Hey, Evergreen Colorado neighbor! How've you been? Things are looking a little better. I at least got a response back from Total; they sound promising. I went down just over three weeks ago to get fingerprinted for HAZMAT and am waiting on them. I'll be fine. Just like you and the other posters have said, just a little persistence. Take care out there and maybe one of these days we'll run into each other (not literally of course)!

Here here, have to +1 on that. I'm in that boat right now as a local driver who works for a construction company. As Hobo also stated, driving OTR is MUCH easier than construction. I will gladly give you my job for straight OTR. I don't just drive a truck for my company, I do everything and anything for them. With winter time here my hours have gone down due to the weather. I've already been saving up money to take care of the bigger bills that are coming up in another month during the good times.

Very well said

Perspective is everything. I bet they would be more than happy to net that or more like I did last year and that was being home every weekend and holiday and taking 2 weeks off. Also, am usually by the house once or twice a week. Sure it didn't happen that way early on in my driving career, but once you develop the connections and figure things out (read: get experience), you can fit into the niche you like doing the type of hauling that fits your pistol. And all this in a bad economy. And unlike some, I generally have around 10-15 hrs still available to drive when I hit the house for the weekend. I do a reset at the house, then go at it again. Just plain old dry box freight too and nothing dedicated.

Yeah, it is true that some stay out that 2 or 3 weeks and go home for a couple of days like you describe, but after getting past the 1st year at this game, it becomes primarily a choice they make. No one is forcing them. They could change carriers and go with something that fits closer to a lifestyle they want. Some actually thrive on being out for 2 or more weeks, others find it a drain. One good thing is that once someone gets that first safe year under their belt, their choices open up dramatically. And they don't have to always suffer a pay loss by being home more. Many smaller, regional type carriers pay as close or even more than the big national carriers and still allow a driver to turn as many miles on average. I keep my truck in the Midwest regional area and I turn an average of 135,000+ miles a year while still having weekly home time.

And this job also allows a person to pretty much do the job as they see fit. As long as they get where they need to on time, they can do it as they please and stop when they want. And how many jobs allow you to listen to your favorite music (and crank it up) or listen to your favorite radio personalities, mostly uninterrupted while at work? You don't have to wait for a "scheduled" break time on the job to stop for a few minutes and stretch your legs and get away for a few minutes. Just make sure and factor in ALL that the job is and not just a limited view of things. Trucking can take its toll on a person, for sure, but it offers a job environment much different (and less restrictive) from the factory assembly line type of work.

It seems that the industry standard is and has been for a long time, one day home for each week out. That is at least what I’ve read. I wouldn’t know personally because I’ve never worked that way, even when I was starting out, and certainly don’t work that way now. You and I and other owner operators are not the rule, we are the exception. I actually stay out for long periods because I choose to. I find that even when I’ve been out a short time, it takes me a day to transition into the “home” frame of mind and then it takes me a day to get ready to hit the road again. I don’t know how anybody could comfortably be out for two or three weeks and then home for two to four days. I prefer to stay out three or more weeks and then come home for ten days to three weeks. My average is probably four weeks out and two weeks home. I know, I’m lazy, but I just can’t seem to do it any other way. I’m satisfied doing what I do, but a driving JOB? Perish the thought! Like I said though, I’m not the industry norm, and it is that norm that I was speaking to. So many drivers are basically owned by the companies they drive for. Fifty thousand dollars a year isn’t much money given how much of a person’s life can be eaten up on the road. You’d be much better off working on an oil derrick or other similar work. .. the same or better money and a heck of a lot more home time. Factor in the $200 to $300 a week that a lot of drivers spend on the road on food and entertainment and that fifty grand doesn’t go all that far.

Now that is dangerous work... working on an oil derrick. That almost doesn't pay enough for the danger, even though it is darn good money. I would agree if one goes that route, it might prove to be better than being out in a truck. But you will earn every dollar you make on that derrick. Really hard work with the high risk. One thing goes wrong with that job and you may be at home more than you had planned.

Perspective still applies. You can sit on your back side and comfortably drive a truck around and make ok money. Or you could work your rear end off and risk losing an arm and get more money. One you might not be home as often as you like, the other you would. When looking at the whole picture, the driving for a little less isn't so bad.

I'm not going to weigh in on the hourly wage or the away from home debate because IMO, there is no wrong answer there. Nobody has touched on the other danger. The very real possibility that you will work as a driver for a few to several to many years only to have one mistake or at fault accident take your career away. And 15 years of driving a truck doesn't leave you qualified to do much else. The sad reality is that this is a temporary job.

All jobs are temporary as is life, that is the reality of life period.. As far as working all those years and one little mistake can take it all away from you is indeed a danger, however that can happen in any other job as well, Just ask Joe Paterno he thought "in his mind" he did the right thing and 50 years was just wiped out... In my mind he deserves what he got as do the others who are involved. There are many jobs that carry the danger of being let go for one mistake so trucking is no worse then other professions when it comes to your theroy..


Timberwolf

According to the Department of Labor, “Truck Driver” is the ninth most dangerous job in the United States.

http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/archive/...1997brief3.pdf

Hahahahahaha hey I was using what the DOT explained to me that they use for log book violations! You and I know that 62 mph is a joke and you can average much higher then that, but hey< I do agree that the industry paid much better back in the 80's then it does now. I can't believe the rates that some of the owner operators will run for with fuel at almost 4 bucks a gallon. Driver pay will only improve by next year when there is a bigger shortage of drivers and companies realize that they can not attract anyone in to this ridiculous industry that pays crappy wages and one to three days a week home time per month. They should be lining up at there doors right?

As far as the original post on here, all I can say is that if you want a career that pays you better and you are home with your family then stay away from this industry because you will work your ass off for little wage and little home time, but thats what this industry is all about.