Considering changing careers. Trucker input needed.

[Ericpwp]

My cousin walked away from his law enforcement job to become a truck driver. He ended up making less than minimum wage waiting for his trucks to be loaded. He's looking for a different route now.

 

[AllenM]

13 years at your current job and you are a junior manufacturing engineer? I dont know what type of manufacturing you do, but manufacturing engineer doesn't sound like a bad goal.
Do you like what you do? you have experiance, does your boss know you are ready to quit due to lack of advancement?

If you like your job for the most part, study up on how to tactfully ask for a raise/promotion. Smart employers dont want the cost and hassle of replacing a 13 year employee.
If you are willing to invest in another career school is there training you could invest in that would advance you where you are or with a company that would appreciate your current skill set?

 

[steve0322]

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.

I drive the west side of 465 every morning around 6-630am and the only vehicles that are pulled over are semis. I actually can't remember the last time i saw a car pulled over. I should add that it's always the Staties that have them pulled over. I only see the commercial vehicle enforcers on 70. Are tickets more expensive for semis than they are for cars when comparing the same infraction?

 

[wtfd661]

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.

1,0000% agree with! My son is in his third year of a 5 year apprenticeship program with Local 166 Plumbers/fitters and couldn't be more happy or proud of him. He works his butt off but is well compensated with pay and schooling!

 

[IndyDave1776]

I drive the west side of 465 every morning around 6-630am and the only vehicles that are pulled over are semis. I actually can't remember the last time i saw a car pulled over. I should add that it's always the Staties that have them pulled over. I only see the commercial vehicle enforcers on 70. Are tickets more expensive for semis than they are for cars when comparing the same infraction?

Offense for offense, they can be. The real problem is that they start shaking down your paperwork and inspecting the truck and no matter how careful you are, they have a veritable gold mine, and the fact you exist is all the cause they need to go over anything and everything. It is nearly impossible to be perfect in every regard, and it works just like terrorism where we have to get it right every time but they only have to get lucky once or once in a while.

 

[87iroc]

I would not recommend a truck driver is you want to see your kids grow up. I suspect that the OTR gigs are easy to come by as the local routes are what people want...or home more often jobs...so the good 'experienced' drivers go there and you get what's left.

My dad was a Truck Driver. Didn't know his kids til my older brother was a teenager and I think I was 12. He spent a lot of time trying to make up for lost time...

I highly recommend taking what you have and trying to change jobs and grow on that experience. I also heard something about the state offering training for jobs for free. That's about all I know. Something about 21st century scholars.

Good Luck!

 

[87iroc]

I see Toyota Industrial in Columbus is having a job fair Saturday.

 

[SMiller]

My cousin walked away from his law enforcement job to become a truck driver. He ended up making less than minimum wage waiting for his trucks to be loaded. He's looking for a different route now.

That is the the world of trucking, the days of Independent truckers making money and picking their own routes are over, it is extremely cut throat and these big companies own you, you will sit and wait to load/unload and sit while waiting for loads, no money to be made and a depressing life. You think you will get to see the US, instead you see a boring interstate everywhere you go, same old same old.

 

[IndyDave1776]

What do you think?

I think the consensus is that you should forget the thought crossed your mind, and I agree with that consensus!

 

[Bigtanker]

That is the the world of trucking, the days of Independent truckers making money and picking their own routes are over, it is extremely cut throat and these big companies own you, you will sit and wait to load/unload and sit while waiting for loads, no money to be made and a depressing life. You think you will get to see the US, instead you see a boring interstate everywhere you go, same old same old.

This may be the majority bit I know of several true independent, owner operators ( not big carrier lease contractors) picking their own route and making a great living. Yes it's hard work but it can be done. They both are great at running a business. The driving is the easiest part.

 

[Spear Dane]

I am a former driver. Find the nearest Ivy Tech campus and reskill yourself.

 

[IndyDave1776]

This may be the majority bit I know of several true independent, owner operators ( not big carrier lease contractors) picking their own route and making a great living. Yes it's hard work but it can be done. They both are great at running a business. The driving is the easiest part.

