Considering changing careers. Trucker input needed.

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  • Fire Lord

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Dec 7, 2012
    191
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    Around Franklin
    Hey INGO, I've come to my wits end with the job I have. Been there thirteen years, and has been a dead end for eight now. My boss is preventing my progression, because I made the mistake of being great at what I do. He's the kind that finds someone good, and keeps them in that position till they quit. He holds me to 40 hours, and never lets me have any ot for Christmas or such. Well, it's getting to me physically and emotionally. I want to do more for my family.

    I've been hearing ads on the radio about how much money truckers can earn. My dad is a trucker, and I remember riding with him when I was younger.

    So my question is, how much is trucker school? I'm a good driver. I have a clean record. Can back up a boat trailer and camper with my pickup. I'm comfortable in traffic. I used to travel to a job daily from 37 and 465 up to Carmel. I'm healthy. For me, TDI(Truck Driver Institue) is only 5 miles away. It would seem like an interesting change.

    What do you think?

    Edit: I've decided against it. I appreciate all the responses. Thanks.
     
    Last edited:

    Steel and wood

    Sharpshooter
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    2   0   0
    Jul 23, 2016
    731
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    Tipton
    Being that I was grandfather in on my CDL I only took the written exam. But have drove over the road twice once while married was gone two weeks at a time home 2or 3 days then back out. Long enough to mow fix stuff and try to sleep and be a husband and father. Missed a LOT of my kids growing up and no real time for things I liked to do.
    Got off the road worked a nothing job for 13 years had a great family life went to kids school plays and sporting events.
    After I got divorced went back out on the road was gone all week got home on Friday night back out Sunday. Did this for a few years to get money back up. Now have a nothing job but so glad to be home and have a schedule.
    It’s a lonely job that you have no control over. Local jobs go to guys that have years of driving experience and want to be home
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
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    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
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    Speedway area
    My son at the ripe age of 42 decided to chuck the factory job and climbed behind the wheel and is off and gone. The company he hired on with paid for his schooling and trained him. He was paid for his time. He is out 18 and home 3. It seems to work for him as his home life is pretty screwed up.

    I spent a lot of time gone from home in my job as an industrial service tech (ammonia) and running Wal-Mart refrigeration over a 5 state area.

    2 words come to mind.....screw that. You miss out on far more in life than any amount of money can make up for.
    Find something else to do that will keep you home. Even if you have to train/educate for it. JMHO of course.
     

    KellyinAvon

    Blue-ID Mafia Consigliere
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    6   0   0
    Dec 22, 2012
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    Avon
    My Dad was an over the road driver for over 30 years. To say he was gone a lot is an understatement. He made a good living for his family. Dad never met a stranger, he liked meeting different people so that part of it made it enjoyable. He didn't like dealing with people who'd never driven truck who thought things were no different than driving the trip in a car.

    I always had a good road atlas since he bought new one every year (the $15-$20 Rand McNally Atlas that had the scales and low-clearances).
     

    yeahbaby

    Expert
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    Dec 9, 2011
    1,266
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    Portage
    What skills, knowledge and experience do you have now that could apply to other jobs? From what I am reading the trucking thing is you are gone a lot of time from home. And it's a pretty lonely job driving by yourself all of the time. Look for free career services around where you live that can help you look for work. Being in a dead end job with an a-hole boss sucks. Been there myself. Good Luck!
     

    ChristianPatriot

    Grandmaster
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    28   0   0
    Feb 11, 2013
    12,801
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    Clifford, IN
    My Dad was an over the road driver for over 30 years. To say he was gone a lot is an understatement. He made a good living for his family. Dad never met a stranger, he liked meeting different people so that part of it made it enjoyable. He didn't like dealing with people who'd never driven truck who thought things were no different than driving the trip in a car.

    I always had a good road atlas since he bought new one every year (the $15-$20 Rand McNally Atlas that had the scales and low-clearances).

    That’s kinda my experience. My dad provided for us all and put us all through private school but man he was gone a lot. I’m not saying I wouldn’t do it. I’d do anything to feed my family, but I’d exhaust all my other resources before resorting to it.
     

    Bigtanker

    Cuddles
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    24   0   0
    Aug 21, 2012
    21,688
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    Osceola
    There are several different driving positions out there. Over the road, regional and local. Do what fits you best. Your income can very greatly from job to job also. Some companys pay $.27-29 per mile. Othet pay more. A lot more. It all depends on doing your research and finding the best compromise for you and your family.

    TDI is about $6,000 last I knew. They are not a driving school. They are a "learn how to pass your CDL written and driving test" school. Big carriers like Schneider, Swift, Werner all have programs to get your CDL if you work for them for a certain amount of time. Otherwise, I think TDI had a loan program too.

    You can start OTR and head right out. You can also start on the docks somewhere like Dayton Freight and work your way up to driving. After you have a few years of SAFE driving, you can about go anywhere. Heck, our company hires drivers right out of CDL school. (Well, at least I think they still do).

    My job is 4 days a week. I'm paid hourly too. And I get to drive some really cool equipment. Like this.

    oUcsQG4.jpg


    Do your research. Put your time in and you can make it a good career,,........ until the self driving teucks hit the road.

    PM me if you have any specific questions. I'll be glad to help.
     

