Why do you want to be a truck driver?

^^^

Reads like a poem doesn't it. So so true.

 

As a kid I would see those large shiny trucks demand attention on the road and be in awe. Every time I signaled a driver to sound the country horn, they did without hesitation. To grow up and find out the essential service they provided for this country just sealed the deal; always knew it was gonna happen eventually no matter how hard I fought it.

And here I am!

 

I used to go to college before deciding to join the trucking industry.

My mother made me go to college because she believes a bachelors degree is the only way to make a decent living (which is NOT true). As I went through the admissions project, I joined UMass Transit and earned my Class B CDL there.

So I began my first year at UMass Amherst last September as an undeclared student. I tried to get into the program of my only interest: Engineering. First semester went very well, but the second one basically went downhill after the BS one of the courses pulled on me; and because of that, I failed to get in the program. At that point, I had to stand up to my mother and told her I'm doing what makes me happy and not anybody else. She had no other choice but to accept it. As of now, I have to go back for one more semester to complete the contract I signed with UMTS. Once I'm free from the contract, I will go to a trucking school to get my class a cdl.

By getting a class a cdl instead of a college degree, I can avoid the 1/4 million dollar debt many students have to pay after graduation (the one thing college recruiters NEVER say while at these high schools).

 

I came for the lot lizards!

 

I do it because no job that I have experience in will pay me nearly as well as I get paid working as a driver.

When I worked at Walmart, I was making $12.50/HR working in receiving and claims. Decent money for El Paso. But when I got fired, I couldn't find anything in the warehouse/inventory field that paid over $9/HR. Plus my lack of Spanish speaking skills left me virtually unemployable in most of those jobs anyways.

Best I could do was a "temp" job loading trailers by hand for $8.50/HR.

But I missed the road and after 10 years of being out of the saddle, I got back in.

 

legit

 

I consider myself to be a professional tourist. Before trucking, anytime I went for holidays I would drive where ever I wanted to go.
I grew up in Southern Ontario. One trip I drove down to Florida. Another I drove to San Diego, then right up the coastal pacific highway all the way to Portland. After I moved out west to Alberta I drove up to the Yukon and ran over to Alaska.
Then I figured if I'm going to go to all that trouble, I might as well get paid to do it.

 

It was either this or sales or real estate and since I hate people truck driving it was,

 

I'm over the cubicles and computers...and the micro managers. I love to travel, I work well independently and I am ready for a career filled with flexibility! Oh and the $$$