Thinking About A Career Change

Hello, I'm Dew and I just joined your all's fine forum. Thought I might introduce myself. Although I just joined I have been looking at it from time to time for about a year. I am 49 and have been with a company for 22 yrs. They have made a lot of changes over the last couple years and I am thinking about getting out while the getting is good. So I am thinking about getting into trucking. I think it would be a good fit for me and the way I am. And I have a wife and daughter to support so I need to make some decent money in a reasonable amount of time which I think is possible in the trucking industry. The main thing I am concerned about is being away from them for weeks at a time but if I understand it right after you get a year or so of experience you can probably get a job were you are home more. I think we can handle that. I was wondering if any of you all have been in the same situation as I am and how it worked out for you? I understand that a lot of folks get into trucking around my age. You all have a great forum here! I have already learned a lot from it. Thanks Dew

I am new to this so I can only share what I have researched and the opinions I have formed so far, but hopefully some of it makes some sense and it can be a bit of help.

I would suggest, in addition to the list of the big boys that you can easily find, spend extra time looking hard at companies that operate local or regional in your area. It can be a chore because they don't plaster drivers wanted ads all over as often, and it can be some time before they have even a single position open up, but do some looking and get a good list together.

The majority will want experience. This can vary though and quite a few mid size companies advertise for "experienced drivers" who have schooling and 3+ months driving from time to time. Get in contact with these companies now and talk to their recruiters. Let them know what you are looking for in trucking, how you plan to start, and your details that they use to help decide on hiring such as work history, driving record, criminal record, etc. Making contact early and have some positives working for you, like a solid work history before entering trucking, could get you into the type of job that would be ideal for you much quicker than a year.

The one year rule is a decent one, and one that many new drivers should make a priority. One big reason is how many drivers come into the industry with poor work histories. The other is how many new drivers don't understand that there will be highs and lows starting out and that just a bit more time toughing it out could get rid of that small thing that is a huge problem in their minds. If you have a good head, a good and clear reason for wanting to make a change early, and positives in things like work history and driving record to help back up your character to potential employers, the one year rule might be something for you to strongly consider the necessity of for someone in your position.

Keep in mind, if you do decide to plan on moving to a regional or local as soon as it becomes available, before completing a year with a single company to get started, you might want to put extra thought into schooling. If you pay for your own schooling with cash, or a loan, or with government money, you shouldn't have a contract issue. But if you go with a company school where they are providing your education (either themselves or are paying a school to teach you) then you will have a contract with them that is likely for at least 1 year. Breaking that contract may not in itself be bad, but you need to have you plan for how to pay off the penalty for breaking it.

Good luck with your quest to figure out if trucking will work for you, and welcome to TT!

Here are some places on this site that could be of some help to you. Welcome abord and good luck.

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road Training Program

Thanks for the responses. I like the idea of being out there for a year. I think if your out there that long you would know what you were doing. And I know that if a company is going to train you they are going to expect to get something back in return which is only fair. I think if you could stick it out for a year it would help show you have what it takes but if you were to quit before your contract was up it might be a black mark for future employment. I really don,t want to get a loan for a school so a company sponsored training program is the way I am leaning towards. Who knows I might want to stay out there and not want to find anything local, but I won't know unless I try it. My family at home and how we all adapt to such a big change will probably determine all of this. Thinking about Prime cause they are only a couple hour south of where I live and it looks like they have excellent training and they pay more out of the gate. Its a lot to consider. Anymore comments are welcome. Thanks