Thinking about a career in truck driving.

[MTGunNut]

Im thinking about going for a a career in truck driving. I am also thinking about a career in Mechanical engineering. How much can I make as a truck driver. I will still go to college and get a degree reguardless of what I do. Will I get paid any more because I have a degree? What is the most I can expect to make? What about working as an independent contractor? Is it better? Can you make any more than a company worker? How safe is this job of truckdriving? I have always liked to idea of truckdriving. I think it would be cool to see the nation. I would be willing to not always be home every night, but I would like to be home most of the time. I see most truckers take a dog with them? How does this work? Who are some good companies to work with? Knight seems to have good pay and good employee relations. Anything else I should know about truck driving? My main concern tho is pay and safety. Thank you and have a nice night.

[Sealord]

Become an engineer.

How much can I make as a truck driver. Mid $30k starting out. Will I get paid any more because I have a degree? No. What is the most I can expect to make? Hard to say depending union driver or not. What about working as an independent contractor? Can you run your own business? Is it better? Depends. Can you make any more than a company worker? Yes, but ALL the expenses are on you. How safe is this job of truckdriving? Not as dangerous as mining or working on a carrier flightdeck. I think it would be cool to see the nation. If you don't mind seeing the nation thru a windshield, but you're hauling freight, not being a tourist. I would be willing to not always be home every night, but I would like to be home most of the time. Think local and you may start as a dock worker. Get your engineering degree. I see most truckers take a dog with them? How does this work? If the company allows it, you pay a deposit to have the truck cleaned after you depart. Who are some good companies to work with? Most entry level companies are pretty much the same. Knight seems to have good pay and good employee relations. Don't believe all you see in print or hear from recruiters. Anything else I should know about truck driving? Get your engineering degree. BOL

[lifespalette]

GunNut...........Sealord has hit the nail on the head.........you wanna become a trucker because you think it's some glamorous job........you've been watching Convoy or Smokey and the Bandit way too much......

It sounds like you don't really know what you want to do..........okay, what kid does in reality......here's an idea........go drive for a year, see what it's all about........get the real story up front in person first hand. I'll be willing to bet you'll run back to college.........and you'll have a driving reason to.

[MTGunNut]

I know it not a glamorous job, but you guys wouldn't recommend it? What is the most you can expect to make?

[lifespalette]

After 28 years in the Architectural profession, I made the jump to driving simply because it was time for something else..........I was completely burned out from Architecture...........would I recommend driving for anybody else........that depends. What do you want out of life?

You will meet some of the most honest and nicest folks on earth in trucking......and you'll meet some of the scum of the earth. Don't expect to be included on too many social calander events with the elite society memebers in your town. What I like about the trucking industry is the people are real. What you see is what you get.

At first you're not going to make that much.........first year drivers will make somewhere between 27 - 35K gross for the year I'd say is the average......

Compare that to 4 years in college and by the fourth year driving you could easily be grossing in the 50's...........as a new engineer fresh out of college, a starting salary of 45 -55k isn't uncommon.........if you get your PE, 65-80 isn't unheard of............

You're not going to make that kind of money as a company driver. As an O/O yeah..... but now we're talking about something else....

How are you going to pay for college? Student loans? grants? or did grandad set up a tuition fund that will pay for all 4 years......

There are way too many variables that you haven't tossed out there yet.

Driving OTR you're going to be on the road 3-5 weeks at a time as a norm. On the average, I'd say you're going to take 1 day off for each week out.......Your HOS for the day is a 14 hour window.....no more than 11 hours driving before you have to take a 10 hour break........remember you're only getting paid for the miles driven, so you're going to have some long days at times..............at the end of that day, you'll find someplace to park it for the night (TS or RS) for your 10 hour rest period...........you're living in a space the size of a walking in closet. Your schedule is changing everyday...........can you live like that?

[MTGunNut]

. What do you want out of life? Well, payin, and stability. And change.
.

How are you going to pay for college? Student loans? grants? or did grandad set up a tuition fund that will pay for all 4 years......
A mix between those. And I will pay the rest out the ass.

.

you're living in a space the size of a walking in closet. Your schedule is changing everyday...........can you live like that? Yea, thats not a problem.

College is my TOP, TOP, TOP priority. I will go t ocollege reguardless of anything.

[Malaki86]

How exactly are you planning on going to college when you're driving OTR? You're going to be away from home 10-20 days at a time, and home 2-3 days.

[MTGunNut]

How exactly are you planning on going to college when you're driving OTR? You're going to be away from home 10-20 days at a time, and home 2-3 days.

I plan to drive after college.

[Roadhog]

I plan to drive after college.

PPBBBFFFTTTT..spittle forget college. We have plenty of college grads. Just drive truck. In a couple three years ...you can be a Roads Scholar. You can buy your own truck and trailer with the money you'd blow on some college.

Now we do have lots of college educated people driving. But most of them slaved at some other profession for 15-20 years before they wised up, and became a Trucker. :?

[redsfan]

How exactly are you planning on going to college when you're driving OTR? You're going to be away from home 10-20 days at a time, and home 2-3 days.

You could always do the University of Phoenix online thing... But like Roadhog said, "College? You don't need no stinking college!"

Seriously though, yes you can make 45-55K in trucking in your first year. It's all about choosing the right company and doing enough hard work to earn that. Some companies will let you earn that AND get you home on the weekends (see Maverick or TMC). You get enough experience and you just might land that cush local union driving job that gets you home every night and gives you 60K+ and phenominal bennies.

