My Plan

Hi, Ok my name is Brian, and I would like to give a little history so you can get an idea why I am doing this, and then my plan, as it is, so I can garner you're input. Please feel free to rip any or all parts of this plan to shredd's as that will help me to construct a better one.

I am 47, married, 14,13,6 year old kids. I have done many things in my life but primaraly been a chef, and owned and ran a small retail shop from 97 to 04. From 06 to present Iv'e one job cooking for a private club, and this worked well as the wife and I had it set so one of us was always home when the other was at work. We were not getting rich but at 50 grand a year, we were doing ok. My wife now can no longer work due to a medical reason and my job pays about 25 grand annually, leaving things a little tight. I researched and found that driving can make a decent living, at least hopefully close to where we were at before. I have been reading lots of post's here and I realize that this is not some panacea cure that will make all my problums go away and put my family on easy street. My 5 year old and I are VERY close and this will be tough on both of us, not to mention my wife and the other two kids also. Jan(my lovely wife) and I have talked this out and we both realize how hard this will be for her and the kids but we have come to the conclusion that other than me going to school( expensive and no guarantee) or moving to the big city and trying to get a better paying chef position( no guarantee there either) that driving is our best chance. This situation has put us in a spot where we have needed assistance from Il. state and while not exlactly ashamed, I don't wish to continue this way any longer than nesessary. I would also mention that my daddy drove a truck in the 70's hauling steel for Dallas-Mavis and I have always had some desire to drive otr.

So, feb. 7 I start school in Oglesby Il. I have secured funding through Workforce America so i won't owe anybody when i graduate. I have a good work record, 5 years at one job, good driving record, no tickets since 05, I don't have to worry about any problums on a wiz test. I have borderline high blood pressure that is controled thru meds(120 over 70- 130 over 80)
and I had a migrain med(non narc) that i am in the process of getting off now. I quit smoking using chantix but I quit taking that recently. I am in reasonably good health. I have been researching trucking companys and have made my list in this order. Mavrick, Little Rock Ark. glass div. TMC. Roehl, flatbeds. KLLM. I talked to a recruiter (Tracy) at some length from Mavrick, and have touched base with recruiters from these other companys as well. Not to mention several others that don't need to be named that make some pretty nice promises about being my own boss, ownership, ect.( Mom and Dad taught me from a young age that if something seems too good to be true, it probally is.) I like driving, I am not bothered by driving in adverse conditions and have a fair amount of commen sense so I feel that I should be a good and safe driver. I am not ascared of hard work and from every thing that iv'e read here thats a good thing. So, please, you're input will be appreciated as YOU are the expert's here and i'm just some guy.

Some questions I have are.
Church services on the road, do any truck stops have chapel's, ect? could I drive a short distance to a town while on break to attend services in a locale church?
While I have always been willing to stand up for myself, non confrontation is usually better, is there a system for keeping " nondesireables " from banging on my truck doors and waking me up? I know this sounds a little ridiculous but we all have our sillies.
Trainors, some ideas as to what will irritate them needlessly as I don't know the habits of the road, I will need to coexist with this person for an extended time and what I can do to help seems important.
Most other questions I'm sure I can find through out the postings here, I apoligize for the lenght of this post but if nothing else it can be some sleepy time reading.
Brian.

P.S. I have noticed some post's that are critical of spelling and punctuation ( I had to get the dictionary for THAT word) so I tryed to make sure that this here leter was wroten keerecktly.lol

 

thanks for replys, yes i understand that dues must get paid before good money would come my way but i feel it can't get much worse than $ i'm making now.
i'm not so much worried about being bothered by trainers as just not knowing the little things that might tic someone off, i've been the boss for quite some time and will have to adjust to not being in charge. hard work, long hours i'm used to so that will probably be one of the smaller hurdles i encounter, but i am not used to sitting, sounds strange maybe, but i've been on my feet for 30 years, 10 to 14 hour days. but this is one thing i will not miss about cooking, really looking forward to.
I understand about not having every sunday for church, but if i can find a hour to go i would like to, and as far as lot lizareds, i HATE being woke up in the middle of sleep.
i realize i have alot of time and miles ahead before these issue will pop up but i'm a planning freak, almost o.c. about planning ahead.
please keep all the tips coming
thanks again
b.