The company I work for is located right on the interstate and every time I stand out front I watch you guys fly by. I see Swift, JB Hunt, averitt,the great pumpkins and o/o's everyday. I want to quit this job of 22 years and hit the highway. I mean to tell ya its all I think about. I got the cdl manual from the dmv and I am memorizing it now. I have bought a few books from amazon on driving, and I've been reading everything here that I can. I've loaded you guys for years talked to ya and now I'm going to be one.

It'll be a bit of a pay cut the first year but from what I've seen here by year two I'll be making more than I am now in a job that I've been doing for years.

planning on going to SAGE driving school (closest school to me)
paying cash upfront for the training.(thanks for the advice)
Don't know who I'm gonna work for yet.
Don't know if I want to own yet

All I really know is I'm 40 years old, my son is 18 and almost into college, and for the first time in my life I'm about to do something for myself. I'm following my heart and my dream, hopefully it won't be a nightmare : )

 

Good luck to you, this job is what one makes it. Have fun.....

 

Go to the employment and ask them about the WIA program. It's a government grant for $3500 that you do not have to repay. Most schools will take that money for 100% for the school.

That's how I got the school money

 

I hope it all works out for ya!

Been there done that. I was an Ops Mgr for years over a warehouse amongst other things, got into sales then into trucking. Really never saw much of a pay cut at all, but that depends upon where you are right now in terms of salary. Do your homework and you may be able to start out at even money with a good company.

The best thing is you have over 20 years experience and you're only 40 years old. I'm sure if it doesn't turn out as you thought it would, you'll be able to jump back into a comparable management position somewhere. No way to find out if this biz is really for you until you try. Better than waking up 70 years old having never been happy in your work and wondering what might have been.

Also, all companies love to see someone with a solid work history such as yours. It shows dedication and a good work ethic. Just don't sell yourself short by going with the first offer that comes down the pike. Research it and find the best fit for you right off the bat.

Good luck!

 

Yes and no. Your gross wages will probably go up after the 2nd year or so, but on an hourly basis I would highly doubt it unless you are coming from a very low-wage position. You'll very likely take a steep cut in benefits as well. Plus you'll forgo sleeping in your own bed every night, eating a home-cooked meal, and having every weekend (a FULL weekend) off.

I went from a very lucrative office position to OTR. If I could turn the clock back I would not have done so because I gave up way too much. Freedom of the road sounds good until you find yourself shackled to that truck 24/7. The blatant disrespect you receive from shippers/receivers, the motoring public, and other drivers will absolutely astound you. The irregular work schedules, long hours on the job (80-100+ hour workweeks), and poor diet will turn your body/mind to mush.

Luckily, I was able to transition into LTL which is night and day over OTR. Now if I want to go out after work and have a beer or go for a jog or just take a ride in my car, I'm free to do so. If I have things to take care of at home, I'm not 1,200 miles away. If a customer wants to play games and waste my time I don't really care because I'm getting paid for it. No more hunting truckstops for a place to park at night or waiting hours for the Qualcomm to BEEP with a load (for free of course).

I wish you the very best with your decision, but I'm not sure you realize exactly what you're getting yourself into.

 

What Cold is telling you can be and is the reality for some in the industry, but it doesn't have to be. He's giving you the bad side of the industry and you definitely need to weigh that into your decision also.

I, for one, worked longer hours when I was in management and sales than I have yet to do in a truck. Sure I slept in the truck, but I can tell you I got more sleep when I was OTR than I ever got in any other job that I've held. I had to go to the bunk for 10 hours every day, what else am I going to do, but sleep?

Sure, you're gonna be gone from home every night through the week at least. My guess is that you probably understand this part going in... I'm sure that being a supervisor for 22 years you are also probably somewhat accustomed to working long hours and probably not always eating as healthy as you should. And, I'm absolutely certain that you've had your fair share of disrespect over the years. The bottom line is it's really not that much different than a regular job with the exception that you probably won't be making it home on a nightly basis. There are other industries where this is the norm also, it's not limited to trucking.

If any of this was news to you, then you probably haven't done your homework at all and you have no clue what your looking into. Do what makes you happy and don't look back. The only thing worse than wondering what might have been is to try it and spend the rest of your life sulking about how much you regret it.

Good luck.