Why I Think I'll Love Trucking

Howdy, all! First off, let me introduce myself. Name is Jake, been in the US Army for 13 years, and set to medically retire in October. After lots of soul searching, I've decided that Trucking is the life for me. Why, you ask?

Well, the first thing I hear complaining about is the possibility(certainty?) of low pay. That's not a major problem for me. I have no wife or kids, and I won't have a "home", per say. All my stuff, which isn't much, is going to be stored at my Mom's house(you can ALWAYS count on Mom!). On top of that, I will be getting retired pay from the Army. So, if a week rolls by and I don't get many miles, it's not a life or death situation for me. Don't misunderstand, I still plan on maintaining the discipline and work ethic the Army gave me. I'll be hard-charging and asking for any and all loads I can get.

Next thing I see complaints about—mind you, these are mainly from disgruntled people on Glassdoor.com, indeed.com, etc—is lots and LOTS of driving, for long stretches. Well... I LOVE distance driving! I am currently stationed at Fort Myer, VA, and my hometown is Houston, TX. Whenever I get leave, I always drive. I love the solitary nature of it. Just me and the road, putting on some music or an audio book, and falling into that "Driving zen" as I call it, where the miles fly by, even though you're minding your surroundings.

The rest of complaints I hear are quiet familiar. Low pay, extended periods away from home, having to be alert and "on top of things" with little sleep at odd hours, solitude, hard deadlines and an unknown schedule, constantly changing plans, lots of "Hurry up and wait." I see these things, and I think, "Wait a minute... That's a deployment!" I've done that! Twice, once for 12 months and once for 15. I only got to see my family once during each of those stretches, I'm enlisted, so my pay sucks, pulling mounted patrols and over-watches at all hours of the night( I was a tanker), never knowing when the schedule would change... which it did... often... with little to no warning.

On top of all that, well, I'm a pretty solitary guy. I work best when alone, and I prefer it that way. Hell, the part of training for my CDL that bothers me most is having to share a moving closet with another guy for weeks at a time. Not a HUGE deal—again, Tanker. I used to have my tank commander's knees in my back—but still something I will be uncomfortable with. I like doing things by routine, as far as pre and post tripping. Plus, I'm the kind of guy that needs a purpose. I need to feel that I'm contributing to society in some way. Hauling freight seems right up my alley.

All that in mind, I've decided to take the plunge. I'm already in talks with both Prime and Swift; Prime being my primary(hehehe) choice, and Swift my secondary. I've been studying the Missouri CDL handbook, which Prime requires, and been using y'alls nifty High Road program. If anything, I'm a bit irked that I can't go sooner! The Army likes to drag things out, especially when it comes to getting out.

So... yeah! I think I'm gonna like the lifestyle. I don't expect it to be easy, but I think I'll be able to adjust quiet nicely. I'd like to thank all of y'all for this great website. Just reading the forums has taught me a lot, and the various blogs have put a lot of things into perspective. On top of that, it's good to be a part of a community, you know? So, thanks!

Tweak, I love the way you Military guys have nick names for each other. I assume that is where "Tweak" came from. It sounds like you have done your homework up to this point. I spent a year learning as much about this business as possible. If you haven't done so, read Brett's Book, available free on this site. This is my 3rd and hopefully last Career. I work for Swift. I have been Solo for a little over 5 weeks now. My experience with this Company has been extremely positive. The long hours and solitude suit me just fine. I have been self employed for most of my life and generally worked alone. Which ever company you choose doesn't make a big difference. Just stay for a MINIMUM of 1 year before you contemplate jumping ship for the greener grass on the other side of the fence.( Many times it isn't) As Old School likes to remind all rookie drivers, this is a Performance based industry. You can excel with any of the Big Companies. It is all about your attitude and ability to move freight in a safe and timely manner. All Dispatchers have their list of "Go To" Drivers. You want to be on that list! With so many whiners and complainers in the Industry, it isn't too difficult to make that list. Work hard, be safe, be polite, dress appropriately, proper hygene, pick up and deliver on time. There....you just made the list! Thanks for your Service, and best of Luck to you!

Jake wrote:

Well, the first thing I hear complaining about is the possibility(certainty?) of low pay.

For the first year's pay you can expect 35-40K. Second full year 40-50k is a reasonable expectation.

I read your post and definitely sense some positive energy, that's a really great thing. Having a positive attitude is a big part of being successful in this business. At the root of the complaining, most rookies have a totally unrealistic set of expectations and a "show-me" attitude towards their employer. Before committing to this business, a person really needs to fully understand what is expected and how that aligns with their personal and professional goals.

If you haven't had a chance to check out Brett's book; Becoming A Truck Driver: The Raw Truth About Truck Driving and Truck Driver's Career Guide, both are must reads that will help you establish a solid base of knowledge and a reasonable set of expectations going forward.

Good luck!

Tweak, I love the way you Military guys have nick names for each other. I assume that is where "Tweak" came from.

Yes. It was my nickname in basic training. See, I was skinny as a rail, had blonde hair, and had a bad tendency to freak out about things going wrong. SO, they called me Tweak, like the over-caffeinated kid from South Park.

Sounds like you should do fine. You do mention medical discharge though, without specifics. We don't need the specifics, but the doctor that does a CDL medical certification on you will. There are some injuries and conditions that can cause you a great deal of issues as a driver, and some of them will actually flag you as unfit for driving. I would strongly suggest you get a CDL medical checkup before you sign any contracts or put money or time into a CDL program.

That said, you should get trained for free through military benefits. There's an apprenticeship program that the military offers for CDL schools. Even though it's free, I'd still check to make sure your medical discharge won't make you ineligible for driving, because time is money, and you don't want to spend a week in CDL school only to find out you won't be allowed to drive.

Tweak, I love the way you Military guys have nick names for each other. I assume that is where "Tweak" came from.

Yes. It was my nickname in basic training. See, I was skinny as a rail, had blonde hair, and had a bad tendency to freak out about things going wrong. SO, they called me Tweak, like the over-caffeinated kid from South Park.

Too funny. I love that show! Political incorrectness at its finest!

Tweak you can also study this High Road Training Program. Since most states tests are similar, this training program has helped many people ace their permit tests. Check it out. It's the best FREE test prep out there. You can also put High road training in the forum search to see what people say about it. Good luck.