Should I become a trucker?

It's actually a decision that has been made a few times, I left my corporate job to become a trucker driver 2yrs ago. It has been a pretty good decision so far. I was a property accountant for seven years after college and I got tired of the rate race. To answer your question if it's not about the money then you'll probably enjoy trucking be prepared to drop to 1/3 of your income worst case scenario. I'm 29 so I could withstand the decrease, I been driving 2yrs and now I gross about 70k with an ltl carrier. I hope this helps

 

Welcome to my world. Been in IT Corp sales forever and make great money......but I am absolutely bored to death. And, you're right....money isn't everything. I say go for it. We only live once. I plan on doing just that after the sale of my home.

 

You're not going to make the great money out here for a while. That's the truth. You need to find the right company and be committed to it.

 

The only thing I will respond to is the part about "The Rat Race". You will not escape it by getting in a truck. Good Luck to you.

 

If you can afford the pay cut, and don't mind racing the rats even more than you do now, then come on. Be aware, truckers are not exactly chick magnets, a man that is always on the move is not exactly the ideal of most women in America today. If you are looking for an opportunity to travel, be alone, and have lots of time to think, then this is for you. If you require lots of social interaction, you will die in this job.

 

Hi Wade, while to an outsider, trucking may seem like a glamorous, high action life,(depicted by movies) truth be known, there's like 5% of the time it is action packed, while 95% of the time, nothing happens. Only you can make that decision, but with new regulations and the way the public looks on truckers (with recent events) it may not be the best decision. Also, being the "new guy", and not knowing what's good or bad, companies will take advantage of that, and give you the crxp no one else wants. It is a driver's market out there, it just may take you several jobs to land a good one, Best of luck to you.

 

Take a look at post # 6.....wysrob has it right. At 41 you have at the least 18 years before you can retire early at 59 1/2...if I was making in the 6 figure range and wasn't just completely "pull my hair out" dis-satisfied , I believe I would stay where I was , bank as much as possible til the age of 59 1/2....then retire , get my CDL's and do as I pleased. But that's just me...Good luck....don't get me wrong I chose trucking as a young man , and for my entire working life that's all I did..stayed at the same company for 33 years til i retired in 2011..trucking was good to me...can't say a bad thing about it..but had I been making 6 figures at 41...I would not even have entertained any thoughts of a career change...

 

don't do it, think about the idle policies most companies have today. those people in the office don't care about your comfort. find an ltl company and start at the bottom, and work your way up and then you'll be better off.