Tell me your "career change" sucess stories

I got lucky and Poly had an opening ,
they have good pay and benefits , etc .
Good miles delivering their product
around the country.

 

Not childish. On the contrary....that's life experience talking.

 

I'm in the same boat sort of. no fear here though, I just keep putting it off for another year. I have done some driving previously, (very little) but can say I loved it. plus driving in military.

I know there are a few on this site who have moved from a desk to a truck. most have seemed to be happy with the choice.

I'm kind of the odd duck in a way. I have no desire to do LTL. if I go I want to do OTR.

 

Did 20 years in aviation first as a pilot then when that downsized moved into management and up the ladder to senior management and facility manager. Then we lost a major contract and the management jobs at that level were being eliminated through attrition and not being replaced. Could have transferred to a comparable position in Newark, LaGuardia or Kalispell, Mt but being a born and raised southern boy those just weren't attractive options lol and just would be delaying the inevitable a few years down the road as those positions also were eliminated. Much like trucking, flying jobs are hard to get back into the seat once you've been out of the ####pit for awhile and the pay scale for newbie pilots ( which is what I would have been treated as ) is just #### insulting. I'm making more driving than most new first officers flying regional jets.

Did a year of research as I was fortunate enough to have the time and resources to do it and found a good school, and a local OTR company that had a good rep for driver retention, home weekly and good training.

Did three years with them and sticking to the original plan moved from there into a really sweet gig doing 90% drop and hook, still home weekly, nicer truck, 65k +/- a little.

My my experience isn't typical but it is a resounding success. I had the background, employment history and mvr to pretty much choose where I wanted to go and did the homework and didn't make a poor choice with who I went with,from school to training company to where I am now.

I have to to admit to being MUCH happier now than when I had the big office listening to crybaby union morons whining because they picked up one box more than someone else.

 

I'm with you on the OTR thing. But I also have nothing to draw me home as long as I can get back every month or 2 for a day or two to make take care of the little things for my Grandma I'll be fine. But not having children, wife, etc (Or a desire for these things) and a rather strong wanderlust leads me to want to just hit the road and not stop hitting it.

But I'm not in a truck yet so who knows how my feelings might change after that first year or two.

 

Well I did it the old fashioned way getting my license at 16 washing planes and cutting grass at the airport to help offset the cost. One of the advantages to learning at a small country airport. I'd still be flying if I could that's my first choice but I'm also not going backwards and doing the 'refresher' training and coming in at what they're paying now. With 2500+ hours I shouldn't have to. But, aviation and trucking are much alike in that regard. Doesn't matter how much time you have in ince you get a couple years out of the seat they act like you don't know anything.....or offer an insulting 'entry level' position and pay. So now I fly for fun and make a #### good living driving

 

Yeah it adds a little more emphasis to the pre/post inspections I think lol and realizing just how serious the job is with regard to safety issues.

Cant pull it over at 30,000 ft if something breaks lol that's a hard mindset to break