No one is happy about me being a truck driver

[lifespalette]

Lets see.... I know a husband and wife team, who both gave up tenured college professor status and couldn't be happier. I know one who has 4 published books, a former college professor of English Lit, and he wonders why he didn't do it years ago. A CPA, two PE's, 1 lawyer, and one dentist.
All gave up professional careers and couldn't be happier.

Today's average adult will have 3 different careers in his or her life........the days of spending 45 years with the same company are as long gone as are the retirement plans that came with that 45 years............

No job is secure anymore. You could be replaced or out sourced on any given day considering today's economic environment.

My brother used to own Burger Kings and Golden Corrals.........today he's driving for CRE and last time we had dinner together he told me he wished he had done this 15 years ago...........his acid reflux has cleared up, he looks forward to getting started in the mornings, no worries about meeting payroll, no worries about vendors not showing up daily with products, no worries about law suits, no corporate bs policies or unrealistic quotas.................... sure there are pressures driving, but nothing like what he used to have...........hell, I even saw him laugh and joke around with the little girl waiting on our table. I saw him smile a relaxed smile........something I haven't seen from him in 20 years.

I'd rather be happy and just making it, than unhappy and loaded. When his granddaughter voiced her disgust at his being just a truck driver........he looked at her and said, "honey, my truck has 13 gears,, a computer LED panel readout for everything that goes on with my truck, switches out the wazzooo, it has a 53' box on the back and when I'm fully loaded I'm pushing 80,000 lbs down the road at 65 mph, I'm the accountant, I'm the office manager, I analyze traffic and weather conditions hourly, I'm a logistics and actuary expert and when I'm not doing all that, I have to be a psychic................honey, I'm all that and more as a truck driver.......besides, without me and a million other drivers, you wouldn't have half the crap you've been spoiled with."

Man do what makes you happy.....................

[greg3564]

Lifespalette, how does your brother like CRE? Is it everything bad that we hear it is?

[lifespalette]

Lifespalette, how does your brother like CRE? Is it everything bad that we hear it is?

Greg, undoubtedly, CRE has quite a reputation in the industry and is involved in a class action suit (that most likely they're going to lose). Just how much of that reputation is actually the company's fault and how much of it is sour grapes from drivers who failed or hearsay expanded upon, I don't think any of us know for sure. I've seen the posting from folks with much experience that say the numbers don't add up and facts are facts............and yet I've talked to more than a few who have been with CRE for years, are quit happy and making good money. I've also talked with more than a few who have said they've lost their shirts in the lease program. Which group do you believe? Logic says the common denominator is the company, but if one group fails and one groups succeeds, something else has to be the factor.

A lease is just that ..........a lease, someone else owns the truck and you're paying to use it. Just like leasing a home, except that with a home you usually aren't paying for home repairs. It certainly isn't for everyone........the smart thing would be go buy your own truck outright and own it in the end. But as we all know, not everyone is in the position to to that........so what do you do? Leasing's not for everyone and not everyone is for leasing. It's your business and you have to run it like a business...........which usually means you put in more hours than you would if you were just an employee.

I think it would be interesting to see what the actually facts are about the leasing program and those who get involved in it. There are many variables to be considered, including the participants........are they truly qualified to run their own business? Do they have the necessary skills, self discipline, and drive to make it work? If not, how is that CRE's fault?

I don't know, but for my brother, he's recently signed his second lease with them. He's averaged between $900 and $1100 net per week and usually is somewhere between 2600 - 3000 miles per week. He usually runs 5-6 weeks out and then takes a week off. Of course the week off his lease payment is still due, so you have to take that into the equation. His only complaint is that they are slow to react to his request for time off, (tell me a company who isn't, I'm sure there are some out there, but danged if I can find them). The first lease he kinda put up with the BS, and found himself out 7 weeks once. He's the first to admit he puts up with too much BS at times. Before he signed his second lease, an old time driver friend of his told him to grow some balls. And to remember that he's a lease operator, not a company driver. It's his business, and to quit asking for time off..........just tell them when you're taking off and then do it. If they give you any crap about it, remind them that while you're out you drive hard and they make a lot of money. If they don't like you taking time off, you'll be happy to drive the rig to SLC and hand them the keys. His load manager he works through is a 24 year old female who doesn't know the first thing about logistics. They butted heads a few times, but she has come to realize that when he's working she doesn't have to worry about his loads getting there on time, and she pretty much has accepted roles. Oh his old driver friend is a 3 million miler plus....most from what I understand is with CRE.

Is it for everybody? No. It takes a lot work and I think a business background (which my brother has) and a load of self discipline to make it work..... and not to be mean or anything, that's just not an accurate description of most of the young drivers today. So what's the answer? Some make it work........some lose their shirts. Ain't it that way in most businesses? Some are cut out to be owners and some are cut out to be employees.

Greg, I haven't a clue if CRE would be for you or anybody else. I know my bother is doing okay and he's happy for now............so it works for him.

