New Career Begins

Well hey as long as you are happy with where you are going then go for it! Don't do it to please anyone else or because someone else doesn't think they are a good company. Most of the crap you here on this site is drivers blowing off steam anyway.

 

I'm just curious as to why you'd go through a carrier's school instead of paying for your own through a community college or private school? I just got my bill from my CC for my class starting in a couple of weeks, and it's only $2300.

 

Thats "only" about 2200 more then some of us have. lol..If you want to get specific, thats "only" 2150 more then I have at the moment.

 

Seeing as how the OP says he was a corporate exec for 15 years, I figured he might not be down to his last 150 bucks. I guess I gave you a chance to complain about your circumstances though.

I've read enough stories about people like you that jump into a company training deal because they're broke and they figure their trucking "career" will be what saves them. I haven't read many good outcomes though. By the time you're done paying the company for your schooling through a year or so of low-paid work, you're going to spend way more than you would if you found a way to go to school elsewhere, and pay for it yourself. That's if you don't quit along the way, and wind up owing the company big bucks; money that I guess you don't have.

Good luck with it if that's the direction you're headed.

 

I wasn't blowing off steam... I was trying to prepare him for reality once the responsibilities of the job take hold.

One thing good is these big mega carriers don't allow a driver to do any thinking themselves... every move you make is already planned out for you... you only have to be a trained monkey and sit behind the steering wheel and don't hit anything... hopefully.

Once the indentured servitude is done after a year the survivors can make a decision to stay on or find a job where a person is treated with a little respect and dignity not just a fresh piece of meat.

If you think I'm being too hard on newbies how else can you see this business when around 80% of the new entrants to the industry don't make one year.

I bet McDonald's has a better retention rate...

I stand behind my statement that he has no idea what the future holds.

 

Truckers are not rocket scientists. They give advice with the best of intentions, and if it's based only on their own experiences, it's likely because it's all they have. It doesn't detract from their sincerity.

 

notezbngrn71, my first post was just a question wondering why you would take the company training route, since I didn't see any hint of dire financial straits in your posts, unlike many others here. I'd just state that I expect since you've got some kind of previous management experience, you know how the numbers work, and the cost of that money you're borrowing from the training company will be expensive. If your circumstance make that your best choice, all power to you.

My following post wasn't directed at you at all, but at the person who responded to mine with whining about his personal financial problems.

Good luck, I hope this works out well for you.

 

I wasnt complaining about my circumstances. I was trying to explain to you that not everyone is lucky enough to have cash laying around to pay for training out of pocket. Some people do have to struggle.
I work, and make decent money. But I have bills also, tons of them, so not much left over. As for trucking to save me, not finacially, no. Just maybe in other ways I dont think you would understand. Im not looking to make tons of cash. That has NEVER been what drives me to any profession I have ever had. And I have excelled at both of the ones Ive had so far.
As for quitting. Im NOT a quitter. I dont quit til I have accomplished what I set out to accomplish.

BTW, Im NOT a he.