just wondering

[scania]

Anyone ever quit a good paying job to change to a truck driving career,and if you did was it worth it as far as being happy driving a truck.

PS I'm not saying truck driving is a poor paying career but I know for new drivers it's rough for the first year or so financially wise.

[AlexJ81]

Hmm my first year I made right at $40,000.00 That's double what I was making in that crappy HSN call center!

[nickbtubas]

define rough??

i made about $35,000 easy my first year


edit: the only way it was rough was that it mentally and physically drains you

Anyone ever quit a good paying job to change to a truck driving career,and if you did was it worth it as far as being happy driving a truck.

PS I'm not saying truck driving is a poor paying career but I know for new drivers it's rough for the first year or so financially wise.

I gave up a $115,000 per year job last year and got into trucking. I hired an instructor, got my CDL, authority, bought a truck, flatbed and went right to work and haven't looked back since.

I was in the computer science field and was sick of every job going away. I never had a problem getting another job but after a while they all just seem temporary because I know it won't last so, I made the jump.

I'm much happier now, making much less but I don't have any bills or family to support so I'm not under a lot of pressure.

[BMiller]

Hindsight being 20/20, I would definitely have followed a different path in this business. I dont see how anyone can truly be satisfied doing this without owning your own truck. To me, the more independence you have the more satisfying it would be. Putting your financial security in someone elses hands is risky. Companies are interested in their future, not yours, irregardless of what they tell you. You would have to be really naive to believe they concern themselves with your well being before their own. Most people start companies to make money for themselves , not with charitable intentions. Its simple common sense and logic. Smart people look out for themselves in this business. Having been at this for 13 years and knowing what I know, I would only recommend getting into this line of work with a plan for getting your own truck and trailer and going independent. At the very least getting your own truck. Being a company driver forever is definitely not satisfying. Every single lease purchase plan I have ever looked at is heavily weighted in the companies' favor. I have looked at a hell of a lot of them. Believe nothing unless it is in writing. And join OOIDA. BE AS IDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE.

Hindsight being 20/20, I would definitely have followed a different path in this business. I dont see how anyone can truly be satisfied doing this without owning your own truck. To me, the more independence you have the more satisfying it would be. Putting your financial security in someone elses hands is risky. Companies are interested in their future, not yours, irregardless of what they tell you. You would have to be really naive to believe they concern themselves with your well being before their own. Most people start companies to make money for themselves , not with charitable intentions. Its simple common sense and logic. Smart people look out for themselves in this business. Having been at this for 13 years and knowing what I know, I would only recommend getting into this line of work with a plan for getting your own truck and trailer and going independent. At the very least getting your own truck. Being a company driver forever is definitely not satisfying. Every single lease purchase plan I have ever looked at is heavily weighted in the companies' favor. I have looked at a hell of a lot of them. Believe nothing unless it is in writing. And join OOIDA. BE AS IDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE.

I agree with every bit of that except the part about OOIDA !!! They seem to be changeing and getting to big and forgeting about the everyday truck driver. I'm a lifetime member and it's changed so much that I'm probably going to cancel my membership in the next 2 weeks because of attitude problems that I have encountered trying to deal with them ???

[GMAN]

I have been a member of OOIDA for a number of years. While I think there are areas which need improvement, it is about the only voice we have as drivers and owner operators, to make our views known and to challenge rules and regulations which directly affect our business. Even though I run my own authority, I think OOIDA does more to help me and my business than the ATA. The ATA is only concerned about the large carriers. OOIDA's focus is more on the smaller independent fleet owner, single operator or driver. Until something better comes along, I will continue my membership.

It is sort of like the NRA. There are areas which I believe they could do a better job, but it is the only game in town to fight for our rights.

I have been a member of OOIDA for a number of years. While I think there are areas which need improvement, it is about the only voice we have as drivers and owner operators, to make our views known and to challenge rules and regulations which directly affect our business. Even though I run my own authority, I think OOIDA does more to help me and my business than the ATA. The ATA is only concerned about the large carriers. OOIDA's focus is more on the smaller independent fleet owner, single operator or driver. Until something better comes along, I will continue my membership.

It is sort of like the NRA. There are areas which I believe they could do a better job, but it is the only game in town to fight for our rights.

Yes I understand what your say'n GMAN. N your right it is the only game in town.

[Copperhead]

Gman, I couldn't agree more. OOIDA is the only game in town and, though they are not perfect and I don't agree with everything they do, I'll stick with them till something better comes along. Even though maybe an exageration, I call the ATA a "communist front group".


Back to the comments about carriers only caring about themselves. True enough. It is the cold hard facts of life. NO business, be it trucking, communications, retail, or whatever, started a business with the goal of providing a place where they could hire people. It is only to make a profit. NO PROBLEM!!! I'm a capitalist at heart and I say "more power to ya".

That being said, there are truck company owners that truly do care. The one I am with is such a carrier (250 truck outfit). When my step father was having trouble managing his business and asked for help, when I asked to leave, my employer told me not to even wait out a two weeks notice. Just go help out the family and if I wanted a job later, I had it. I am back there now. A couple of years later, my step father died and my employer told me to take a couple of weeks off to take care of things and gave me $500 cash tax free to carry me over on the time off.

I will agree that this is rare for any business to do. However, the rewards for any business will outway any short term cost. I have been with this carrier now for 8 years. He has made back more than it ever cost him to help me out, and I have no problem with that. Not sure I will be with them forever, but it has been a fairly decent ride.