[greg3564]

Lifespalette, glad to hear it's all not doom and gloom. I believe that in order to make the lease program at ANY company, or to even be an O/O, you have to have some business sense. I think many of the failed lease operators jump in too quick and don't think it through. I also believe that a driver must have a healthy reserve to start out. Most of the stories I've heard about involves drivers who had a couple bad weeks and had to quit. Thanks for the very insightful post!

[greg3564]

I've signed up for my WIA orientation to see if the state will pay fo r my CDL training. It sucks that monday was supposed to be my first day of CDL training, but a family member actually hid my birth certificate on Sunday night, so that I wouldn't be able to have proper paper work

Sir, you HAVE to stand up for yourself! No one has a right to do that to you, family or not. If your family seriously hid your birth certificate, you need to confront the situation and let it be known that you are not a child. In my opinion this shows how they think about you as an adult. Grow a set and stand up for yourself. Your family should support you through thick and thin. Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.

[Mountain Flyer]

Interesting Thread. There will always be those who worrry about you... there will always be naysayers... those who think you're crazy (which in my case is an accurate assessment)... those who envy you, those who feel sorry that you have stooped to a new low.... well, the list goes on.

I spent twenty years in law enforcement... my family worried. And for good reason.

I have been a private pilot for nearly thirty years... my family STILL worries...

I have been a hang glider (paraglider, actually) pilot for six years... my family still worries... even more..... and for good reason.....

And I have now been an owner-operator flatbed trucker for just over a year... and my family doesn't worry much about me at all.

I bought a semi while still in Professional Drivers' School at Boise State University ( BRONCOS!!!!)..... they all said I was nuts. NOBODY BECOMES AN OWNER OPERATOR RIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL, that's what they said... (except me and Steve Booth!) 8)

Anyhow..... it's YOUR life. Get out there and live it. I have two sayings. One is posted below in my signature, and here is the other one:

"We take these risks, not to escape life, but to keep life from escaping US!"

Peace, Out. :?

[GMAN]

It boils down to what do you want to do with your life. What makes one person happy, may not make someone else happy. You will spend at least 1/3 of your life working. It would be a shame to waste that amount of your life working at a job you hate.

[csramsey640]

1. No body realizes what the job takes to do until you do it. Everyone, family included think all you do is drive around, they think it takes zero skill, and therefor your wasting your life.

If you enjoy what your doing, and your immediate family(wife, children) support you, then thats all it takes. If it comes to a point where my wife and children do not want me out there, I will look for a local driving job...they mean more to me than driving a truck, however outside that circle, they will have to accept.

I dont have many credits to go towards a Master of Business Admin, degree. However Im not sure that I will ever complete my MBA. After college, I worked a string of jobs that I really didnt care for, and found myself floating. I have grown up in a truck driving family, but remembered how hard it was not seeing my dad all week long(if not longer) and waiting each night until he found a payphone, if he did. I always knew he loved us, but it took a toll on my family and my parents eventually divorced. My dad moved back down south (yep im a 1/2 breed, half yankee, half rebel) and started his own company. I have always had a passion for trucks and looked forward to going out in the summer times for a few trips. Time seems to go much faster in a truck for some reason.

When I say I have grown up in a truck driving family, I mean literally. My father has always driven, mostly OD stuff, specialized, and heavy hauling. He drove for Mrs. Alison's Cookies, and met my mom who work in the office at one factory. They married,and moved back to PA and started driving together. That was before CDL days, and MY mom, all 4' 9" of her was caught numerous times for speeding, but got out of more than 1 due to the law not beliving how short she was and that she drove....and Fast! She didnt drive much longer because she became pregnant with me, but my dad continued to drive, and went back to OD, heavy hauling work. MY mom never drove again.

After a deadend with my own company I was able to work with my dad due to an illness and drove one of his flatbeds for the past almost 6 months. I am hooked....but the moral of the story

MY MOM IS NOT 100% SUPPORTIVE OF OTR. She does support me, and knows its easier on a family now with cell phone, computer, digital pictures, etc but Im sure she remembers the harder days.

My grandfather drove hauling coal, my dad ownes a small fleet of flatbeds, my mom drove a reefer, my uncle drives for Estes, my cousin drives for Pemberton, and 2 other friends from highschool drive CDL truck even after going to college.

Its what you want to do....and whats available to do. My wife supports me, and would rather deal with me being gone a few days at a time, than to move towards the city and away from family so I can find a better job.

[JoeyB]

So many of us went thru this exact thing. I think the best advice I saw here is to keep in touch. During training, let them know what you're learning about so your mom sees the emphisis that's placed on safety. Heck, there's even a right and a wrong way to crawl into the cab!
If you're having trouble on the practice range, for exampe, tell them about it- they'll see that there's a lot to learn, that it's not easy, and they'll eventually develop respect for the craft.

Then when you're on the road, call every day or two, a nice card, stuff like that. Let them know that you're fine and enjoying your new career.