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crud! almost 100 posts and I don't bother to introduce myself?
My name's Raymond Berry, 41, widower, from El Cajon, CA.
Drove for FedEx about 12 years ago, but even making what seemed
like good money then ($9.50/hr part-time), the company and I
parted ways when those checks began shrinking too much.
Floated around from job to job for a few years, wound up on the
temp circuit for a time until I landed where I am now, janitoring in
a bowling center, about 8 years ago. Worked my way up to supervisor,
but the pay isn't great, and SoCal is getting too expensive for me.
Always wanted to try OTR driving, as I have no roots to speak of now.
I have found the forums here very informative, and the regular posters
that currently drive and the o/o's very straightforward and practical about
the realities of this business, and the pitfalls and common mistakes that
drivers make getting into this segment of the transportation industry.
I am taking my time getting prepared for this shift in careers, as I know
now it will involve major lifestyle changes, much more discipline while
on the road, and informed choices in deciding where to work and the
inevitable compromises that are involved as a rookie driver. I expect to
take around 3 years to pay my dues in this business and save up some
cash to get my financial affairs in the black. I may consider the o/o side
of the business if I feel it I can manage both driving and be a business
owner at the same time, but right now I feel that's for later, much later.
I will probably look at getting my physical, class a permits, and DHS
stuff out of the way in November 2008, and then hunt around the local
schools and see who charges what. Although the local ROP program here
offers 'free' training (with a lab fee, probably to pay for the fuel and
maintenance of the training vehicle), the course is 36 weeks, which I
feel is excessive. I learned to drive a straight truck at FedEx in 2 weeks.
Although I am fully aware that the 'paid' or 'sponsored' training has it's
drawbacks, it may be a reasonable option for me. I already subsist on
around 13k a year, so paying my loan back should be rather easy, even
on newbie pay scales. I will not contact a recruiter until after I have the
permits, physical, and DHS stuff done. This way, once I have begun to
put my own cash into this effort, I will go full-on into this to make it past
the rookie season with some carrier.
My father also drove professionally, but in prisoner transport, so it's kind
of like the OTR lifestyle, except transporting human cargo. His career
came to a tragic end near Flagstaff, AZ when his vehicle hit black ice and
went over an embankment. His partner and the prisoner were killed, and
he suffered a closed head injury from which he didn't fully recover, and
died a few years later. This keeps me very aware of the dangers and
risks of this business, and I have a pretty good idea of what I am getting
into. Not for the squeamish or those who like low-risk lifestyles.
edit: note the start date change. it's my opinion from the experiences
of other posters, that my time on the temporary circuit may not qualify
as 'verifyable' employment. Even though it's been almost 8 years. No
thanks to the 9/11 idiots, it appears that it will be a bit longer before I can
realisticly make this jump as trouble free as I would like. Well, maybe the
world will be a bit of a better place by then, maybe not. I have learned
much during my short stay here, and will drop in from time to time to
keep my ear to the ground on this industry. i guess an overused quote
from Woodrow Wilson would be an appropriate closer:
PERSISTANCE
Nothing can take the place of persistance
Education alone will not. The world is full of educated derelicts.
Talent will not. There are scores of unsucessful men with talent.
Persistance and patience alone are omnipitent.
Be safe on the roads, even in your 4 wheeler. Too many lives are
needlessly wasted on them every year because of carelessness.
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