Lineman apprenticeship/groundman call vs Trucking

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by OverEasy, May 21, 2016.

  1. tracyq144

    tracyq144 Heavy Load Member

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    Yeah, do whatever you have to do to get that lineman job. I did cable construction for 15 years before it got to mostly underground-no fun in that but climbing sticks? Total testosterone rage! Hard on the body, but I think trucking is harder>>sitting all the time instead of using your body to it's fullest.

    Good luck to you whatever you do.
     
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  3. Radman

    Radman Road Train Member

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    My buddy out in Cali works for PG&E Union as a lineman. Think he waited 8months to 1year for the job. He makes 140k+ a year working 4 days a week. Better then UPS or Walmart. I'd drive until they call.
     
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  4. OverEasy

    OverEasy Bobtail Member

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    Hey man, thanks for the video. I've never heard of the song. It's surprisingly soothing

    @Chinatown Haha, I've never heard of the song before. We didn't sing it at the end of the line/climbing school. But I'm guessing from your tone, you're joking =P
     
  5. OverEasy

    OverEasy Bobtail Member

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    I want to do it all. Underground, overhead, transmission. But I'll need to be a good grunt first.
    ####, you did it for 15 years, that's a consistency that I respect. Underground seems harder due to lack of fresh air, haha. I'll make sure to keep my body in good shape; eat healthy and sleep well
     
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  6. PackRatTDI

    PackRatTDI Licensed to Ill

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    It's an oldie that's for sure. :)
     
  7. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Yes, joking. That's an old Glen Campbell song praising the lineman.
     
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  8. OverEasy

    OverEasy Bobtail Member

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    May 21, 2016
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    Man, I applied for pre-apprenticeship at PG&E and just kept getting rejected. It's so hard to get in, it's ridiculous. Good for your friend though. So if he works 4 days, does that mean that Friday counts a weekend/overtime?

    Too competitive
     
  9. Radman

    Radman Road Train Member

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    I never asked. But he makes a lot on overtime. When the power goes out and if he's on call that's big $$$$. He's a single guy pretty good with money. Has a nice fairly new 2 story house with a pool, bought a brand new Mitsubishi Evo, has a motorcycle, old show truck, and another project car. Also he has a kid to support too. Doing this in his mid 30's too.
     
  10. Zigzag777

    Zigzag777 Medium Load Member

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    Take life a day at a time, but make sure to keep in contact with the lineman job. Keep it simple. It sounded like you went to a union school, if true, you should have a good shot. Never hurts to buy a guy a cup of coffee!
    Good luck!

    Also - my experience has been that anyone who b-tches about unions, has never worked in a good one.
     
  11. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    I tried the Teamsters and it was horrible. Old men with gray hair, sobbing and wailing and knifing each other constantly.
    Delivered to a Teamsters grocery warehouse and those guys were really good to deal with. It's Jewel in Chicago. Really good people to deal with. The guy that checked my load told me they keep all the union stuff within the workers and leave outside people out of it. It was had to believe I was in a union grocery warehouse. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the absolute worst Teamsters in the universe was dealing with them in A&P warehouse in Edison,NJ and also McDonalds warehouse in PA.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2016
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