So you were sitting in your office ...............

[stung]

thinking about becoming a truck driver.

What was your motivating factor that pushed you over your fears?

I know some of you may have had a family connection to driving.
Perhaps some were forced due to layoffs.
Maybe some were semi-retired and wanted to fulfill a dream.

I've read all of Stevebooth's thread in the O/O Forum and he seems to be having alot of fun...except the food poisoning episode (been there done that have the soiled and stained t-shirt). I, perhaps like alot of people, are reluctant to give up the security of my 9 to 5 (more like 6:30 to 5:30+) to make the transition.

So my question to all of the newbies that have just started driving...what was your catalyst?

[shyykatt]

Hubby went b/c he was told about how much $ truckers have!
..or was is to get away from me?Hmm..... :shock:

[ssoutlaw]

Hubby went b/c he was told about how much $ truckers have!
..or was is to get away from me?Hmm..... :shock:

With that avatar, I think we need to change your handle to MADKATT....lol :P :P :P :P :P

[Rookie McRookerson]

Scratched and clawed my way up to mid-management. Hated it once I got there. Had 25 years in, was 50 yrs old, and went through a divorce. I was no longer forced to chase the all mighty $. Kids were grown and on their own, no wife, no big mortgage. Made mid 50K per year but it was killing me.

Once I was no longer encumbered it was my opportunity to do what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. It was a huge hurdle. I know I'm only going to make about 35K my first year out. My ex gets half of that. I'm chained to her for 3 years. By then I should be into some much better money. I'll mostly live in my truck and crash in my son's spare bedroom when on home time.

I'm not fooling myself. It's not going to be easy. But, I don't think my health would have held out many more years in my old career. I've personally found that money and stuff doesn't buy happiness. I'm not in this for the money (good thing, huh?). LOL!

I am in day 3 of orientation with the company I hired on with. I'm a little overwhelmed with all the information they're pushing at us. It doesn't help that there are a couple "Super Truckers" in the group. It's old hat to them. I only understand about half of what I'm hearing. I keep telling myself that I will have time with the trainer to really learn this stuff. I'm not going to retain it from the classroom.

Wow! I kind of went far afield here. Sorry!!!

[mapleleaf_1]

I was a single Mom and raised 4 kids all under the age of 10. Finally they grew up and went out on their own. I decided I was going to do what I wanted. I've always loved to drive and being my own boss. Worked as a company driver for 2 years before getting my own truck. Haven't looked back or regretted it since. Well except for the ridiculious prices for diesel the past 2 years. LOL I'm now living in the States and remarried but my hubby supports me in my decision to do this job. Drive safe every one.

[stung]

Wow! I kind of went far afield here. Sorry!!!

No sir, that's exactly what I'm looking for.
Thanks for the reply.

I'm just hesitant to make the leap. I do have bills to catch up on and I know if I do make the decision to drive I will only be incurring more debt in the short term.

mapleleaf_1,
Congrats on the hubby and especially the support he gives you in your career.

What pushed me over the edge? Going from one job to another with no guarantee they will be around tomorrow. I use to be a software engineer doing embedded Windows CE, Platform Builder, Device Drivers and Operating Systems.

At one point 15 years ago I was making $190,000 per year. The job I just quit I was making $120,000. The owner is in his 80's and the company will be sold to a competitor and shut down. Yet another job I have to start all over again, if I can get one.

It's been a cycle the past 10 years. Work a job for maybe a year or 2 then they lay off or go out of business. Use up my savings for 6 months until I find another job. Work and save my money for the next dry spell. Sick of it!!!!

It's not like the old days when I could ALWAYS count on a paycheck. Now it seems I'm always waiting for the next Axe to fall and this is the way it will be from now until the time I'm too old to work. Then where? Bag boy in Florida living in a trailer park retirement community and heading over to the Eagles club to get ****faced every night.

So, I figure while I'm still employed I'll get my CDL, get my authority and go out on my own with my own truck. Something I can do well into my 60's and possibly longer if I want.

I'm not making what I use to but I have piece of mind that I'll have a job tomorrow, next year and 10 years from now. Feels good.

