Frustration of the mid-life career change...

[JewelsnTools]

Have any of you come to trucking as a mid-life career change? Did you experience a sense of embarrassment at how long it took you to become proficient at your new career? After living life as a competent adult, suddenly becoming a "stumbling newbie" has been a real adjustment!

What happened that let you know, that moment, that you were going to do just fine? Did it come as a sudden realization that you'd just done something, without thinking, that had previously given you fits? What was it for you?

I know it's not possible to be "great", immediately, in a new field. It's just frustrating. Someone told me not to make it harder than it really is. I still appreciate those words.

When did you know you'd do just fine?
Jewels

[Ridge Runner]

This might sound stupid but for me it when I looked at my pay check

Also April 15th :P

[wildkat]

jewels...I am not a newbie by any stretch of the imagination, but from my experience LIFE is a gamble, no matter what you do.

I am an owner/operator who has been at this for 27 years now & I still get butterflies when I get new things to do. And being a woman is sometimes even harder...always remember...this is a MAN'S world, no matter what anyone tells you. Strive to be PROFESSIONAL at all times, NEVER be afraid to ask someone to SHOW yo how to do things, not do them for you.

Check out some of the other threads in this forum, there is alot of good advise from other women, newbie & not. We are here to help if we can.

Good luck & welcome!

[LadyNorthStar]

Like wildkat I still get butterflies when doing new things.... but I always knew I'd made the right choice and that'd I'd be fine with my new career choice, from the second I got behind the wheel for the first time.

[JewelsnTools]

It feels good, knowing there's a place I can come to and get validation! It's been sort of tough, and I've kept things bottled up inside. Now, I know that the "butterflies" I've been having are actually normal---and will continue throughout my career! Since they're normal, I think I'll just sit back and enjoy them!
I have yet to see anything other than trainee pay, but I could see where a real check would drive the reality of my new job home.
It wasn't until you captured it in words that I realized what I'd been resisting==when I was asking how, others were hearing "do it for me"! No, no! I want to know how to do it for myself! I know that my being a woman had a lot to do with that, but I don't drive my truck with my...um...nether parts!
I'll keep reading, keep learning. This morning, as I turned wide in my personal vehicle, I realized that more has sunk in than I realized...and that I think I've already got a few drops of diesel in my blood! I caught myself looking for my trailer and had to laugh!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. I'm already missing the big steering wheel, and I hope to soon get on with one of the two companies I'm applying with. Can barely wait to get back out there!
Jewels

[Ridge Runner]

This morning, as I turned wide in my personal vehicle, I realized that more has sunk in than I realized...

Don't forget also that when your in your four-wheeler you can use the left lanes too!!!

[JewelsnTools]

RR,
It's sooo not nice to make me spew tea (from laughing) on my monitor!! Did you see me on the highway or something???
Thanks, WK, for the welcome. There's something about the people who seem to gravitate to this lifestyle that I can really relate to. Maybe this'll be like finding my own group of "swans"...
Lady, I love your beautiful avatar. What a glorious creature!! This sounds weird, but I love to smell their bellies. They smell like freshly-cut grass and wildflowers!!
Again, I appreciate the feedback!
Jewels

[Ridge Runner]

Did you see me on the highway or something???

No I didn't see you, but my wife hates it when we are in the car and I get in line behind the big trucks going up a hill. Force of habit.

[JewelsnTools]

One of my instructors (school) told me that my driving styles would "merge"--I'd either drive my big truck like I drive my personal vehicle, or vice versa. I'd say he was right, and that I must not be the only one who chose to drive my own vehicle like I drive my big truck!
My hunband told me he's noticed a huge improvement in my "PMS" (Pi**ed Motorist Syndrome ) since I've been driving professionally.
It's good to know I'm not the only one!!

[wildkat]

They most certainly do merge jewels..check my thread on dring a car. Some of the comments are hilarious!

BTW I love your signature!

I spend most of my time in the Arctic now, and believe me when I started that it was a lesson in fear itself! But I got over it.

One thing I live by in this industry & in life...Do the best you can with what you have to work with...& another older cliche...When the going gets tough...the tough get going!

