What job choices did you have before deciding to drive?

[Piece Of Work]

For me, no other job choices offered me the chance to make over $40K per year. Every job offered me the chance to try to make a living on $8.00 per hour or less. Does anyone else have that same experience?

[rcso]

I can't say my choices were different. 15/hr on a salary with forced non paid overtime. Best my region had to offer in that career field; that's why I am currently not in that field, and now drive.

[RiverCritter]

Following a twenty five year career in the fire department, I find that even on a pretty good pension (which I pay a big tax penalty on because I haven't reached age 59 1/2 yet - ten years yet to go to avoid that tax penalty) I need extra money for the family. Refinancing our house was only a temporary solution. I need to go back to work, and the only jobs around my home town that pay anything require a CDL.

[fishnwiz]

I worked in a paper mill great pay ($24 hr) good benifits and stuff for 29 years. Was in a good position in company stock when we were bought out by Koch industrys to go along with a good 401k and then they offered use a severance buyout for us oldtimers to leave so they could hire cheap
labor. I figured if I didnt take the buyout the next exit would not be as smooth. I could probaly get by without working except for medical insurance. Truck driving is something I have always been interested in so I am giving it a try. I start school for CFI on March 14.

[Doughboy70]

Yes. I am having the same problem here. The only jobs I am being offered only pay 9.00 an hour. Therefore I am seriously considering trucking. Gotta feed the kids somehow.

[silvan]

For me, no other job choices offered me the chance to make over $40K per year. Every job offered me the chance to try to make a living on $8.00 per hour or less. Does anyone else have that same experience?

It was $6.00 or less for me.

Nothing was more exciting than when I first doubled, and then tripled my income though. After about four or five years, it leveled off, and stayed there.

That's one thing about this business. It doesn't keep up with inflation, and the longer you truck, the less you can buy. My wife stayed where I was at, and she's up to $13 an hour now. I was ahead of that curve when I got laid off, but she was going to catch me in a few years the way we were going.

I'm not sure what I'm about to do at this point, but it looks good that I'll be making about $20 an hour by next week, whichever way I go. That jumps me back ahead, and looks pretty damn good compared to her $13, but I bet 10 years from now, I'll still be making close to $20, and she'll probably be making the same, or more.

[Piece Of Work]

I appreciate the responses. I think of these kinds of situations each time I hear about how wonderful the economy is. Now with the possibility of Mexicans driving in the US with the intention or potential of driving down frieght prices, I wonder what I would do without the ability to be gainfully employed as a driver. I have begun buying real estate in my local community. My wife is quite a business lady and makes a great property manager. With my income from trucking, I can qualify for loans to buy rental property. It doesn't pay much now, but when each house is paid off, the rental income can easily surpass my driving income. I stick to house prices around $50k, nothing fancy, just livable and clean.

This is where my money goes for now. Has anyone else thought of planning for the future this way?

If you have bills, how soon could you be debt free?

Could you fix your credit if it needs fixing?

Do you know your credit score?

Have you ever bought a house before?

[silvan]

I appreciate the responses. I think of these kinds of situations each time I hear about how wonderful the economy is. Now with the possibility of Mexicans driving in the US with the intention or potential of driving down frieght prices, I wonder what I would do without the ability to be gainfully employed as a driver.

I know what you mean. Getting laid off from my job of nine plus years was a real reality check for me. The paper used to have five pages of want ads for driving jobs when I started, and it looked like a smorgasbord. Part of it is just the time of year I guess, but it's been thin, except for the usual people who are always advertising for warm bodies. Some of them try to hide what the job is by listing it in a different category, like "Mobile Freight Supervisor." Yeah.

Getting into rental property sounds like a fantastic idea. I've been chewing on the next move myself, though it looks like I'm going back driving for now. For awhile longer.

[cecole74]

None. I am (was) a cabinet maker and home builder by trade. I was put out of business by cheaper more disposable labor from the South if you know what I mean. Anyway got a taste of driving trucks and like it allot so there is no other job I would take besides driving. you make or break your self in this business. Its (for now) truly competitive and your reputation counts for something.