Pay raises - gone. Opportunities for better trucking jobs - gone. Not to mention the crud of training pay.

Long term you have to ask yourself what you really want. Many years ago I looked at coming 'in house' as a support shift manager. It was going to be a big pay cut, but also fewer hours. The problem was upward mobility - the only way to move up from there would be to get an MBA. I ran the math which told me that the 'break even' was going to be 8 years - at best. At worst I'd get frustrated at corporate politics and dealing with people and climb back in the truck. Six months after that my would be boss was promoted and replaced by a real schmuck. Six months after that a 'corporate realignment' occurred which eliminated the role I would have been in. You might be feeling restricted by the truck, or pressure to 'get a degree so you can get a real job', or something else. Just make sure you're moving towards a goal, not a degree.

If you really want a Bachelors Degree, start with you local community for the gen eds - City Colleges of Chicago, College of DuPage, Joliet Junior, Moraine Valley, etc. Use them to figure out what you really want to do, then transfer to UIC to finish.

 

A goal in trucking could be working for Walmart at $110,000 a year. They have lots rules you have to fallow but pay good.

my current company has drivers that run regional work 5 days and get 2 full days off every week at home. They have some drivers that share a truck and work 4 days get 3 days off. I just switched to yard dog/spotter job. I work 7am-7pm 4 days a week for 48 hours a week. Paid by the hour with overtime after 40 hours. I worked an extra day to cover for another driver that was nice pay. 60 hours pay all overtime after 48 hours. It not such any easy job but getting used to the extra physical labor and back all day is kinda fun. These spotter truck can back into places I would never try in sleeper truck. I home overnight but I basically eat and shower and go to bed the days I work. The 35 miles drive to and from home plus 12 shift is 14 hour day. Same as regular driving but paid by the hour is pretty nice so far.

 

I'd venture to say that yall are outliers. Majority of companies aren't even close to sensitive to drivers needs and desires, but I'm glad yall worked it out though. What'd ya study?

 

What's your age/marital status and do you have any children ? Are you able to move?

There are lots of strategies for a single person that can be shared .

 

I think you will find that the market will shift and your study time is no longer available. You will then have to decide which master you will serve, driving or school.

Getting home to the testing sites will be difficult as well.

What happens when you don't have good internet for a couple nights in a row? Many books for classes are online only. I don't know what your field of study will be, but many have labs that are huge time commitments. You will get half way through and they will knock on your door and say your good to go. The down side? If you don't finish your lab you have to restart it from the beginning.

I would suggest you find a local driving job, drive Uber and then go to school while living at home.

I assume you are aware that the best scholarship program is through Amazon? I would get on full time with them and go to school through them. But that is just me.

To second everyone else, pick a career and stick with it. You will find it difficult to leave the industry at 6 months and then want to come back into it after being gone for 6 weeks with the current trucking economy.
Tread carefully.