[vonsay]

Hello All,

Boy is this going to sound confusing, and it probably is because I am going crazy right now trying to weigh my options.

Ok I worked in the steel mills from 1995 to 2004 (laid off). Have always loved physical work, absolutely HATE, sit down jobs and jobs that dont allow you to go pee unless you raise your hand (yes, they do exist). Was on umemployment for some time then decided to get into the medical field for the great job market.
Anyway, January of 2006, started medical assistant school, went six months before researching the pay (12.00 or less) and then said "heck no" and stopped going in June 2006.
I needed a career that was going to get me paid decently, at least something close to what I was accustomed to making at the mills (upwards of 45,000+). So I began to get a fascination with trucks and driving but didnt have money for school and was scared to do company sponsored training because of the horror stories. So I went on my own and got my permit and a friend of mine who drives volunteered to teach me the craft of big rig driving.

So August of 06, He got close enough to my home town for me to jump in and take a run with him. Things went ok but he wasnt really teaching me much. He kept saying that I could learn a lot from the passegner seat.

Next trip out more of the same, though he did let me drive a little bit but grinding gears and rolling around and around in the parking lot still wasnt much. To make a long story shorter, him and I had a bad disagreement, he ended up putting me out of the truck in PA with 70 cents and 1 cell phone bar ( I live in Chicago). I did get home in one piece but was put off by trucking because of the experience.
So I decided to transfer old medical assistant credits and get into nursing school and have been in nursing school from then until now.
I dont have a passion for nursing but know that the money is good ( 2 places that you will always have work, nursing and trucking). Sigh....... The trucking bug is still biting me in the a$$ and I want to get out there! I have a 16 yr old daughter at home and a fiance who is a driver that does regional runs.

This is where I need the advice..... What would you guys do? would you stick to the nursing or go for the trucking? I am so broke in nursing school that some days I cant even get there(no gas)!
My fiance isnt making great money doing regional so he cant hold down all of the bills and take care of my expenses and his as well. I only have 7 more months of nursing but I need money!! Besides I really think I would love trucking! I would hate to bail out of nursing school, get into trucking and then discover that I really DON'T like it. Though I have been out on the road for weeks with the trainer (and some with my fiance), it is certainly not the same as driving and doing my own thing. If I get out of nursing, I will lose my spot and it will be very difficult to pick it up again. sigh.......

I have contacted a driving school that trains and then links you to companies that will take you on and repay the tuition (driver solutions). I am all ready to go and was told to show up at the hotel Sunday night. They claim that I wont have to be OTR but can hire directly on as regional and be home on the weekends (sounds suspect to me). I would need to be regional because of my daughter. She needs to see me at least on the weekends and my fiance is home weekends as well.

Whew! my fingers hurt! Sorry for the long post but seemed I needed to really break it down so all the facts are known.

Please advise, Sunday will be here soon......

[GTR SILVER]

nursing is a vocation......if you have it.... hold on to it!!!!...........BOL 8) 8) 8)

[deadgoon]

The medical field is expected to grow by 30% in the next 5 years and continue to grow after that. If your primary concern is money, nursing's not a bad option. Transportation industries are expected to grow 10% in that same time period which is also not bad. You might try selling some stuff and cutting some corners to stick it out in nursing school and then go into trucking after you graduate. That way you have the nursing to fall back on if the trucking doesn't work out.

You should also remember that in nursing you'll make as much money as your male co-workers, but as a trucker, you'll likely make less that your male co-workers simply because you're a woman.

[wildkat]

Originally Posted by deadgoon

You should also remember that in nursing you'll make as much money as your male co-workers, but as a trucker, you'll likely make less that your male co-workers simply because you're a woman.

Where the heck did you come up with this BS???? I have been trucking for 27 years and have NEVER EVER been paid less than a man!

[vonsay]

Yes, I guess that holding off on trucking until after school is an option. It is very difficult to no have money for the next 6 or 7 months when I could be making money trucking. But then again, if I stick it out then I'm in a good position.

Aside from the money, the two field are sooo different in nature! Nursing is politics, politics, politics!! You get hell from the doctors because they think you dont know anything, you get hell from co-workers because it is a women dominated field and women can be a real trip! Patients families also give you pure hell!