Oh... I gave up a career in the computer field as well back in the late 80's and got into trucking. No real regrets. Loved the field, but could not deal with the corporate BS. Moved to Alaska and started driving a truck.

[BMiller]

OOIDA is the only game in town for drivers, although they were originally conceived with owner operators in mind. Nothing out there specifically for company drivers so why not join them ? They seem to have no problem going after bottom feeder trucking companies like CR England and others in court. Their positions on most trucking issues are quite similar to mine so why not support them ? Are they doing harm ? I dont think so. Who else is there ? If you have a problem with how they operate let them know. I personally would like to see OOIDA put more focus on company driver issues, and I intend to tell them that. Until something better comes along I'll be a member.

A lot of trucking companies, if not most, rely on the fact that there is no effective large scale representation for company drivers. There is no centralized clearing house for information on all the two bit bottom feeder companies in this business. You have to be a pretty good detective to find out the true nature of some companies. If they stick it to a driver and he or she quits, they can easily keep it hidden. Sometimes through suttle intimidation. Sometimes they rely on our lack of organization or representation. How does a driver effectively get the word out when he has legitimately been cheated or lied to ? What do they care about a single driver making noise ? Not much for a company to worry about.

I kind of liken it to the "divide and conquer" idea. If we dont stick together we will eventually get screwed. I think we already are. As I said previously you have to look out for yourself in this business. Its just that some people dont understand that sticking together is part of looking out for yourself. And your family for that matter. Our concerns are generally the same anyway. Personally, I could never be content just taking what is thrown at me without question forever. Getting fatter. Health going to hell, etc.

We had a saying in the Army: **** rolls down hill. In trucking drivers are at the bottom of the hill. I've gotten to the point I'd like to thrown some back.

[coalregion]

We had a saying in the Army: **** rolls down hill. In trucking drivers are at the bottom of the hill. I've gotten to the point I'd like to thrown some back.

I was a foreman for a long time, and I used to tell my crew that chit rolls downhill,and I ain't going to be the splashpan. In otherwards, if I catch hell on account of you, I'm definitely going to pass it on...

[GMAN]

BMiller, I believe OOIDA does have a section on their website to make comments on brokers and carriers. You may want to check it out. I think they could do a better job of telling drivers some of the services available to them. I have found them to be receptive to at least listening to concerns. They are not a union, but do provide some sort of representation of our interests, whether a company driver or owner operator. Many of their primary concerns don't directly affect me since I am not leased to a carrier. There are quite a few of us who are members and have our authority. Some have used OOIDA to do the paperwork. The only way they can be aware of your needs is if you contact them or express them on their forum. There is a section specifically for company drivers. You must be a member to participate on their forum. You may want to take a look around their website. There is usually someone at their offices you can talk with to ask questions or voice concerns.

[fuelman]

Took me almost 5 years to start making the money i was making in retail managment, and now with the fuel jockey job i can make maybe 15k more. I have never looked back. The headaches of retail were really bringing me down after 20 plus years. Money is not everything, liking what you do for a living is. I know it can be hard for someone that has a family to think about.

I sometimes wonder how people do it. Always chasing a lifestyle above thier means. I live in southern california where a new house runs 350-450k. Most of my neighbors are just average working class people without some sort of college degree. how do they pay that big mortgage???

If my wife didn't have her masters degree we would be living somewhere else without a doubt.

anyway, back to the topic, yes, it was worth it for me, less stress, less headaches, less moronic customers, less babysitting, less answering to the boss, less wearing a tie and slacks, less bullsh** equal a longer and happier life for me!!!

[redsfan]

Doesn't have to be rough at all. I started in March of 06 and made just over 44K in about 9.5 months. This year (my second) unless I fall flat on my face in the next 3 weeks, I should pull in over 65K driving a truck.

You're correct that a lot of people seem to not make much, especially in the first year or two. I just talked with a guy in a truckstop the other day who has been driving for a few years now. He makes 38 cpm and gets around 1800-2000 miles per week. If he's content with that, fine, but I sure couldn't make it on that.

Of course it doesn't have to be this way at all. Find a company that will give you the opportunity to make money and do what it takes to make it. Have a Plan B in place just in case you find out that you are one of those people who just thought that they were making a good move. The last thing we need is to hear about how some company screwed you and now you're gonna lose everything.

[VitoCorleone99]

I knew coming in that I would be taking a pretty significant pay cut, but for me it was the right move at the right time. In my first year driving I made right around $47,000. That was starting at a training wage and progressing upward every few months. As I understand it, I was very fortunate concerning the number of miles I ran. I came in expecting maybe $35-40,000 in the first year, which seems to be the norm.

Different strokes for different folks I suppose. I find a great deal of satisfaction these days in simply being left alone, and that's exactly what this job has provided me. For years upon years, I had to be the guy with all the answers. I did my job and everyone else's when I was a restaurant manager, earning a very comfortable living in the process. Then I did my job and doubled as a babysitter/psychologist when I was a financial advisor, earning an even more comfortable living in the process. Now I just have to go somewhere and pick something up and then go somewhere else and drop it off. As long as I don't crash, the constant day-to-day issues belong entirely to someone else. Whenever I want to take a week off, I take a week off. When I want to work hard, I work hard. When I want to slack off and take it slow, I slack off and take it slow.

The day may come (could be tomorrow for all I know) that I've had my fill and move along to something else, but I haven't regretted the move for one minute in the year and a half I've been out here on the road.