Why I Decided NOT To Become A Trucker

Fact of the matter, it works for some and does not work for others. There are a lot of things to consider before jumping into this industry, and i am in the process of researching and weighing pros and cons right now. If you cannot bear the thought of being away from your family, trucking is not for you. I am a soldier writing this from Afghanistan and can tell you, i am lucky to have such a great family(wife and 3 awesome kids), me being gone sometimes helps our family, i know that sounds weird, but its true. i am almost done with a 10 month deployment, and i can tell you that is too much time away from your family, but when I go away for a 3 week training exercise or a month training, that is not too bad and is actually nice to have a homecoming. Some guys don't need to be home everyday bringing the stress of work home, and trying to make ends meet. Believe the guys on here when they talk about "quality" time versus "quantity" time with your family. I worked in an industry where I was home every night for 10 years, and I can tell you my family almost fell apart, and actually did for a while. Thank God in Heaven He saw fit for us to get back together, and avoid a huge mistake we both would of regretted our whole lives. Well, we have never been closer as we have since I joined the military. Again what works for some, may not work for others. Only you can decide, but as in everything, do all the research you can before you blindly jumping into something out of desperation! Please

 

Hi OP I am a new driver and never get crappy loads and my lowest weekly check was $900. My highest check was $1600 with all of the bonuses. All of the dispatchers are friendly and respond immediately. It depends on the company that you go with so you cannot just base it on what people say here who went to Werner or CR England. I am very happy and I just did a load from Syracuse New York to Seattle Washington!

 

As a former corporate goon I understand your frustration. It can't be emphasized enough to husbands and fathers out there; DO NOT get into trucking! It won't work. You won't make it through that first year before you discover you're marriage is coming unraveled, regardless of how supportive she was at first.

My heart goes out to these guys that once worked construction or in a factory, been out of work for over a year, barely making it, have a wife and two kids to support, out of options and see trucking as a viable opportunity. It's not for them. Trucking companies promise these guys home time, train them, run them hard for a few months until their wives can't take it, then they start all over with a new set of guys in the same situation.

 

Those are some great points. I have known people like that who can only spend so much time together before they start driving each other crazy. Another good example of a scenario that might work. The buddy of mine that's an O/O is that way. They don't have any kids and if he's home too much they're at each others throats. It's kind of a running joke with them, when he hits the door, the first thing she says is "Oh God, what are you doing here?"

Also, thanks for your service. I have a cousin who has been in Afghanistan twice. He's home now, stationed in San Diego I think?

 

Good deal, glad to hear you're doing well. Who'd you get on with?

 

I'm glad to say I'm not in that situation. Fortunately I was able to weigh this out without having the pressure of needing a job immediately. You said you were a corporate goon, how'd you get out? Your profile still has you as a wannabe, just wondering how you escaped the cubicle world

 

I didn't really escape per se but was cast out. I spent my entire life in computer storage in tech support, sales and marketing. The entire industry has consolidated down to two behmouth manufacturers; every one else is a VAR. My last job was product management of a product with a flawed design they could never get to work, so they fired the product manager.

Started my own business, (auto repair specializing in transmissions) but the income wasn't worth the headaches so one day I just shut it down. It was a great experience while it lasted. One thing I learned was that auto repair is very seasonal; dead during the holidays, busier spring and summer. Plus the increased cost of repairing a transmission out-weighed buying a replacement vehicle to the consumer.

I've been working as an appraisal consultant off and on the last few years, working with county governments, but I find it getting pretty tedious, (dealing with govt workers, local politics, etc).

So I was a high tech product manager all my life but now I have a huge gap in doing that job and I've supposedly "lost the skill set necessary to do the job". Plus I'm 55 yrs old and old people are not hip and cool in hip and cool companies, unless they're executives of some sort.

So here I sit trolling forums, learning what I might expect from the CDL/OTR experience and looking for a little more adventure in my life before I croak. Plus the cash flow would be nice. I'm doing this because I want to, not because I NEED to. My only hesitation is that I have pets I can't find homes for and I don't have the heart to have them off'ed.

 

Good luck with your career. Sounds lime you have thought this through long and hard. OTR is a lifestyle moreso than a job, it really takes a desire to live that way.

I think to be sucessful you have to have a gypsy soul and a vagabond heart, not to mention a bad case of wanderlust. You have to want to wake up in Dallas and go to sleep in Memphis.

People who come into this industry with pie in the sky expectations of income generally are the ones that don't last. Most, not all, but most do not get rich the first year, some struggle even into the second, but with perseverence and dedication there is money to be made.

I walked away from corporate America to return to driving, left about $20,000 more on the table at first, but in three years, right back whefe I was monitarily. That is not why I did it though. For me it was about peice of mind.

It sounds like, from all you have said that peice of mind is also the most important for you. I applaud you for thinking it through thoroughly before jumping in.

Best of luck in all you endeavors.

 

I can understand kids and what not but no engagement? That your idea? Just wondering, hope it works out.

 

I compromised when I decided to drive a truck. I decided to become a truck driver but not a very good one. That way, I am always able to get fired in time to be there for all my family events and on the road for all of her family events. It has worked out wonderfully through three marriages and my resume skills are at an all time high.