Quote:
Originally Posted by Cummins Lvr
I am 42 yrs. old, have been in Purchasing for 10 years and I am getting burnt out from the stress and need a change. I have always thought about becoming a driver but never pursued it. Hoping you guys/gals can help me out with some questions. Is it possible to find a company where you are out 5 days max and home on weekends or even drive part- time, or am I dreaming? Are the showers and other facilities at truck stops usually decent? i.e. driver lounge.
I guess the most important thing for me is being able to get home after 5 days or less on the road. If it has to be a minimum of 2 weeks on the road, it won't work out. Have any of you made a career change to becoming a driver after doing something else? Thanks in advance for your help.
Paul
Everything they said....
+
I've been in Corporate America and owned my own business. Got burnt out in both. I always wanted to drive the big rigs and made the decision to finally do so. Starting out will be both an adventure and an ordeal. IF and I mean IF you really want to drive the big trucks, that will keep you going through the tough spots.
If you've got money to spare (and burn), go to a commercial driving school. If there is one close to your neck of the woods, they probably have a flexible enough schedule where you can learn how to drive around your current job. When you graduate, you'll be one step closer to deciding to take the plunge or not.
OK--ignore that last paragraph. Few people have the time/money/energy to learn how to drive a truck just to see if they might want to pursue a trucking career. You really need to jump in with both feet and give yourself a minimum of 6-months to 1-year to decide if you've made the right decision.
For what it's worth, Here's an ancient diary of mine (06-04 to 09-05) I kept that may help you in your decision (
http://radio.weblogs.com/0141714/categories/truckerLog/). It's about my experiences getting trained and going with 2-trainers in my first big rig position as well as some experiences I had with my second company job.
BTW...showers, facilities, driver's lounge vary from location-to-location--both at company terminals and truck stops. I've experienced the "good", "not bad", and "pleasantly surprised" locations as well as the "never again in 3-lifetimes" locations.
BOL!