Rookie pay

Sorry to bust yer bubble dude...

Some-one

 

$30,000/yr. has been all I've made at times. I get $1k/wk as a construction supervisor - when we're working, which now is almost nonexistent. The worry,late charges, and recovery expenses of boom to bust work is worse than a steady paycheck of equal year-end value. At least you can build credit; which I cannot, since I can't depend on my "salary" to pay off anything large.
Still, I'm taking my time. It's no good either to go through more hoops, school, accumulate debts, and then get axed because of low freight. At least I'm still home every night for now. Not that I need that so much.

 

Feral Dog made a good choice. It isn't a good time to leave any job to pursue a career in trucking if your job is stable and paying you 30k a year. On the other hand, if you are sitting at home drawing unemployment, there aren't too many drawbacks to getting started in a new career.

One of the first questions I always ask people who want to go to work as a truck driver, "Why do you want to drive a truck?" ''

If the answer is, "because I need a job", it's a bad sign. OTR trucking is less of a job and more of a lifestyle. It's a huge decision for anyone, especially those with a family. If you are choosing a trucking career out of necessity, without desire and without passion, you will be lucky to last a month on the road. If you are choosing this career because it is something that you have always wanted to do, then you will be successful from day 1. You will operate with a more positive attitude, you will maintain a stronger work ethic, and you will make more money.

I have no doubt that I could get in a truck right now, and earn 40-50k a year.

 

Absolutely true! Really thats true for just about anything. The guy who loves what he does and has a passion for doing it well will always make more money than the guys just doing it for a paycheck.

 

There is every possible reason a person may want to drive a truck. But.....

One of the most noble (and humble) answers you'll get from a man or a woman is, "Because I need a job"

Choosing a job out of necessity, is the most rational reason.

As far as a man or a woman lasting past his/her first month. Fear, desperation, and small children, will make them slit your throat to create the opening.

For every loving parent that seeks a job in trucking in desperate times. There is 10 times the desire to succeed, than you'll ever find in the person who merely drives a truck because they like it or enjoy the lifestyle.

25 years or more ago, I would agree that this is a lifestyle choice. That's no longer true. It's simply a job now. One that lets me travel, with minimum supervision.

And while I may discourage people from getting a job in trucking. I do so out of concern for their family. If that person can provide for his/her family taking some other menial job, I would recommend it more.

And while I may go off on the most ignorant of us who hold such jobs. Those that do it out of desperation, are easy to spot by the look in their eyes. And they always get my utmost respect. Even if they're flipping burgers.

It's never too late to take up your hearts desire, and do something you always wanted to do. It's always to late to recover the first steps, first date, or first anything of your children.

 

DavidcBoy is right. If you need a "job" go to McDonalds or Walmart to work. This is a general life style change. Unless you land a local or even regional gig straight out of CDL school.

 

...and that isn't likely. A year ago when things were good, most of the insurance companies were requiring a minimum of 2 years experience to cover you - at a small or medium company. With all of the experienced drivers that have lost their jobs or can't find OTR loads, I'd say an employer can pick and choose who he wants to drive for them. Lets see... newb or someone with 5 - 10 years experience and a clean DAC? Who would you choose?

 

Guess I am going to work for Walmart, Cause I know I aint going to start another career making peanuts. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

As far as employeers picking and choosing who they want is only because the market is promising for them to get the best team available to them for driving their goods.