what type of job did you do before entering the transport industry

Well thats a big switch ... Good on ya!!!

 

Work much less? I no capiche!! I can only assume you're local?

 

Like the longwalker, spent 27 years in the Navy. Living in Victoria makes it hard to get a job here on the island. But very much enjoy it.

 

I beat up people at the Gasworks in Toronto. the pay wasn't great but kept me in shape.

 

I was casino then Banking then auto Finance. 20 years in Finance. But I always wanted to be in the trades. AZ and HEO recent school grad.

 

I was a professional DJ..but as far as I can remember I always wanted to become a truck driver.

 

Since I was a kid wanted to be a pilot, commercial pilot, so 1980 to 1982 I got licensed. Economy was tanked, new pilots advertising to work for "free" just to get hours. In Edmonton a business was charging pilots to sign up to work, cover check-outs and re-licensing. Was bad. Packed up the car drove to Yellowknife and got hired. Never flew much cus pilots in from BC to keep current, ended up doing courier deliveries mostly. Renewed my license (endorsements) couple times on my own but flight simulator time of $150/hr never mind aircraft time was crazy.

Worked in the oil patch and got a class 3 operated vacuum truck for Suncor/Syncrude shutdowns for the gas/oil vessels that required nitrogen purges while vacuumed out. Didn't last though, wasnt happy.

Went back to school, got my second college diploma in business this time. Hired by a bank and had a desk job (Scotiabank for 5 years). Still not happy.

Started my own landscaping business. Was enjoying this and doing well but now the economy was such that the oil patch was paying so much that I couldn't hire someone without breaking the bank. Every business at this time had big referral bucks. Converted a dump truck to do city courier work as an owner/operator. Did well, bought a new truck and almost immediately got on the bad side of the dispatcher. Learned the city real well in those 5 years. Applied to a trucking company needing class 3 with air and on the first day asked if a guy could get his class 1 while working.

No problem, deal was work m-f doing my straight truck work and, weekends drive tractor trailer. They got a deal cus no pay on the training but I could use their equipment to do my test. Well, 8 weeks of that sure got me primed for the trucking life. Past the test on a Saturday, Monday was in a 1979, POS, doing city work as a class 1 driver. Worked the city for 2 years and got my LCV endorsement to do runs to Calgary doing turnpikes. Did highway work for 3 years, mostly west, but to Ont couple times.

December bought a 2010 Peterbilt and a 53 deck and did 1 load with it before needing 2 operations on my large intestine. Truck and deck waiting for me once off this wound vacc that I'm attached to.

People always gave me a hard time whenever they heard was once a pilot. 'Why you trucking, you got education, you can do better than that.' Had me a desk job and for all the sales targets the bank wants you to make, whether the customer needs it or not is not for me. Got a real knack for handling equipment. Was a good pilot and told so, am a good trucker and told so but, what really makes the difference for me is I enjoy it and doing a good job of it.

 

Was a Conductor for CP Rail then went to BC Rail Last year there I was Conductor on the Royal Hudson steam train...Then the Liberals came in,and railroad no more so I re-invented myself as a deckhand,worked on the Tanu DFO Fisheries enforcement..hated it and finished off as a deckhand with BC Ferries retired and now re-invented as a Driver,which is something I always wanted to do.I am at the very beginning of this metamorphosis so all the information tossed my way is appreciated.

 

I always wanted to be a pilot. When I left high school I went to an aviation college and did that until the school shut down and I just had bad luck (engine failures, cancelled lessons due to weather and other reasons) while I was in school I supported myself working at a feed mill throwing bags around and eventually got promoted to a warehouse manager when I did that for a few years and after talking to many drivers and having also wanted to get my AZ as a back up if the flying thing didn't work out I finally got it. I still wish I could be a pilot some days but I make more now and enjoy my job. Some of my friends are still trying to find that flying gig and the ones that have haven't made over 25k.

 

Dubya, is that you?