[Sizzle]

Jewels: Don't feel hesitate about learning a new profession. I too was concerned about "trucking". After the first week of classroom instruction we all went out to the "driving range". There were nine of us in the class and I was the only female. We all got into one truck as the instructor explained what we were expected to do. He let me get into the driver's seat and all the guys were terrribly envious. I was scared to death that I would hate to drive but as soon as the engine started and I took off I knew that I had made the right choice.

I was an Accountant making a lot more income than I am in trucking. I had been married for 1/2 a life time and put my husband through two degrees. He is quite well off now and I left without taking alimony. I am proud to say that I am living on much less and am much happier.

Every once in a while I tear up when I remember how miserable I was in my marriage and in the office with a lot of "bitchy" women. I tell people now that I don't know if I made the right choice because instead of bitchy women I work with horny men. However, I'm just joking. I'd much rather work with men than women.

I've had an awesome ride and will finish my third year in a few months. I've done driveaway [delivering new trucks to dealerships] and learned every gear pattern the first 21 months I drove professionally. I learned about things such as teflon fifth wheels and air tandems that I would have never learned by just staying in one truck the first 21 months. I also learned how to put trucks on the ground and install the axles in the back drives. It's made me a much more confident person knowing that I can handle what ever is thrown at me. Although, I prefer driveaway to freight I'm back to freight because our company quit hauling trucks.

I was hired by the competitor who took over hauling trucks from us but they wanted me to move east and I live in Colorado. You make considerably more income doing driveaway than freight. I say I live in the postcard and won't move for a job. Hence, I've sacrified income again for happiness.

Good Luck and you'll be more comfortable the more you drive and gain experience. We all did some unbelievable things when we first started driving. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn't being honest.

[JewelsnTools]

Sizzle,
Thanks for sharing that! I'm finally beginning to calm down, after the initial shock of training. It was good to hear how you've put your time in, paid your dues, and come out with your fur shining! I needed to hear that.
It's still tough, especially now, as I once again search for a company that trains. At least now I know that the future pleasure, once reached, will be worth all of the present pain.
I LOVE this board!!!
Jewels

[wildkat]

Sizzle; In my 27 years on the road I can tell you some stories that would make your hair curl! And the ones on lonely nights that keep me awake either laughing my head off or shaking my head in wonder that I didn't kill myself or others. One day I'll share my story of my very first trip in the mountains!

[JewelsnTools]

WK,
Now THERE'S something that would be worth grabbing a big tub of popcorn, a few beers, and a blanket----just to listen to!
My mom laughed when I told her how I'd howled all the way up the hill, and then, bawled all the way down the other side!
We gladly await your stories!
Jewels

[Sizzle]

Wildkat I'd love to hear some of your stories. I was just prevented from sending you a PM because I have less than 50 posts. That's odd I've done it before. Please send me a PM so I can respond to you. I'll be home in Denver through June 5th. Probably won't take a laptop with me, won't be back again until the end of June. I'd love to swap stories. When I did driveaway I hauled 80 loads out of 100 into Canada. I know Canada better than the U.S.

[wildkat]

OK, here goes...my very first trip to the Rocky Mountains.....

I was 22 years old, bright eyed & bushy tailed Had the world by the horns, if you know what I mean... LadyNorth will know the road I'm talking about, but it was BEFORE it was rebuilt some years ago....

I was hauling superB's (those are 8 axle units that gross out at 64,000KG or roughly 135,000 LBS if I remember my conversions) hauling deisel fuel to a big plant going in at Fort St John BC.

The day was bright & sunny, not a cloud in the sky. I pulled into the Brake Check on Taylor Hill (Hill up there is 8% grade for 10 miles or so). Anyway, I get motoring down this hill (more like MOUNTAIN), jakes on full doing about 70 kph (45mph), kinda looking out the window watching the scenery NOT a good thing to be doing. All of the sudden I'm in the major fog bank & decending a bit faster than I'd like, BUT now I'm going too fast to downshift, jakes are now SCREAMING! Am sure I could be heard for MILES! I can hear some chatter on the CB, but am too busy trying to slow down to pay much attention... another BIG mistake. Am valiantly tring to slow this rig down when out of the fog looms this itty bitty curve sign...like horseshoe curve (BC is FAMOUS for those). The curve is posted at 30 kph (20 mph), I make a quick glance at speedo...YIMINY I'm doing like 80. HOLY CRAP I remember thinking...I'm gonna die today. Well, somehow I got around that curve, to this day I still think I can see the tire marke on the mountain side of the road...

