Truck Driving, Should I Go For It?

To those who think otr is dead and intermodal is taking over are very wrong...

intermodal is very limited and time consuming....its moto should be .. if you absolutely really dont need it ship intermodal...

 

Love the motto!!!

 

Hi sylice, read the thread on "abandonment question". I believe you'll have your answer.

 

If you want to get into truck driving, by all means, go for it.

Keep in mind that some trucking companies will not hire anybody under the age of 23.

This could work to your advantage. Before going to any truck driving school, you may want to spend some time both getting as healthy as possible and getting into the absolute best physical shape possible.

You may want to educate yourself on nutrition. Eat as healthy as possible, along with perhaps taking various nutritional supplements to keep your body in check. A good nutritionist or dietician can advise on this.

What ever you do, make 100% sure that there are absolutely NO illicit or illegal substances in your body or hair follicles whatsoever. If you do any drinking of alcoholic beverages, you may want to give that up altogether. Drinking and driving do NOT mix.

If you are currently 20, this would give you 3 years to really prep up both physically and health wise.

While you are at it, you may want to spend as much time as possible learning about CDL exams and trucks in general. Your public library, YouTube and TTR are very good sources of information.

Equally important, try very hard to keep a clean driving record, along with as good of an employment record as possible. Do NOT burn any bridges behind you.

These next 3 years will go by very quickly. Get on this program and really stick with it.

Good luck to you!

 

You should be eating right anyway, trucking or not.

I am 26 and started when i was 19. I did enjoy it very much, started local til 21 then went otr. Loved the first few times I went across the country in a big truck. Now it is repeat business and mostly boring. I have missed out on many social events and relationships because I was out trucking. My friends of the same age are now married and starting families. However, I have much more money in the bank than they do. As I get older the money becomes less valuable than the time required to earn it. That, along with an industry run by demented lawmakers and insurance companies who know better than you do but have never seen the inside of a truck. The public generally hates truck drivers. They don't want us to park in their neighborhood but they know they need us to bring them their latest must have shiny trinkets. People have a warped view of how trucking works and it is hard to tell them otherwise. Those that understand have been or are truck drivers.

In one sentence, I love to hate truck driving.

 

Yes, but think of your married friends working with no end in sight and you can retire early with plenty of money in the bank..take it easy on the beach somewhere like Philippines with the little umbrella in the drink and a beautiful young Oriental giving you a massage in the sunshine. Your married friends can only dream!

 

Get your license(preferably for free)+keep safe and a clean record for one year= Great success

 

Waiting until he's 23 will be wasting 2 good years he could be banking money and gaining experience. The sooner he starts the sooner he can live the good life in retirement. That's what it's all about; preparing for the future.

 

Yes. You can drive interstate working for one of those outfits that haul combines or other agricultural equipment before you are 21. Get your experience early. Start banking money.

Once the OP gets into trucking there are a number of options. Have a Plan, Work the Plan.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4175930]Hi sylice, read the thread on "abandonment question". I believe you'll have your answer.[/QUOTE]
Smarty pants. I was gonna say that too lol