I've been doing this since November of last year and yes, it is fun!!!!

[newolddrv]

I grew up around it. Dad was an o/o. He tried to get me to drive his B model Mack with a duplex transmission. I never could learn to downshift that dirty son of a pig.
Soo...I worked at several barge lines for about 15 years. They had a bad habit of going bankrupt and I could sure pick those pretty good. Then I worked at several factories and I couldn't pick those any better. One moved to Mexico, one burned down, and 2 downsized my department out of existence. :shock: My cousin won't tell me where she works.
Should i just pretend to be crazy and draw SSI?
I finally got a cdl and went to work for a bottom feeding company that wouldn't fix anything and tried to make me lie in my log book. I quit after a month.
Soo...now I have gone through orientation with a large company that has a less than stellar reputation and I sit at home twiddling my thumbs while waiting for a trainer. :x
I hate my life but I dislike the alternative even more! :shock:

[Mtc_Is_Hell]

What company are you going to now?

I grew up around it. Dad was an o/o. He tried to get me to drive his B model Mack with a duplex transmission. I never could learn to downshift that dirty son of a pig.
Soo...I worked at several barge lines for about 15 years. They had a bad habit of going bankrupt and I could sure pick those pretty good. Then I worked at several factories and I couldn't pick those any better. One moved to Mexico, one burned down, and 2 downsized my department out of existence. :shock: My cousin won't tell me where she works.
Should i just pretend to be crazy and draw SSI?
I finally got a cdl and went to work for a bottom feeding company that wouldn't fix anything and tried to make me lie in my log book. I quit after a month.
Soo...now I have gone through orientation with a large company that has a less than stellar reputation and I sit at home twiddling my thumbs while waiting for a trainer. :x
I hate my life but I dislike the alternative even more! :shock:

[newolddrv]

I debated with myself whether or not to answer you because of all the negative postings on this board and others. Well, it's Swift. There I said it! :P

[glasman2]

Myself? I did glass work for the past 28 years Office buildings and high rises, and Corrections for a couple of years.
Loved what I did. When I woke up in the morning... I didn't feel like I was going to work, I was going out to play, that's how much I enjoyed it.

Hard work, but the satisfaction of looking at the finished product and saying "I did that" was well worth it.

I was injured on the job, and can't do it any more.
I knew sooner or later this work would take it's tole on my body ( not to many old guys do this line of work unless they are for the most part just pointing his finger and saying " do this and do that" )

Had friends in trucking when I lived in Calif. went on a few runs with them and always thought, If I ever couldn't do what I do, this would be the next line of work.

L&I Tried to get me to become a Machinist, but standing ALL day bent over my doctors said no. Plus L&I would only pay for 1 year of school and the schooling is 2 years, meaning money out of my pocket the the 2nd year with no income for the 2nd year.

Talked to my doctors about Trucking, got the ok, and here I am starting school the next month.

The Family and I did some heavy talking about this before I made my final decision. Plan is OTR for 2 years or so, then something here in town, so I can be home more often.

That's my story.

[mi_rookie]

I debated with myself whether or not to answer you because of all the negative postings on this board and others. Well, it's Swift. There I said it! :P

Just make the best of it. I think 90% of any job is your attitude and besides that is the only thing within your control.

BOL

[stung]

Thanks guys, those are some interesting stories....keep em coming!

[Skywalker]

Was a District Manager for the largest company of its kind. Privately owned too boot. Owner over diversified, put parent company into Chapter 11, then ended up in Chapter 7. Went to work for a competitor.... ended up being the worst 6 months of my professional life. Started my own company, and busted their collective butts. My industry was competitive, but I made it and survived and did well for years. Ended up owning three businesses at the same time.... uggghhh, little free time, period.

Wife had massive heart attack in 1990. Tried to do it again in 92'. I sold out and never looked back.

I do this because she can't get involved beyond riding, reading a map, and fixing my meals. The true love of my life rode with me for 5 years before saying "I know where all the bushes and rocks are, now I want to be at home!" There she is now, and I pull a hazmat tanker for a company that doesn't allow riders, which is ok because I get home every week for a couple of days and all is well with the world.

