Trucking: making it what you can
I've read posts on here bragging about how great driving is and how lousy it is. Seen posts about how you can't make good money or you go broke living on the road.
As for the great/lousy debate....its what you make of it. As simple as that, no its not for everyone. It takes getting used to by both the new driver and the family. If you can't stand being away from home....then park the truck and find something else. Some dumptruck companies just want bodies in the cabs no matter your experience.
As for you not making good money....my wife spent 1/12 years in cpu programming in school and would have started at $35k....if she was lucky (she changed majors). Tell me how many jobs start "entry level" employees out at about 40k a year?
As for going broke living on the road.....not true. I have a 40 qt. cooler, lunchbox oven, pizza oven, 5 cup coffee maker (takes 15 minutes to brew) and we are talking about getting me a crockpot. They all use 12v systems, yes they cost a bit to get (cooler was $90 7 years ago), but the coffee maker paid for its self in 1 month. I don't eat in restaurants or stop for sodas, coffee and so forth.
Every weekend, yes I'm one of the lucky few that gets home every weekend, my wife and I go grocery shopping. She has a list for the house and I have a list for the truck. I spend about $30 on food and supplies with a constant changing menu. Canned soups (the medium sized ones with pull tops) can be cooked in a lunchbox by adding about 1/4 inch of water into the lunchbox and just cracking the tops open and laying the can on its side. I also carry a 10 gallon tote of popped popcorn for munching while driving.
I created a desktop that covers the passenger seat and floor area. Using industrial velcro, I'm able to have my coffepot within arms reach. I also have my laptop and external speakers on this (I built boxes that are mounted on top to hold these items). With over 3 days worth of music and 1000 hours of audio books and old time radio shows (picked up over the years), I never get bored while driving. When I have down time...I have a few cpu games as well as dvds. If I do get bored or just want to hear my families voice....I call home.
My wife grew up with a stepdad that was O/O and she was a shift manager at 2 different truckstops, so she knew what my life was about when we met. After we moved back to our home state of Az. I drove for Truline as a line driver for a year (fell asleep at the wheel one night an said thats it....taking time away). I then got a job as a resident driver for US Foodservice, making $20 an hour, but I was damn lucky to get 40 hours a week. After being with them 1 year, I called a buddy that still drove for Truline and mentioned that I was thinking of coming back. The next Monday, my old fleet manager called and asked if I wanted northern Az. as me area. My wife was working fulltime with a publishing company, but half her take home pay was going to daycare and she was looking at possible layoffs. I went back and she got laid off.....now she is a stay at home mom and we have more in the bank every week with just me working and when the weekends come around....we have as much fun as we can....our 2 youngest (4 and 6 the other 4 live with their mom's and dad) love it when dad comes home on Fridays (sometimes Thursdays)....they hear that horn as I come down the road and they stand on the front porch to watch me back into the driveway (we have an acre) Then they feel like the kings of the world as they swarm all over the cab helping me get stuff out for the weekend.
Would I like to be home every night? Hell yea....I would be lying if I didn't. Was this a choice I made 20 years ago and then again 7 when she and I got together? Yes it was, but there isn't 1 day that I regret what I do for a living. I've had the pleasure of hauling heavy equipment in Germany and explosives in Alaska along with being an instructor in the military. I've been to every state within the lower 48 and parts of Canada, all paid for by someone else. When I look back at all the things I've been able to see and do....I would have to do it all over again.
No, it hasn't always been easy on me/us....this profession has cost me 2 marrages (1 to drugs, her and the other to sexchats, again her while I was a local driver). I've had some sleepless nights, due to weather or loading issues (I like flatbeds), but I would not change a thing in what I've done with my life.
Now a large piece of advice that an old driver gave to me free of charge about 15 years ago.
When your family starts saying they want you home and not just for a few days.....do it, the family means more than any job and you can always find another driving job if your good enough.
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Originally Posted by continental