I would agree. It is difficult for my brothers and I to do what we do, and none of us are exactly making what I call a great living, but we are making it. There is nothing easy about it, it is very demanding, and there are far too many artificial obstacles. Not being leased to anyone allows flexibility and independence we wouldn't otherwise have, but it isn't what it was in the past, especially with the Swifts/Werners/JBHunts buying legislation and regulation to make their inefficient business models outperform our more efficient way by government fiat.

 

[SMiller]

This may be the majority bit I know of several true independent, owner operators ( not big carrier lease contractors) picking their own route and making a great living. Yes it's hard work but it can be done. They both are great at running a business. The driving is the easiest part.

I also know of several guys that run semi's that make great money, are home weekends, and are living the dream.

Let's be real for a second, this guy is going to go to a crap school where he will be in debt and forced to drive for the garbage company while paying his debt back, he will have 0 years with a CDL, will not be hireable to any real company, does not own his own truck, is not self dispatched, and not living the dream.

Even you have several years and a clean CDL while also holding a tanker and hazmat endorsement, a far cry from someone thinking of joining a slum trucking company/school.

Not trying to be mean but keeping it real, lots of videos out there to back up what I am saying.

 

[Fire Lord]

No problem with the responses. I wanted opinions, you have them. Thanks everybody. I think I'll hunker down for the moment. Got an offer from an auto mechanic to help him evenings after I clock out. 20 an hour, to boot. Think I'll work with him for now for extra cash.

 

[igotdiesel2]

I'll add my experience to this thread.

Back in December I was told to start looking for a job because the company I worked for for 28 years wasn't doing well. So I decided I wanted to drive a truck. I was fortunate enough to get my CDL B with the help of my Dad and Step Brother. I took a part time job at Dayton Freight on the dock (AWESOME PAY FOR PART TIME) I worked it for 6 months and got into their Dock To Driver Program. I started working full time the beginning of August. I trained with a trainer for 4 weeks and have been on my own since. Dayton Freight isn't far from Franklin and the part time money helps as well. Dayton also does their DTD program without having your CDL. They will move you into the 1 ton van, then the under 26,000 (bruck) truck, then the Class B box, then into the semi. I am home every night and never work weekends. Plus the benefits are CRAZY!!!!! I get around 50 hours a week. Dayton Freight is doubling their terminal in the next year so they will be hiring more dock workers and drivers soon.

If you would like to chat about it please feel free to send me a PM with your number and I would be more than happy to tell you all about it in detail.

I changed my world almost 3 months ago and could not be happier with the decision I made for me and my family.

I got a lot of advice from Big Tanker and others on here. (search: career change) for my thread. -Jason

 

[steve0322]

I'll add my experience to this thread.

Back in December I was told to start looking for a job because the company I worked for for 28 years wasn't doing well. So I decided I wanted to drive a truck. I was fortunate enough to get my CDL B with the help of my Dad and Step Brother. I took a part time job at Dayton Freight on the dock (AWESOME PAY FOR PART TIME) I worked it for 6 months and got into their Dock To Driver Program. I started working full time the beginning of August. I trained with a trainer for 4 weeks and have been on my own since. Dayton Freight isn't far from Franklin and the part time money helps as well. Dayton also does their DTD program without having your CDL. They will move you into the 1 ton van, then the under 26,000 (bruck) truck, then the Class B box, then into the semi. I am home every night and never work weekends. Plus the benefits are CRAZY!!!!! I get around 50 hours a week. Dayton Freight is doubling their terminal in the next year so they will be hiring more dock workers and drivers soon.

If you would like to chat about it please feel free to send me a PM with your number and I would be more than happy to tell you all about it in detail.

I changed my world almost 3 months ago and could not be happier with the decision I made for me and my family.

I got a lot of advice from Big Tanker and others on here. (search: career change) for my thread. -Jason

This is a big reason why I recently took a part time gig at Dayton Freight. I'm only a month and a half in, but am really interested in doing their dock to driver program. The pay is great for 20-25 hours a week and the job is easy. It's been a great place so far. There's almost nothing to complain about.