Very interesting topic, I went to a 9 month training program in 1997 to become a machinist and I started machining at Tool and Die shop in 1998. I was laid off and called back in 2002 and permanately laid off in 2004.

In Ohio they claim over 250,000 manufacturing jobs were lost from 2000-2005. I went to school for a while and had $$ problems so I spent half of 2006 pursuing a CDL and now I have been drivivng for about 6 months.

I like machining but now shops hire when they need you and lay you off as soon as they run out of work so it is not worth pursuing anymore. The 70's,80's and 90's where great for machining but in 2000 with the spread of the internet and off shore manufacturing everything went to H#%@.

 

Now that you have been driving for some time which do you like bettwr and do you like driving?

 

Frankly I liked machining better but it is unreliable.

I like driving 75% of the time, It does take a while to get use to going OTR. The freedom you have in trucking is unmatched. I rarely ever speak to any supervisor at all. Most communication is done over the Qualcoms in the trucks.

 

I prefer driving. I do wish to be an owner operator soon which will get me away from that last bit of supervision. That does not mean that I expect everything to be roses, but I have grown to hate supervision and control so much that I will do everything in my power to avoid as much of it as possible. Although the supervision and control factors are much, much less in driving, they are still there.

Good Luck!

 

I was a machinist for over 20 years, I watched manufacturing in the US go downhill for the last 10 years. Do I miss it yes, will I go back NO. I have been at this driving thing for almost 2 years now, wanted to do it since I was a kid. So far I like it, some days are good some days are not, just like any other job. I drive local and am home every night. Your hubby needs to decide along with you if OTR will work. For me it won't so I drive local. I don't make as much money, but I am overall happier and will probably live longer due to less stress.

 

My husband was a journeyman machinist for 14 years. He worked for a rubber mold shop and could run all the equipment including the swiss lathe. So much work is being shipped overseas that the industry just isn't stable anymore. After 3 pay cuts and no luck finding another job, my husband decided to get his CDL. He loves it and would never go back to being a machinist.

My husband likes to drive. He likes being able to do things his way (well within the legal guidelines of course) He loves not having a boss looking over his shoulder all day. It's hard being apart but he is really happy driving. A bad day of driving is still better then his best day as a a machinist.