What Can I Do Over The Next Two Years To Best Prepare Myself For A Career Change To Truck Driving?

I def need to get into better shape! I am overweight but in good health if that makes any sense. I don't have high blood pressure, heart conditions or anything like that. I would love to be able to use my GI BILL but the younger me decided to **** that all away on a college degree I never got. I hear where you are coming from on the money side of things, I plan to have at least 3-6 months of expenses in savings so we have a bit of a buffer if we hit lean times. My wife also works for the state but makes more than I do so we will never be completely without money coming in. I am about 23 years away from full retirement with the State, I'm not sure how long until I am eligible for early retirement, but I don't want to get to the point where staying is a reason for not leaving, if you know what I mean. Thanks for the reply and the well wishes!

Mike, you are in the right place to get all the info you need to get the right start in trucking. Since you are willing to wait two years, make sure you are in great shape. If you are overweight, start losing, if you have high BP work to get it down. etc. Your CDL-P is usually only good for six months. Many companies have programs for vets and you may be able to use the GI Bill to pay for your training. Also, save as much money as you can. Depending on what route you go for training, you could go a month or more without pay. How long do you have until you reach retirement with the state. You may not want to diminish that. I hope I have helped. Good luck to you.

I totally understand. If you have debt, get rid of as much as you can in the next two years. If you don't know how, try Dave Ramsey. Take all the advise you've gotten so far. Have open and honest discussions with your wife. While OTR , you can expect to be out 3 to 4 weeks at a time. Most companies give you one day home for every seven out. How will bills be paid? What if the car breaks down? What happens if the heat goes out in the middle of winter with a couple of feet of snow on the ground? Etc, etc. Take the time to be as informed as you can. Good luck.

Albany Mike...all of the previous advice is spot-on, relevant. The number on thing you must do between now and when you take the plunge is to protect your driver's license. That's your number one credential for gaining entry into trucking. Treat it like gold.

Good luck!

The good thing is the only debt we'll have are my student loans and the mortgage. Like I said earlier my wife also works for the State and has no desire to be a stay at home mom. We have free daycare essentially, with my in-laws moving to the area and refusing to allow us to put the care of their grand kids in the hands of strangers.

I have an awesome wife and if there is something I really want to do shes is supportive. I'm usually the one with the guilty feelings.

I was taking my oldest son (he's 11) back to his mothers and we have to travel the thruway between 787 and 890 here in Albany. Every single truck I passed just about gave me a lump in my throat. It was a mix of the potential excitement of being in one of those rigs someday and the unavoidable heartache of being away from my family and friends. I just have this overall feeling that it is something that I have to take a shot at. I know I can drive the truck (with training), I know I am a professional, and I know I will enjoy the driving aspects of the lifestyle. Wanting that fills me with guilt when I could just as easily stay working for the state, sitting at this desk day after day, and make as good a living as being a Trucker.

Thanks for the tips by the way, Dave Ramsey has allowed me to get out of debt, spot on advice.

-- Mike

I totally understand. If you have debt, get rid of as much as you can in the next two years. If you don't know how, try Dave Ramsey. Take all the advise you've gotten so far. Have open and honest discussions with your wife. While OTR , you can expect to be out 3 to 4 weeks at a time. Most companies give you one day home for every seven out. How will bills be paid? What if the car breaks down? What happens if the heat goes out in the middle of winter with a couple of feet of snow on the ground? Etc, etc. Take the time to be as informed as you can. Good luck.

I'm lucky to have a clean driving record (knock on wood) and solid work history going back to when I was 16. I find my self driving more defensively than ever with this career change as a possibility. Also, the more I read and learn about driving a tractor trailer the more respect I have for, and give to, the rigs I pass on the highway.

Thanks again everyone for welcoming an "outsider" into this community. I really look forward to contributing along my journey.

Albany Mike...all of the previous advice is spot-on, relevant. The number on thing you must do between now and when you take the plunge is to protect your driver's license. That's your number one credential for gaining entry into trucking. Treat it like gold.

Good luck!

Sounds like you and your wife are a good team together. You just have to make the choices that are best for your family. Good luck. Also, like G-Town said, you have gotten great advice here and protect your licence.

Just a quick update so you guys and gals don't think I've fallen off the map.

I am currently working my way through The High Road Online CDL Training Program. Even though I may not be able to pursue this career for a couple of years I figure the more I am exposed to the information the better off I will be in the long run.

I am researching the private CDL schools in the Albany, NY area.... pretty slim pickings. I've expanded my search to some of the community colleges in the region that have CDL classes. There is one in Rome, NY that has a Sage Truck Driving school that looks promising. It looks as though they have a weekend program and I think that would be best so I can attend and still work during the week. I've decided that I want to pay for my CDL training out of my pocket so I have a choice on the company I drive with. Believe it or not, the union that I am a member of with the state will pay $1100 towards a certified CDL program! I also think I am going to pursue my CDL permit (with all pertinent endorsements), my DoT physical and get the ball rolling on my TWIC before I start CDL school. I don't want to show up, after resigning from my state job, just to be told to go home for some medical or background issue.

I've been watching Red Viking Trucker on YouTube and I think that he has the perfect attitude to emulate when it comes to how to be successful early on in your truck driving career. I'm not quite far enough along in his videos to see if his plan of going the lease operator, owner operator route is panning out for him but regardless, the information and advice is still valuable.

If anyone has an other valuable resources on the trucking industry, CDL training, and just being successful in this business I am all ears.

Thanks again everyone! I'm going to be around here for the long haul (pun intended) so get used to seeing me around.

-- Mike