Question about a career change

It's suprising how many people have made trucking a second career. I have trucker friends and acquaintances who are former policemen, firefighters, ministers, and even a tenured college professor. The call of the road is compelling.

But the change from a 9-5 job to living in a truck for weeks at a time is one of the most profound and radical that can be. Kinda sorta like joining the military - absolutely everything in your life is radically different. I can see why you want local. Most of us do that are just getting started.

But from what I'm told, you have to "pay your dues" over the road before you can get most local jobs. In theory it's because OTR you do very little backing and cornering and whatnot; it's all mostly highway. Whereas local driving is "city driving" and requires much more frequent use of skills (like cornering and backing) that take time to develop.

I had a terrible experience with my first trucking company (read about the Cypress Truck Lines Weight Loss Plan in the "bad companies" forum - so called because I unintentionally lost 30 pounds due to skipped meals, lost sleep, and heavy labor) and now I'm looking at Schneider's "home run" program. It's alot better than the "one day off for every seven days out" standard that usually applies to newbies like us.

Good luck,
Robin

 

Hello there,
I was a Mortgage Loan Officer for 28 plus years, Marine for 9 yrs. and yes I am doing what you are contemplating on doing, a career change. As for me, I will keep you posted as I start my 35 day training with the company that was good enough to allow me to work for them right out of Roadmaster School. I know this is something that will be hard, especially since we are use to working at a desk, but that is why I am going on with this new career. I want to work hard, be a professional in the industry and help my fellow truckers whenever I can. I wish you well, our hearts are telling us both to do something different, follow our hearts calling, talk with your family, and then god will give you a door to either walk thru, or you may choose not to. Good luck.
Semperfi,
Just Bob

 

AND GOD BLESS all you servicemen who have served our great nation!!

 

there are PLENTY of folks with college degrees who are now driving a truck (either thru choice, or because there's nowhere else to work.) it's not just you, or me, or my brother. I got into it because I couldn't find a job in my field of study. and as time goes on, a LOT of folks who never thought they would end up driving a truck will find a steering wheel in their hands.

and most likely, you won't get local work starting out. and if you finally do go local, plan on putting in a 15-16 hour work day, plan on straining your guts out and wearing your body out doing the work. a lot of folks start out over the road, go local for a few years, then go back over the road.

 

I have a degree from a major university and 20+ years in corporate sales. I have driven to each of our 49 states during that time, and I learned how much " moving " appeals to me. Something about physical movement really excites me, and now I am scheming to get a company to pay for my CDL.

 

I decided to change careers to trucking after spending 14 years in IT Banking side of things, troubleshooting networks, and client workstations and user issues, would be on the phone most of the day telling people how to fix there problems. I worked in a square 6x6 box cubicle, could not see outside and stared at a computer monitor all day long with a phone stuck in my ear everyday for 14 years!

My wife and I are just sick of office jobs and ready for a change. I have suggested looking into Truck Driving before about 3 years ago because I was sick of office work, yes you could say at least I get to come home every night and sleep in my own bed, but that creates a problem, I have to get up in my on bed and go back to the office job! You see where I'm going with this, as of 3-3-08 wife and I are going to Trans Union Truck Driving School in Tacoma, Wa and will start our new careers as Team drivers we have a pre-hire letter from Interstate Distributor Company here in Tacoma we should be finished with the school by 3-28-08.

They say people change careers now days about every 7 years, not sure about trucking from the sounds of things Truckers change jobs about every 6 months to 1 year until they find that special place. We are going to give it our best and time and will see where the Trucking life leads us, we are hoping we will like it, but you never know until you give it a good shot, go through some growing pains and see what happens.

I know it will be a huge life style change for both of us, but the working conditions comparitivly will be the same sitting in a box, but at least I will be able to see outside and that will make me happy.

Good Luck to everyone and the selected Company you have chosen for your new adventures.

Rdman

 

I left the IT field too. Its not to hard to find an entry level job, but not many options for advancement beyond that. Most are contract temp jobs at that. I actually make more trucking, as long as I stay with a reputable company.

 

I'll join in with the others. I did the office manager bit for 29 years. To me, the college degree overall was a waste of time. If I new now what I knew then, I would have stayed stupid and bought a house! The most I made with the degree was $42,000 a year. I have now been in local trucking for over a year and have already surpassed that.
They can take their ties and political correctness and you know what. My cousin, who has two degrees and works as a receiver at Home Depot, and I talk about how it was our parents that pushedus into college. They wanted us to do "better" then them. We now have to many IT, office worker folks and not enough blue collar. As baby boomers retire, guys I talk to that are boilermakers,etc.. any type of trade our short people because younger guys aren't going to trade schools as much. Good luck to you.
Toby