Profile For The Lost

Thankfully I was smart enough to invest in a backup plan. I'm still going to talk to as many people as I can and find out everything I can.

You say OTR, but surely, and I've seen it, there's regional, line, seems more flexible, less commitment. I see stuff for home every week all over, even ads talking about just being out two or tree days at a time. Does that just...not exist for me?

Not sure where people are getting the idea that i expect this to be a vacation from but OK... I'm not really a sightseeing person.

Welcome to trucking truth! I'd suggest you look into Paid CDL Training Programs. As far as working 18 hours a day, the days will be long but we're limited In our hours. Once you have started your day you have 14 hours that will continue to run. You can drive UP TO 11 of those hours a day which usually wont frequently happen. You're then required to take atleast 10 hours off. If you're only getting 3 or 5 hours of sleep then that's your own fault. There are exceptions to the rules above but as an OTR driver you likely wont deal with them. While being loaded and un loaded you're able to climb into your sleeper and nap. You wont be REQUIRED to run 3000 miles a week but this also isnt a vacation.

So basically I have 14 hours for a shift, to do as I need. But I don't have to use all of it if I decide not to? That's the best I understand it, and it didn't seem like I'd be on those 11 hours of driving all the time, but for some reason the way people talk that's what it seems like.

I've been looking at truck driving for a while now, when I was told what the money could be and how long it would take me, I was really interested. I've lived on $1000 per month or LESS for years now. I'm not able to be on my feet all the time, I'm not able to do these fast paced jobs like factories and the like. I've tried office work but that well dried up fast as you need a degree for most, and the rest well...they're a joke to be honest. I've spent the past year or so now delivering food. I need something more though, food delivery is pretty fickle. I have found a really good school for CDL that will get me every certification except buses/public transport. I still have to see about tuition funding, but I've been doing research as they have companies that are willing to hire me on as soon as I graduate. I have never in my life researched a more confusing topic. Yeah everyone and their mother wants first hand accounts of what its like to work with X company or to do Y job. Me, I'm...a bit more lost. I did read that if I jump from company to company I'll be shooting myself in the foot so I'm trying to make sure I do this right. I don't like the sound of being gone so long, not so much as being away from home, I have few, if any ties, but its made out like I'm going to be working 18 hours a day, passing out, sleeping 3-5 hours, then back at it, continuously, for days on end, and that I have to be this flawless human being in order to do this work. Sounds like a ton of exaggeration. I was told this is the hardest job ever. That it is maximum stress. I've been told nothing about this is hard but it will chew you up and spit you out. I dunno what to believe. I'm rambling aimlessly. Let's see if I can condense this, Here's what I'm looking for honestly:

I don't want to be working all the time. Driving is OK, though I do get fatigued from that. From what I can tell I'll be driving 5ish days if I max the legal driving time each day. But I'm not 100%. I need down time. I need it to stay sane. I need it to be able to unwind and sleep and do life things. I don't rush for anyone but myself and only when I have to.

I'd rather not have people breathing down my neck all the time. Yeah I get it's a stats game. But I work better alone. Hence part of this industry's appeal. Support when I need it, otherwise let me go.

I'm not that motivated by money. See the first bit of this post. I know what my budget is, I know what it takes for me to get by. I'd be happy doubling what I make now.

I'm a bit worried about not passing the drug test. I had one hit of cannabis back in December, the Saturday before Christmas. Before that i had some about daily for two weeks sometime no later than September, before that it was March. I can be as heavy or as light on it as I wish, and if I have to give it up, so be it. But from what I read the companies have some sort of super test that goes back years or something.

I come first. Shock and awe, I know. I'm expected to lay down and die for a company that will replace me in a day. Nope. I tried that hard work gung ho bust tail approach. Now I'm in the situation I'm in. No Gods. No Masters. That doesn't mean I'm not willing to do my part, but again, no more sacrificing what little of my life I have left to enjoy.

It's ok if it gets tough. I may seem like a pansy to you. A baby. Ok Boomer. It's fine if I have tough moments, I just would not rather get to the point to where I dread going to work.

I'd rather do shorter range but again I'm more interested in how much down time I get than I am home time, but home time is nice too.

Should I avoid this industry? Would I be in too deep? I'm probably more flexible than you, or even I think, I just want something normal. Before you tell me go to trade school. Guess what? I did. Oopsie I spent that year and a half ish and magically I did it wrong. Or something. I dunno. That's a story for another time. But you know another reason why I was interested in this industry, the time. I don't have time to faff about and drive myself insane balancing school and work yet again for ages while risking nothing coming from it. Shorter time and seems to be, from what I can tell, and I have been researching job listings in my area, I can do a lot more with a CDL.

Questions, comments, concerns, general insults, etc are all welcome. I'm just trying to get more info.