tell me if my expectations are way outta line.

Basically, if you go in with much lower expectations, then go for it. It is possible to find a local driving job, it just may take time and a lot of looking around.

I drive 1 or 2 days per week, and that is enough to satisfy my appetite!

 

that was a very quick way to decide on a career

 

You ain't gonna make 40 grand unless you get lucky or know someone who will hire you for something besides one of the big OTR companies.

If not, you will work 70 hours a week. You will not get weekends off. You will be in the truck 3-5 weeks at the time. You will deal with #######. You will not make near what you are making now. You will not see your loved ones.

And you have great taste in cars, sir. I have a 2001.

 

It may be possible to get a local job, but most firms want a year of experience. You need to investigate before jumping in-
I've been driving teams for 6 months, out 3-4 weeks, getting good miles and pay but being away from family and kids is difficult. My advice is change your job if you don't like it, but remember there are no perfect jobs. Are you okay with smelly public restrooms, long hours behind the wheel, dangerous road conditions,bad food, dealing with shippers/gate guards with attitude, etc. etc? Get the whole picture before you make a career change, please, it's not for everyone.

 

Yep, I have to agree with all the others that said stick with your current job, because trucks are not a good fit for you. OTR is definately not going to meet your needs. And I suspect with that huge State supported truck driving school in your neck of the woods, that your local market is flooded with plenty of hands trying to find that miracle good paying local job. No problem in you changing careers, you just might want to strike big-rigging off your list. Good luck to you.

 

Stay with what you are doing. Trucking is NOT a "fun" job by any means. It's stressful and demands way more of your life than anyone should have to give. It destroys relationships and during your so called "rookie" years amounts to nothing but legalized slavery. If you have a life outside of work, you will not in trucking. I have all the things you wanted to know if it was possible to get in a job and a lot more. High wages (80-90K +) home every weekend/holidays and 2-3 nights a week, great healthcare and pension etc..BUT, it took me close to 15 years to get to that point. Now that I have 35 years in the business, do I regret my choice ? ABSOLUTELY..I don't recommend this job to anyone anymore. Deregulation, NAFTA and cheap freight have pretty much destroyed what was once good about it. You want to drive something ? Look local, trash trucks, buses, anything but over the road. Spend some terrifying nights in an ice storm trying to keep it straight for that whopping .28cpm you are going to start at. Like GIVING AWAY your time for FREE ? You will in trucking, and a lot of it too. There's a lot of people who will tell you "that's just the way it is-it's a lifestyle"...No it isn't. It's a job and for newbies a very crappy job. Keep your job.

 

This is one of the biggest sites. You can def read of peoples experiences and keep yourself busy for hours

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...22237-my-experiance-with-watkins-shepard.html

 

Simply put, trucking is not 9-5 M-F.

If it was, there wouldn't be a "driver shortage" or a poverty level payscale to start.