    Fire Lord

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    Dec 7, 2012
    191
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    Around Franklin
    Thanks for all the replies. I've been having a tough time lately. Wife and I would like to move in the future. As it is now, that'll never happen. We're just scraping by. My check pays for groceries, utilities, and house, hers pays the extras like insurance, sons schooling, and clothes etc. Looking around for jobs is depressing. Everybody wants some type of degree. I'm a "junior manufacturing engineer", I assist a real one by doing almost all her work for her. Plus I do my own preventative maintenance and continual improvement projects that help the production team. Yet, that don't really count because I'm just a lowly tech. Sorry, just need to vent. Thanks again for the support folks. Y'all are good people.
     

    ChristianPatriot

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    28   0   0
    Feb 11, 2013
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    Clifford, IN
    I’m a HUGE fan of Trade Schools/Apprenticeships. That’s always gonna be my recommendation. The Local 440 is Plumbers/Pipefitters/HVAC techs. Learn a skilled trade and be a good worker and you’ll have a hard time being out of work.
     

    red_zr24x4

    UA#190
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    4   0   0
    Mar 14, 2009
    28,792
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    Walkerton
    I’m a HUGE fan of Trade Schools/Apprenticeships. That’s always gonna be my recommendation. The Local 440 is Plumbers/Pipefitters/HVAC techs. Learn a skilled trade and be a good worker and you’ll have a hard time being out of work.


    ^ This
    I'm local 190. I work in the gas distribution field ( natural gas). I can go to about any contractor I want and get a job. Travel is up to me, If I don't want to go I say so. If they lay me off or I drag up I call the hall get on the list and they will send me out, or I can call another contractor and go with them.
     

    1911ly

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    6   0   0
    Dec 11, 2011
    13,419
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    South Bend
    I’m a HUGE fan of Trade Schools/Apprenticeships. That’s always gonna be my recommendation. The Local 440 is Plumbers/Pipefitters/HVAC techs. Learn a skilled trade and be a good worker and you’ll have a hard time being out of work.

    This! 100% In years to come I think you will see less people getting a worthless college degrees and be less in debt. And more trade schools replacing them. I am hopeful anyway.
     

    Brandon

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    11   0   0
    Jun 28, 2010
    6,997
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    SE Indy
    I tried for the 440 and didnt make the cut. I know work for a company with 3 trades. Well worth it and home every night. -I do have a cdl (b) as well fwiw
     

    PGRChaplain

    Master
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    7   0   0
    Jan 13, 2011
    3,765
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    Waynedale (FT Wayne)
    There are lots of Jobs for Semi Skilled Workers and many Employers hurting for Good Help. I got an email allert last week, 11,000 available in the Greater Allen County Area. I Drove Trucks many Moons ago, good living, bad life.
     

    CHCRandy

    Master
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    5   0   0
    Feb 16, 2013
    3,699
    113
    Hendricks County
    I agree with you trade school guys. If I was a young man I would become a Union Electrician, HVAC or Plumber. I would have done this when I was younger but the pay for an apprentice wouldn't feed my family back then, but now days even apprentices are making $16-20+ an hour to start, then in a few years jump to $35-40 an hour and you will always be needed!
     

    ChristianPatriot

    Grandmaster
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    28   0   0
    Feb 11, 2013
    12,801
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    Clifford, IN
    I agree with you trade school guys. If I was a young man I would become a Union Electrician, HVAC or Plumber. I would have done this when I was younger but the pay for an apprentice wouldn't feed my family back then, but now days even apprentices are making $16-20+ an hour to start, then in a few years jump to $35-40 an hour and you will always be needed!

    Yep. Once you get the training and get that journeyman card, there are tons of opportunities to pursue whatever you want.
     

    IndyDave1776

    Grandmaster
    Emeritus
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    12   0   0
    Jan 12, 2012
    27,286
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    I am a truck driver. My brother is a truck driver. Our dad was a truck driver. Our uncle was a truck driver. Our grandfather was a truck driver. My advice to you is that unless you really want to get away from your family, just don't do it.

    You have to remember that the numbers you hear thrown about are about equal to the promises of a military recruiter. They will dangle the absolute most you could possibly make including a maximum amount of work you aren't likely to get and bonuses often based on circumstances that may not be possible for you.

    For instance, your safety bonuses will at minimum be based on maintaining your CSA score. The law is totally screwed up here. For example, last winter, some genius didn't understand that his electronically controlled brakes on his new car did not cancel the laws of physics and slid through a stop sign and into the side of my truck as I drove down the highway. That counts against my CSA score just as much as if I had been at fault. Likewise, if someone hits my truck while it is parked in a legal parking spot with me sound asleep, it counts against my score just as much as if I had been at fault (or even driving).

    You also should be aware that most generally, you aren't going to get one of those nice local jobs unless you have several years of experience or else know someone. This leads back to the point where you had better like living in a truck.

    You will have demands made on you that often are not realistically possible.

    You will have an entire subset of law enforcement dedicated to hunting you for your perfectly legal occupation. Don't forget that early this year Eric Holcomb was speaking to a reporter from the Indianapolis Star and transitioned straight from pitching his fuel tax increase to declaring commercial vehicle enforcement to be 'an underutilized revenue stream'. That means he is shamelessly using law enforcement as a tool of revenue collection rather than pubic safety, and the only thing different here than anywhere else is that most governors won't admit openly and publicly that they are doing so.

    Right now, my brothers and I have our eyes open for drivers, but our insurance carrier won't hear of it unless you have at least a couple of years of accident-free experience and a good CSA score which can be lowered for a number of non-accident related reasons, like log book violations for example.

    If you can live with this, you may want to investigate further.

    My advice is that you try to find a spot in a local union which uses the skills you have but are not rewarded for having.
     
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