would you do it all over again if you had a chance

[REDTAIL]

Here's my story, I had a back injury in novmeber 5 of 2005 at work. This factory that I worked at dealt with alot of heavy lifting 200#+ pieces. In december 6, 2006 I had disk fusions and hernated disk fixed. In the next couple of months or so I have to go back to school to get trained in a new career. Probably I have to say getting a CDL is, if not near the top of the my list of choices. Seeing how I use to love driving and listening to the music (have XM now). I don't love driving as much now, I think it's age catching up to me, but I still enjoy it. I do have some expertince driving a trailer. I use to work for my father inlaw working with a small backhoe businesse driving a one ton dump truck with a 27-28 ft. trailer I know it's not driving a tractor trailler but it did give me alot of practicing backing up and all that fun stuff. The doc says at best my final weight limit will be about 50-55# if I heal 100%. I know this weight limit and back surgery is going to be a strike against me no matter what job I chose, but I got to do what I need to. I do have a wife and kid but me and the wife have for the most part worked different shifts so we really don't see much of each other so being on the road probably won't be to bad as long as I'm not gone for a month. As for the kid we never had a strong bond anyways so I don't see to many problems there either.
Now I know some are going to say it's the next best thing since slice bread and others or going to say run run as fast as you can. But I'm scared to jump in to career that is felling the pinch from the fuel prices, worrying about a job that might not be there the next day. I've been through that at my last job, it sucked 10 year wondering if the doors will be locked when you arive at work.
so any inputs about what way I should go would be much helpfull right about now.
thanks in advance
REDTAIL

[GMAN]

Some van companies require you to help unload your trailer with some accounts. Others may not. In any case, you should not be required to help unload with all your loads. I would think that it would cause you more problems sitting for hours at a time with a back injury. If you go with flats, then you will need to throw tarps which are much heavier than 50 pounds. I would say that you could probably do the driving providing the sitting doesn't cause you a problem.

[syl77dar]

I LOVE TRUCKING BUT IT'S NOT 4 EVERYBODY!!! You have to love it to do it, but like any other job it is not for everyone, you have to find your niche in life. Sounds like you have done that!

[Uturn2001]

Regardless if you unload freight or not trucking is hard on the back. While not as bad as it was 20 or 30 years ago (or more) it still takes its toll. Many people with very healthy backs end up with back problems down the road and it often happens sooner with people who have problems to start with.

IMHO, with your medical history I would look at some other field.

[Walking Eagle]

Look into pilot cars or hot shots. Pilot cars can make good $$ if you hook with the right companies.

[Jumbo]

I LOVE TRUCKING BUT IT'S NOT 4 EVERYBODY!!! You have to love it to do it, but like any other job it is not for everyone, you have to find your niche in life. Sounds like you have done that!

That's because it's a lifestyle

[str.whl.hldr]

... But I'm scared to jump in to career that is felling the pinch from the fuel prices, worrying about a job that might not be there the next day. I've been through that at my last job, it sucked 10 year wondering if the doors will be locked when you arive at work.
so any inputs about what way I should go would be much helpfull right about now.
thanks in advance
REDTAIL

If you do decide to go into trucking, find the job you want first, apply, and then go to school. It seems backwards but there are MANY trucking companies that prey on the uninformed and mathematically challenged. Besides, why not have a clear path in mind before taking the "plunge"

Over the road trucking industry has a industry turnover of 120-130%. I'm sure newbies out of school have a much higher turnover rate. Trucking is not secure, one mistake could finish your job and relegate you to the bottom feeder companies. Even an accident that was just that, an accident, could shut all doors. But that is not the reason for the turnover.
You won't know the true impact on your family and your self till you actually do the job. Nobody does. Also new drivers (factoring in nonexistent overtime pay and all the hrs it takes to do the job) make a laughably low hourly pay average.

I would suggest that if you go into trucking, make sure you can make a graceful exit. That would be wise in an industry with 130% turnover

Truth in trucking

Good Luck!
I hope your back gets 110%

[ajritter04]

Keep in mind that just because you have (or can get) a Class A license, doesn't mean you're re3quired to drive a tractor-trailer OTR.

My first commercial driving job was with Swift, after 6 months or so of doing that I went local with Pepsi and did that for almost a year. I considered going back to school for a degree and made it three steps of the four in that area. My financial assistance was a little lacking and I couldn't "make ends meet" while also attending school.

I did eventually land a job with a local construction company where I get paid nearly $20 per hour, 40 hours per week, Saturday & Sunday off, and all major holidays are paid time off. Best part of the job is that I drive the "service truck", which is pretty much just a rolling fuel island. Literally, all I do is drive the truck and drag a fuel hose to the equipment. I have an assistant who does all the crap / really physical labor.

If I had to do it over again, I would definitely bypass Swift and avoid the whole OTR thing.

[JeffTheTerrible]

It's hard to say. On one hand, I would've liked to have found something better for myself, but I'm working on that now. What I would've done different, if I were retracing my footsteps... I don't know. I've had a bit of bad luck with several jobs I'd taken, and would've preferred to find someplace where I could stay for a considerable amount of time and be relatively happy with it.

[freebird]

I LOVE TRUCKING BUT IT'S NOT 4 EVERYBODY!!! You have to love it to do it, but like any other job it is not for everyone, you have to find your niche in life. Sounds like you have done that!

That's because it's a lifestyle

I'd rather consider it a job that I liked very much that supports my lifestyle!
Life is outside the truck!

[bandits44x]

If I had the chance to go back in time, I would not get into this industry. Maybe you will love it but you will work killer hours and never see your family and friends. The money is good but break 70 logged hours down and see what your hourly pay is...it sucks. I'm getting out of OTR soon...it's just rediculous to sit for hours and not get paid or get paid detention which is a joke. Good luck to you..maybe it will all work out for you. It gets old FAST!

[hamboner]

Honestly, don't ever come into trucking looking at it as only a job to provide you a paycheck. Most ppl who come into this business looking at it as alternative means of providing income end up washing out really fast. This profession is absolutely a lifestyle and you have to love everything about it if you ever want to get anything out of it. My father is going on 40+ years as an O/O. Throughout all those years I have never heard him say that he wished he had went a different direction in life. He eats, sleeps, and drinks OTR trucking. When times get tough he just rolls with the punches. Most weekends he gets home and has time to rest up, but he usually spends most of that time at the local truck shop making repairs and hanging out with his O/O buddies swapping stories of the past week. All of his friends are truckers. There are times during the holidays when he has extended time here at home, and he gets restless and antsy cause he cant hit the road. Trucking is his life and he doesnt look at it as hours worked, but rather money he has earned doing something he enjoys. To keep ur sanity in this business you cant figure up the time you spend doing the job and expect to come out ahead cause it will never happen. Never!

[str.whl.hldr]

... To keep ur sanity in this business you cant figure up the time you spend doing the job and expect to come out ahead cause it will never happen. Never!

Lol. So true.

For some people trucking becomes an identity. Trucking almost has to be with so much time invested in it. No doubt there are moments were I can not get anywhere else though.

[trux]

Just a comment on back problems, I never have had an injury but before I started trucking I had chiropractic type problems at least a couple of times a month. It was an ongoing thing for about 15 years. Often I couldn't stand up straight due to extreme pain.

But once I started driving, and I got a pillow for lumbar support, those problems have completely gone away. I haven't been to a chiropractor a single time in the 16 months I've been driving.

And as far as unloading goes, I haven't unloaded anything in the entire time I've been driving.