Lineman apprenticeship/groundman call vs Trucking

Yep. I agree, finish your cdl. I was a lineman for over 20 years, phone and cable not power.Its a great way to make a living but hard on the body. I got my cdl through primea few years ago to get off the sticks. This was a good decision for me. I love driving and the money is not bad. Just be careful brother and enjoynyour life what ever direction you choose.

 

Get an OTR job and see the country. Later in life you can get in that boring routine of the old 9-5 jobs and face an early demise from the stress of boredom.

 

If the lineman job calls jump on it ASAP... You can get into (or back into) trucking at any age any time.

 

Not at all. Been a heavy equipment/commercial transport mechanic for nearly 8 years. I've held my CDL for just over 4. Don't get out on the road much since I transitioned from trucks to heavy equipment though.

Skilled trades here in Canada are generally a well respected and well paying career path. Never worked in the US so I can't comment on that.

During the oil price boom, tradesworkers were in hot demand and they rounded up and trained as many workers as they could. With the downturn in oil, only the best of us held on to good jobs. By "best" I mean not only skill-wise, but flexibility (willing to take on any job within reason) and by not being a trouble employee (ie constant whinning/complaining, doing sloppy work, etc). Basically be the first guy there, last to leave, constantly do your best, keep quiet and keep yours and other's safety #1 in your mind and you'll do good at any job.

 

Very wise over easy. Find joy in what you do, I loved being a ljneman. And enjoyed having the answers when no one else did. Now im a pup in a new industry and its so cool. If only I could back up . Lol. Getting better.

 

You wouldn't be the first guy to get into trucking as a "Waiting for my dream job to open up" driver. One of the guys I went to school with drove truck waiting to be accepted into State Patrol school, another got a job as a trucker because he got laid off as an airline pilot, and a third drives on weekends and goes to nursing school during the week.

 

Is it true when you graduate from that lineman school, the graduating class hold their hand over their heart and sings "Wichita Lineman" and really bellows it out with tears streaming down their faces?

 

Hmmm trucking good benefits. No money to afford them.

Union lineman make twice as much as a driver by third year??? Excellent free benifits and a pension. Lineman all the way.