Truck Driving, Should I Go For It?

Does anyone know the actual percentage of drivers that keep driving once they get a CDL?
From reading these threads i am guessing out of a group of 20 that head for training maximum is 10 (more like 4-5) actually make it onto the trainers truck.
5 of those are gone within 3 months of going solo, 3 of the last 5 are gone at close to a year -leaving 2 drivers over the year mark.
Am i being to generous ?
Are there real stats out there?

 

[QUOTE="Hang - Man";4176253]Does anyone know the actual percentage of drivers that keep driving once they get a CDL?
From reading these threads i am guessing out of a group of 20 that head for training maximum is 10 (more like 4-5) actually make it onto the trainers truck.
5 of those are gone within 3 months of going solo, 3 of the last 5 are gone at close to a year -leaving 2 drivers over the year mark.
Am i being to generous ?
Are there real stats out there?[/QUOTE]

I would guess one in a hundred!

 

Driving over the road or driving local is a preference. Driving period is what you need to look at. It's tough. I drove over the road my first 10 yrs. I had way too much fun. Got married and been driving local for the last 24 yrs. If it is something you want to try go for it. The main thing is if you try something you have your answer, if you never try then you will always wonder what if. Have regrets in life. It means you were trying.

 

Sylice, yes, go for it. Just plan on staying with it long enough to get reasonable experienced. Just like so many things in human life, the learning curve is steepest at the start. Be ready for that to happen for you. It's a good thing.

Remember this. (not my thought) The only way to avoid failure is to avoid trying. There is no guarantee of success, it depends on you whether you succeed. Or not. All the rewards are for those who reach out for the brass ring. Yep. Definitely. Go for it. By the time you're 25, or sooner, you will be well on your way to a 6 figure income, with job security. Lots of transportation in the USA. The poster who commented that OTR work is "being phased out by intermodal" isn't on the same information highway I use. Next thing you know, some will be afraid of driverless trucks. Anybody breathing today won't be there when that happens in realtime.

 

Love the picture. I wonder whose place that is!

 

I am with Cranky and China, Sylice. If you want a lot of red lights, police, traffic (all bad) stop and go driving for average income, go for local driving. You'll be home more often, almost certain. If you're into take home money, want to spend more time driving than you do shifting and braking, and (eventually) have freedom of choice and independence, get into OTR. If you have outside work elements like family, children, or strong associations, maybe regional or dedicated driving would work for you. Look at this money illustration: a good paying local job will pay $20-$23/hour, but not at first. That's $40-$46K annual gross, maybe $32-$36/year after tax income, after a few years driving. Usually. If you drive your own truck, you can earn just about double that number or more, in a year or two, driving OTR. Specialty, some flatbed, and direct contracts can pay more than that. Just sayin'. That's where I am, more or less, in 1 1/4 years I/C with a good truckload company. I'm doing my due diligence, research, and planning right now for my next step. I want to move my income number upward and onward, and it's there for me if I make good choices. It's there for you too.

 

I think what you said in boldface is worth emphasizing. A good analogy would be to look at someone that want's to join the army and make a career of it. Virtually nobody gets to join the army and immediately become a General without first going through bootcamp, let alone earning your stripes and working your way up the chain of command.

The same thing holds true for someone that wants to make a career of being a professional truck driver. I approached my reentry into this industry with a very good idea of what OTR driving is like and with some help from TTR gained valuable insight into how the industry functions today versus 30 years ago. I realized I'd have to go to bootcamp (go through a training program at a fleet) and earn my stripes (stay with the job at least a year and ideally two years to establish a track record) before elevating my position by moving to a new company that would ultimately help me realize MY goal of becoming an O/O with a PAID IN FULL truck (not lease/purchase).

From the bellyaching I see from many folks that went OTR with a training company it's like a soldier that quit during bootcamp or when they were a private, because it was hard, they couldn't see their family everyday, someone was always telling them when to sleep, when to get up, when to work, etc. etc. etc. The way I see it is that is the reality of what you have to go through in order to achieve what you want to do. Might as well enjoy the process or at least endure it with a minimum of griping about it. It IS what you signed up for, after all. OTR means being on the road for extended periods of time (if you plan on making good money), NOT playing "make believe" trucker by dawdling when under load, learning how to communicate effectively with dispatchers, customers, etc., learning to live effectively in a small space, and dealing with varying sleep patterns. Gosh, sounds a lot like the military.

If you plan on getting into trucking, then get into it with your eyes wide open. This isn't Ice Road Truckers or Smokey and the Bandit, it's actual real world trucking. If you want to go OTR then plan on dealing with being fully responsible, running hard for several weeks at a time, and maintaining a professional attitude and relationship with people in the industry. Plan on being on a learning curve that is measured in years.

While you are putting in that first year or two continue to learn and also continue to research and refine your plan for your next step(s) in the industry. You want that Walmart company driver job? Then plan on putting in at least 7-8 years of accident free miles to qualify to put in an application. You want to become an O/O? Then motivate yourself to lower your cost of living to the bone and salt away every dime you can for 2-3 years so you can purchase a truck outright. Want to go lease/purchase? Then plan on putting in at least two years as a company driver so you have a fighting chance to be effective on the road AND read everything you can about how to run a business.

Have a Plan, Work the Plan.

The man Working the Plan doesn't have time for bellyaching. Get 'er dunn...