Really Good Advice For Your First Job In Trucking

The best advice is go to your nearest thetruckersreport forum and use the search bar. It's all been asked before.

 

Good luck Trucking.

 

you will make a LOT less trucking...I would stick to just doing carpentry part time and still make more money

 

Thanks. Your advice is welcome. When I say I hate my current situation, I mean it. I know an hourly rate looks good, but after all the expenses and penaltys (15% that your employer pays that I have to pay) the gov puts on you for being self employed, I make 25,000-35,000 over the last 8 years.. I work almost 100% outside and at one point in May/June it rained 21 straight days. Only worked about 4-5 of those days on small inside projects. I end up doing estimates after work and then have to type them up and email them. 12-14 hr days are the norm but you only get paid for about 7 on average. Runs to the lumber yard, the dump, ect are more time. If I could make $40 per hr, 40 hrs per week, 50 weeks a year, that would be one thing...but it really doesnt work out like that. Plus, did I mention how I wake up hating the idea of doing more carpentry?? LOL The good points are I am my own boss, can take off when I want and I control my own destiny.

I know it seems crazy from your side of the fence. Trucking is something I have always wanted to do. Due to a wild youth, I never was able to. Straightened out in my early 20's. Once I was a carpenter, I was happy with that. But now I am ready for something different. I have no kids, the wife is 100% supportive. I have no idea where I will end up. I may not like OTR, so theres local, or regional. Or maybe a delivery job at the local dairy, or Coca Cola. Maybe I will end up driving a shuttle bus at the airport...who knows. I have been praying about it, researching and reading tons. I have a couple friends in the industry and I have been picking their brains too. My wife says she hasn't seen me this excited about anything in years. Maybe I will love OTR. My goal is to first go to school and get my CDL. I have always lived in Faith and I am just going to move forward and see what is in store for me. I start school in Oct. and will graduate December 20th. Who knows what the new year will bring. I am not selling my tools, so I can always fall back if I need to. But for now, I feel compelled and driven to try. Its my mid life awakening!

This site and all the posters are awesome. Thanks so much for the advise and experience ya'll have shared with so many of us wannabes