Anyway, old heart is just starting to slow some when I come out of the fog & I'm looking at literally WIDE open space...300 ft DOWN. OH NO I think...so I grab the wheel hard and give her another vicious twist & I'm back down the road again. Now, I am major SCARED, I am going way too fast, too scared to try to downshift, RPM way major high, right against the governor I think. Then I did something REALLY dumb...I glanced in my rearview mirror... I see little puffs of smoke...hot brakes...C R A P !!!

Recall I said there was chatter on CB? I shoulda listened...really I shoulda... Here I am scared as ... well I was really scared... going way too fast & guess what I saw? You got it CONSTRUCTION on the damned bridge! The flag girl she's a wavin her sign for all she's worth! By now my brakes are doin major smoke show...I'm NOT even slowing at all...so she finally bounds out of my way...thank god...& I hit that old suspension bridge with a mighty SMACK! There's construction dudes scambling everywhere..the bridge is down to one lane, btw it has a metal deck...remember that...Everybody gittin EXCEPT the dude on the Bobcat coming TOWARDS me! The way he was boppin along think the was playin tunes or something but he didn't realize what was going on till I was nearly on top of him. All of the sudden his eyes got REAL BIG, I saw them, believe me! So...he throws his bobcat into reverse & looks REAL scared...recall I said metal deck plates? Well guess what was off in front of him & me? Yep you guessed it...the deck plates!

So anyway, poor dude on bobcat is now more scared than me, but fortunately we are starting to climb up again so by shear force of gravity I am slowing down, BUT will it be quick enough? Needless to say I did get stopped, about 6" in front of the bobcat & he was roughly 2 ft from the gaping whole in the bridge. When I thought I could trust my legs to stand we stood side by side by the whole looking dow the 200 or so ft to the river below. I ran that road everyday that summer & that construction crew finally let me live it down the last week.

I look back & wonder how I survived it, I can laugh now, cause I'm sure I don't know how I got down that mountain in one piece, more luck than good management that's for sure.

In 27 years of trucking I NEVER call ANY road a playground. Trucking is NOT playing it's serious. I love what I do, & love what I am & when it comes to trucking I tend to be pretty serious about some things & can be flipant & silly about others, but I have way too much diesel in my blood to stop now.

[4roses]

OMG wildkat .... as I was reading this my heart was raceing , I was squeezing my cheeks and thinking ... oh lord she is going to crash :shock: good grief lady ... I think it would of taken me a long time to stand on my legs once that was all over with. I'm glad you came out of it without a scratch and no one else was hurt. That goes to show how fast things can and do change on the road. We never can get to relaxed or nature will rise up and slap us

[Sizzle]

Wildkat what a story. I almost went into an asthma attack reading your it. I have a similar one but it didn't end as well. I'm rushing to pick up a friend whose trucking into town so I'll share it with y'all later today or tomorrow.

You made me be proud that we're out here trucking it up with the guys. We do have the guts. We have the "fear gene" though and I don't think the guys do. That's why I say women make better drivers-we're usually more cautious. Men do the most stupid things like go into a place without knowing if they can get out.

Hey if there's any doubt I'm stopping and looking first.

Wow-lady I have to say it once again-what a story!!! 8)

[wildkat]

Is funny ya know when I tell that story to anyone now, it's real hard to tell it with a straight face...usually I'm laughing by the time I'm finished...nerves? who knows, that was 23 years and god only knows how many millions of miles ago (I have over 4 million logged miles now). I can think of many others, both hilariously funny, some pretty damned scary & some just outright stupid things that have happened. I'll try to think of a few of the more interesting ones over the next few weeks nd post them to this thread. Should be good for a laugh if nothing else.
Be safe all.

[COLT]

That was fun reading that story, you told it well.