One of my driving forces to do this was because it was something I wanted to do a long time ago, but was too young to do it when I first got out of the Army in 1971, and the other is the fact that I can get health insurance at a cost that is more than reasonable

[stung]

Dang Skywalker! You're a truly fortunate soul indeed. Good story.

Seems to me that driving is not what most start out thinking they want to do but find it to be almost a relief/release from their previous life's work.

I know but a few people that have driven first then went into business/professional life only to be back to driving again now.

It's like a calling to be a driver. I just hope that's what I'm hearing and not the horn of an oncoming train! :shock:

[NevadaJim]

I debated with myself whether or not to answer you because of all the negative postings on this board and others. Well, it's Swift. There I said it! :P

Like someone else said, it's all in your attitude and how well prepared you are. You know all the dirt on Swift, some validated, some just hearsay and trash talk, so go into it expecting some dirt will turn up. Much easier to deal with crap if you expect it to happen. Get your CDL...get the experience...get looking for something better after a year if you choose. Remember this, just because some drivers do stupid sh**, doesn't mean you have to do it. Go out there, keep your cool and learn as much as you can! Surround yourself with drivers that know how to play the game, and avoid the whiners. Success breeds success and failure breeds failure.

As for me getting into trucking, it's been on my mind for quite a while. I'm retired military, divorced and daughter is in college. I don't have a significant other to speak of. Paying over $1000 for rent and utilities for mostly a place to sleep. I love driving and I'm a driving instructor for a local driving school. I plan to live off what I make in trucking and save a little, and bank 100% of my military pension. Unlike many, I don't have the pressure of having to support a family, so the money isn't really a big issue. But, I will be able to bank quite a bit of money, not having rent and bills, if I stay with it. For the most part, I'm really looking forward to the challenge of learning how to drive.

To ease your pain I will say it too. I will start with Swift also.

Well said.

[stung]

NevadaJim
Reminds me of the ol' saying....
"It's Hard to Soar With The Eagles When You Are Surrounded By Turkeys"

[FourHeartsTrucking]

I haven't gotten back into driving again as I write this, but this why I got into driving... Like many of drivers, I grew up going on family road trips and always mesmerized by the big trucks. I knew that one day I wanted to be doing just that, driving down the road for a job. I joined the Army right out of high school and when I got out the first time I went to drive for Schneider. They gave me the training and I drove for them for almost a year. I have gone back and forth between the Army and trucking and I am at that junction again. I have almost 18 years in the Army and the deployments are getting the better of me and I am considering getting out and getting back into driving. Because I am finishing my career in the Guard I will not see my retirement until I am 60, about 22 years away. So, it is not that difficult to walk away. Like so many people out there, I will be basically changing careers with not much to lose. I have some money in a TSP retirement account that will follow me so it won't be a complete loss. I may get out on a medical, but won't know the outcome of that until April. God willing I'll get it and it won't be such a difficult decision. I have about 3 years or more total experience driving. I have driven almost everything from dump trucks to tractor trailer, to double/triple trailers. I have a couple of pre-hires if I get out this summer, so we'll see and I'll update as I go along. I have a great wife and a supportive family of my four kids so I know I can make it with all they give me!!

[Black Hart]

I can definetly relate to a lot your stories here. I spent the past 25years as a commercial roofing forman. I got tired of all the BS promises from my employers and baby sitting drunks, druggies and lazy guys who were more than happy to let others do the work. I can,t handle being stuck inside in an office or running some machine in a factory. I like being outside and repetition I can handle. more so if the scenerys nice. I know you have to deal with some BS no matter where you go. Roofing is pretty brutal on your body, more so when you have to do most of the work to get things wrapped up cause your crew doesn,t care. So,at 43,I gave it up and spent the summer of 2006 fixing up my house. I put a lot of thought into what I wanted to do for the next 25 years or so. The idea of driving appealed to me in a lot of ways. Not in the same place all the time ,NO BABY SITTING,I can bring the wife to work, or not.LOL The list goes on.I,m just out of my school and I,ve got a lot to learn. But I think me and trucking are gonna get along just fine.