Reasons to start or not to start a career in trucking.

The trucking industry is set to lose a lot of drivers and could put many companies out of business which means more job security and better pay for safe, dependable and on-time drivers who meet csa requirements. If you can stand staying on the road for several weeks at a time and you don't have many expenses it can be very easy to save a good part of your paycheck. If you can somehow manage your money and keep your overhead as low as possible you can 'make' ( save ) money. It's a lifestyle, not just a job ! Even if you drive local, you'll be working a lot of hours...go home...basically ready to keel over .....enter deep sleep and next thing you know your alarm gives you a near heart attack and there you go ...right back to work and go through the same routine day after day. You can make a career out of it, no question about it. But you have to grin and bare a lot of hassles at the same time.

 

The debate over "you can't make money driving for anyone" and then "you can earn a decent living" that comes with trucking always gets me, Really people?

I'm coming from the aviation industry, an industry that looks down on trucking in a similar manner in which so many "experienced drivers" on this site look down on myself and others for choosing to drive for Swift (and thats putting it nicely). What's my point? Unlike people who tend to degrade others by saying things such as "Why the heck would you drive for X, go drive for Y" or "Why the heck would stop flying and become a truck driver" (as if it was really that easy for any of them to just work for whomever they wanted, or own their own truck when they had no experience) I've found that their are alot of similarities given the differences in the two.

For instance, I know alot of Pilots such as "Sulley" (who landed in the Hudson) that make in upwards of $160,000 a year and still claim to be "Barely getting by", while i'm sure most of you would disagree. In trucking and aviation alike, people tend to think just because things we're better in the 90's, there's no money to be made today. While on the otherhand, I only made $17,000 starting as a first officer, at 22, no bills, called my parents place home, and managed to save +$13,500 in the bank my first year and felt like the richest man alive. It boils down to one of two things, either there's money to be made or maybe I've just finally come across an industry filled with employee's so generous that they work for free. Making a decent living in ANY job you do, differs in the means that each individual chooses to live.

 

Why become a truck driver?

In what other industry can you pee in a bottle? Just answer THAT one for me!

 

Exactly & to each and all their own, but that's a question anyone contemplating this career needs to answer then evaluate, and probably more than once.

 

Is it hard getting a critical care certification? How long does it take?

 

Just one more safety regulation hoop we have to jump through. Cant wait until CSA2010 hits home. No way are these dreams of easy picking going to come true with so many people out of work.

The trucking companies will just churn through more drivers, and the trucking schools will put up more bill-boards to get the seats warmed up.

The name of the game is lower wages for all working class Americans these days.

Welcome to the brave new world of cheap trucking and lots of crosses on the side of the roads.

 

This is sad, but sadly true...

 

Stay away from trucking! The industry sucks right now. Driver pay sucks. Miles are way down. Companies are treating drivers worse than ever and will replace you for the smallest thing done wrong. Trucking is one of the most federally governed industries out their. The fed. govt. has more rules and regs. that you need to follow and the companies try to get you to cheat and lie and just keep moving. Then when you do it and get cought its your prob. If you dont do what they ask you are black listed. Ive been doing it over 16 years now and I think the industry SUCKS! I made $37,000 my first year staying out 2 months at a time. Now you will have a hard time making 30k your fist year. I would get a part time job with your regular job and make more than you would trucking. At least you will be home.

 

The program that I took was one year. They required a four year degree and a year of work experience to get in. It's a lot of hard work but it is no worse than learning most things.

 

Most of them!! Not many jobs worth a #### that don't require a drug screen. Welcome to the age of heavy drug users.