Is truck driving a good fit for me? Details inside.

Judging by your post, you need to spend a lot of time reading these forums. Your questions indicate you really have no clue about trucking. No offense intended. Gender is not a problem. Past higher education doesn't matter at all.

 

Being single and unattached is a Huge plus. Some drivers actually live out of their assigned truck greatly reducing expenditures which allows them to rapidly build a bank account if they have discipline.

 

Most of the team driving I know is u sleep while the other one drives if u can do that if not solo would be better and you will share a truck with someone else hmmmm not alot of room to move around 2 people in one truck just my thoughts I dont drive right now but wanting to get back into driving a truck good luck to you if thats what you want to do. and being trained and based locally just means the trucking company is in ur state or city doesnt mean thats where you will drive I dont think

 

From one female to another,your gender doesn't matter.In trucking everyone is treated as a trucker,not male not female..Where I work i'm the only female driver and like 30 male local drivers.So why don't you go back to school and finish your LPN?You would make a lot more money in the medical field then driving trk.All this glamour stuff you read about trucking don't believe it.Ads will say anything that they know sounds appealing to the drivers and wannabe drivers.That depends on the company if you can pick your own trk or not..Locally means just that,you drive locally and home the same day.Sometimes you may have an overnight run and then the company pays for your hotel room.Don't count on driving for a local company right after training,most prefer a yr over the road exp.Team driving is you and someone else drive as a team.Solo is just you driving and delivering that load.Alot of ppl fear going cross country when they first start driving.I was scared to death.I've always been in my own city and it was quite the exp.But in time you do get use to it and driving trk becomes second nature.Now its just plain boring.

 

Sounds like you need to pick through the questions from the new drivers some more for sure. Your previous education does mean little in the trucking world, but it might make you a more well rounded person and help you to deal with the obstacles you have to deal with on a daily basis.

Remember it is not just about driving the truck. That is the easiest part of the job. Lots of regulations, company policies and most of the time people treat us like second class citizens.

You have to be somewhat of a loaner and enjoy being by yourself and not have to many interactions with other people. It does help that you do not have any children or significant other that you will disappoint with your schedule.

Since you asked about truck sizes do some research on the different style trucks and uses. You might like the expedited part of trucking as an example. A lot of them use straight trucks and no trailers. Think of a delivery truck with a big sleeper.

Last do some research on getting your license on your own versus company training.

Good luck.

 

Read some (many) of the threads where drivers have written about their experiences from "rookie in training" to "pro driver" .
Most are a good read and give you a good idea in a time line what happens in trucking during their first year.

 

I'd like to add one thing. You might feel unsafe in the trucking world, but you shouldn't. Best way to explain this is say you're walking across a truck stop and get confronted by a dirtbag. Well, since you're a woman...EVERY driver in his front seat will be watching you as you walk. EVERY driver will see the dirtbag giving you problems and you'll have A LOT of drivers coming to your rescue.

Other than that, US Xpress is a good company, just like any other, if ya do a good job and have a good fleet manager you'll have a good experiance there as I have.

Good luck, best wishes

 

The based locally part meant that your home terminal or the place you would be trained at would be local. They would send you out of town after you are trained, but will return to home base for home time. Most keep you with a trainer for 6 weeks or more and that would be akin to team driving. Benefits in the trucking industry is pretty expensive but you can find a few companies who have decent benefits, but don't expect it from the starter/ free training companies. They want the cheapest labor free training can buy, and will treat you like cheap labor. So if you have thick skin, and lots of patience. I'm sure you can handle it, but I'd wait till after winter because the training at some of these free training type mills leaves a lot to be desired. You also take what ever nicotine smelling rat trap that is available. Sometimes you will go across the country to pick up and abandoned truck. Good luck on the condition of it when you get it.

 

I think if you are really afraid of trucks, then maybe you should stay away from driving them. But, having said that, make sure you're not confusing fear for respect. Here's what I mean.
If you've ever stood on a train platform waiting for a train, as it comes into the station, and it gets real loud, you get a feeling of apprehension. You're not really afraid of the train, as you know it's on the tracks, but you appreciate the power it has and what it "could" do. That's having respect for it. It's the same if you stand near the end of the runway at a major airport and watch the jets land.
I can say that after 36 years as a truck driver, I have absolutely no fear of the truck. But what I do have is an enormous amount of respect for what can happen if I do not act responsibly with 40 tons of steel at 70 mph. I can't let my guard down for even a second. A professional driver needs to be aware of what may happen, so he/she can do what is necessary to ensure nothing happens.
One more thing. I do not think of trucking as a male dominated career anymore. Maybe in the 70's, but there are thousands of really professional female drivers out here, and I welcome them all. Most of the male drivers do. There will always be those few that are "chauvinistic", but isn't that so in any profession?
Hopefully, this will help you make the decision that only you can make. The other drivers have told you what to expect, so I'll leave it there. God luck with your decision.