I'm one of those college educated truck drivers. I have a Bachelor's degree in IT. Got bored with the IT field, worked in sales for several years and then got into trucking. I've made as much money with trucking as I made with the other endeavors and I enjoy trucking a heck of a lot more. My college Economics professor had a saying "The world needs ditch diggers too.". The number one thing is do what you're happy doing. Trucking isn't for everyone, but college isn't either. The call is yours to make, just educated yourself about both and make an informed decision.

As for Owner Operators, they do make more money, but the spend a lot more also. You have to be extremely good at managing your time and money to to succeed or you could end up with nothing.

Good luck!

[lifespalette]

Now we do have lots of college educated people driving. But most of them slaved at some other profession for 15-20 years before they wised up, and became a Trucker.

How true.... How true.........I personally know a couple with tenure at Rollins College who hit the road and couldn't be happier......a lawyer who has hit the road and says he wished he had done it 10 years ago............more IT people then I can count on both hands.........one doctor, one accountant and an author.

All but the IT folks and the author didn't need to do anything.........all could have retired easily. The author needed the work............earns a living and still gets time to work on his next book.........

[RandyinVa]

The IT people enterning trucking are not there because they WISED UP. The government saw to it to reduce the cost to big business and brought in tons of H1b (Guest Workers) from India at low rates. It is all part of the plan to eliminate the middle income workers in the US.

AFter seasoned IS professionals tought their Indian replacements how to do their job, they were let go.

The only way you could enjoy trucking is to not need any money.

[lifespalette]

The IT people enterning trucking are not there because they WISED UP. The government saw to it to reduce the cost to big business and brought in tons of H1b (Guest Workers) from India at low rates. It is all part of the plan to eliminate the middle income workers in the US.

AFter seasoned IS professionals tought their Indian replacements how to do their job, they were let go.

The only way you could enjoy trucking is to not need any money.

Yes Randy, many IT jobs were either out sourced overseas, or as you said taken over by H1b employees. It's happening in many professions.....not just IT.

As to the enjoyment of trucking statement...........I know quit a few drivers who thoroughly enjoy their job and need the money........if you don't enjoy driving you better start looking for something else, cause you're not gonna last. Enjoyment and fulfillment comes in different means to each.............true happiness I think comes with contentment .

[REXRACER]

The IT people enterning trucking are not there because they WISED UP. The government saw to it to reduce the cost to big business and brought in tons of H1b (Guest Workers) from India at low rates. It is all part of the plan to eliminate the middle income workers in the US.

AFter seasoned IS professionals tought their Indian replacements how to do their job, they were let go.

The only way you could enjoy trucking is to not need any money.

Yes Randy, many IT jobs were either out sourced overseas, or as you said taken over by H1b employees. It's happening in many professions.....not just IT.

As to the enjoyment of trucking statement...........I know quit a few drivers who thoroughly enjoy their job and need the money........if you don't enjoy driving you better start looking for something else, cause you're not gonna last. Enjoyment and fulfillment comes in different means to each.............true happiness I think comes with contentment .

That's me! I work for a large telecom and after six years of flawless employment the company is off-shoring my entire mainframe group to India. I'm currently training my replacments over the phone/network every night. It sucks so much sometimes I almost want to cry . . . and I want to beat the crap out of my boss and my bosses boss w/ a baseball bat on an almost daily basis!

I hope to start driving next year as I have to stay until March to get my yearly bonus where I am now, othewise I'd already be gone. I love long road trips in the car so I'm hoping to enjoy trucking even though I know it will be much different.

In the mean time I am hanging out here and trying to lean a few things. This is a great site!

[syl77dar]

goodluck

[syl77dar]

goodluck

[unclehotte]

Hi.Just want to add my two cents,too. When I immigrated LEGALLY from Germany to the US I thought I was well set.....12 Years GE ARMY Network communications exp. plus evening classes to get deeper in to anything MICROSOFT related. And I got a job,too. Which paid pretty bad. And this included climbing towers 100 feet or more, risking my life. After i asked for a raise I got laid off. Driving my own truck in the GE Army for 12 years I knew
how to drive , just had to learn mid-age DOUBLE CLUTCH. Was used to being away from home for long times, but trucking in the US was STILL harder then expected. Unpaid hours for loading and unloading? Maybe no runs for a few days after you worked your butt off to get ahead??? trucking pays my bills right now, and without an alternative for a REAL job, which
are LESS and LESS around, I might have to drive a truck for a LONG time.
B.T.W, does anybody hate WALMART del. as much as me??? Every time I get one of those I can see it on my paycheck. Always there one or two days earlier and NEVER been able to change an appt time with THEM.
Drive all safe out there!!!

[zz4guy]

What happens when you are 25 and you decide you don't like trucking and are facing 4 years of engineering school? It is MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH harder to go back to school then than if you just buckle down and do it now. It's also a lot more fun to go to college just out of high school.

I am a 26 yr old electrical engineer sitting here on a lunch break writing this. There are plenty of days when I'd love to be out driving a truck because frankly it does SUCK to have to sit my ass down in front of a PC every day for 8 hours. But then EVERY job has its sucky parts, including trucking.

By the way with an engineering degree you can find jobs that have you travel. My dad was a field service engineer that traveled the entire country for 3 years. He was never home and by the end of the 3 years he never wanted leave home again!! That might be one way to get the travel bugs out of your system.