I may not know much about trucking yet, but it seems like you are in your truck, rolling along and not having to deal with BS every hour on the hour, but I could be wrong. Am I wrong?

I didnt know, or think that women got paid less then men for driving?!? But it does seem like the pay can cap out (because there are only so many hours that a person can drive) whereas with nursing, if you are making 35 bucks an hour and thats not enough, you could always do overtime and make even more.

[Orangetxguy]

:arrow: Just a guy here, who is bored and finally clicked on this part of CAD....but....Von...if you only have 6 or 7 month's of school left before getting your license for nursing....have you tried some of the other things that are available out there, that might put some money in your pocket..short term? Like maybe waiting tables?

I know..I know..you like manuel labor..but isn't that what waiting tables is? Plus...you would be getting some decent tips..if you have a good personality.

just a thought.


BTW.....Does your fiance` make anywhere close to 45K doing the regional gig? If he doesn't..you gotta wonder why.

[wildkat]

Originally Posted by vonsay

Yes, I guess that holding off on trucking until after school is an option. It is very difficult to no have money for the next 6 or 7 months when I could be making money trucking. But then again, if I stick it out then I'm in a good position.

This is an extremely good idea....

Originally Posted by vonsay

Aside from the money, the two field are sooo different in nature! Nursing is politics, politics, politics!! You get hell from the doctors because they think you dont know anything, you get hell from co-workers because it is a women dominated field and women can be a real trip! Patients families also give you pure hell!

You think there's politics in nursing? Gal you ain't seen nuthin yet! There's politics you've never even HEARD of in this industry. You got a library for all the rules & regulations we have to follow? Better get one... you'll need it.

Originally Posted by vonsay

I may not know much about trucking yet, but it seems like you are in your truck, rolling along and not having to deal with BS every hour on the hour, but I could be wrong. Am I wrong?.

There is .... oh I don't know .... 2000000000.... :-) as many zeros as you can or want to put times the BS driving than anything else. Like the rest said, wait till your finished school. For one SCHOOL & TRUCKING DOES NOT MIX. Truthfully trucking does not mix with anything, not family, not anything, it will take over your life LITERALLY.

Originally Posted by vonsay

I didnt know, or think that women got paid less then men for driving?!? But it does seem like the pay can cap out (because there are only so many hours that a person can drive) whereas with nursing, if you are making 35 bucks an hour and thats not enough, you could always do overtime and make even more.

Women absolutely do NOT make less driving truck that a man, I have been trucking nearly 28 years..I have NEVER EVER made less than a man. That "person" has nothing better to do with his life than blow smoke...ignore him.


To borrow a quote from another driver;

You will have *NO* home life to speak of. Unless of course you consider home a place you sleep at for 36 hours or so every couple of weeks.

It's not cheap out here. You'll be buying every meal at a restaurant that can charge anything they want simply because they know we can't just pop into any old place to eat.

What hours will you work in a day? Well, there's 24 hours in a day - figure that you'll use 'em all.

Like working during the day and sleeping at night? You will - until the next day when it reverses.

Life of a truck driver....

[vonsay]

Dang gone it! you guys are really breaking it down! Thanks! I NEEDED to hear the real deal, not the fluffy stuff the recruiter was throwing my way. Speaking of recruiters, do newbies come fresh out of school doing regional runs? Or was that a line of BS as well?

Orangetxguy... point taken! Future Hubby is NOT making 45K a year. He makes about 33K.

The reason why it is so difficult to work and go to school is because nursing school is all consuming, they require students to be available Mon thru Sat. from 7am to 11pm because hours change monthly as well as hospital training hours. And that doesnt include LONG study hours. Students who try to work midnights fall off like flys because they sleep with eyes open in class and dont retain a thing. But I'll figure out something I guess. Maybe Fiance needs to go OTR for a while and make more money? hmmmm....

[vonsay]

Wildcat, you are the stuff real women are made of!! 28yrs??? :shock:

You are actually motivating me instead of deterring me! LOL! :lol:

[deadgoon]

Originally Posted by wildkat

Where the heck did you come up with this BS???? I have been trucking for 27 years and have NEVER EVER been paid less than a man!

Women in the states tend to make about 74 cents on the dollar compared to men for the same work. Especially in male dominated areas. Perhaps it doesn't apply to trucking.