I also trained with Millis. Small class size, we had 5 people in my class, trained in Ohio which is Ohio State certified school. Did my year with them and have a local job now. If i was to go back to OTR I would go back to Millis.

 

Forgive me if I mussed this, but how old is your daughter??

 

To answer useless-

My daughter is 7. She told me yesterday to go to what I want to do.

I have been accepted by Millis Transfer, passed my DOT physical, and have a training date. All I need to do is jump.

I really do not have any doubts about going forward with this decision. Depending on the day I sometimes have doubts about leaving what I am doing. I attribute that to giving seven years of my life to one company.

Millis has been on the up and up and not pushy at all. Plus I like their benefits and training. Seems like a pretty good company.

BigDabble

 

I am afraid that your 7 year old has no idea what is in store for her and you while you are out on the road. It all looks good on paper, but when you start to miss birthdays and family events it is very stressful. You can never get the time back you wll miss with your family and the memories that you will not be a part of. Good luck

 

Yeah neverbeenlate-

The little one is a concern in this as well. My wife is strong and has been behind me 100%. She will give up her position and stay at home. We have a plan to do so that will work and are preparing financially, planning where we can save, reducing debt etc. This has been a three month process.

Life is about change and choice. When you get comfortable that is when things change the most. I have never been afraid of change and I am not afraid now.

I want the best for my family and for myself as well.

Big Dabble

 

I wish you the best of luck, but it is not about being afraid is is about the mental well being of your family and it will be very hard on your daughter and all the money in the world will not change the fact that she will only see daddy a few days a month.

 

hey neverbeenlate-

In looking over the advice given and the words of caution from experienced drivers the one thing that I can't see to get away from is the idea that if things did not work out driving OTR that there are other opportunities for drivers.

I do get time off plus vacation time and if I am successful and the time at home is not working out I can always make a change, correct?

Is that not a correct outlook in all of this?

Jason

 

Jason, You really need to stop and think about being away from home. I travel most of my life (25+ years). I missed most of my daughter's growing up years and I can tell you all the money in the world isn't worth missing those years. I'm sorry to say I've spend more time with my grandkids than I did with my daughter.

Even the time with the wife will suffers. Little thing that you take for granted like mowing the grass, fixing that leaking faucet and hundreds of other things you take for granted will have to be done by the your wife. You might think you can do them when you get home. Well they won't get done. The first day home you'll spend laying around resting. That leaves you one day to try to get everything done. Most women don't want to do these kinds of jobs so they either don't get done or you hire some to do them for you.

Plus one other thing most people don't think about the the added expense of being on the road. It is real easy to spend $100 a week. Let alone buying everything just to get started. Thing like a CB, laptop, inverter, coffee pot, maybe a microwave and the list goes on and on.

Just one example. You come home after being on the road for two weeks. Your looking for a good home cooked meal. The wife want to go out for dinner. That is the last thing you want to do.

Those local jobs are not easy to get.

If I had it to do over again my traveling time would have been taking a 2 week vacation with the family.

I nor anyone else can tell you what to do. I just say give it a long thought.

kc0iv

 

I came from exactly where you are right now. My family lived very comfortably in my last job in retail management and like you I got tired of all the BS and didn't want to deal with it. I left my well paying job and family and went to company sponsored training. I will leave out what company because I'm not recruiting and don't make anything for referring inexperienced drivers. Starting out I went to school for 3 weeks and did not make a single penny...Family unhappy. I then went with a trainer for 4 weeks ($300 a week)...Family still unhappy...I then started driving OTR for 3 months-out 3 weeks home 3 days (avg. 2200 miles per wk = $616 - $25 for escrow acct. - $45 for school - $85 taxes - $75 family insurance = $386/wk) Don't forget paying for your family to have a place to stay and their food to eat then you have to eat while your on the road. Add all that up you don't make enough if you are the sole provider. After 3 months and an unhappy family I did get on a dedicated lane and bring home $600/wk. I don't know what you make now. But my family and I both made sacrifices and everything has eventually panned out and working for the better. Wish you and your family the best of luck in whatever you choose to do. God bless you.