Is It Really That Bad?

I'll try to make this as brief as possible. I'm 25 years old, my father has been in the trucking business for 35+ years. For about 10 of those years he was an O/O. Ever since I was a kid, when I rode with him on summer breaks he told me to not get into trucking. (He primarily did local sand/gravel hauling for the quarrys)

I've always wanted to be a business owner or self employed. Not even a year out of high school I started a pressure washing business and have been doing it ever since...the money is alright but I have been wanting to get out. Sick of working in the summer heat, long hours then to come home and just do quotes the rest of the night. The worst part of it for me is selling, i'll admit im not that great at it. I'm one of those shy, introvert type of people. Just looking for a change to something that fits me a little better.

i've always felt trucking was a bit in my blood. The idea has came back to me several times in the past few years. What is holding me back is how my dad has talked about it from as far back as I can remember.

For me it's all about outlook bud, your dad may have had reasons that made him hate the job such as being away from his wife and you and the rest of the family and as a family oriented man myself I agree with him a little in that regard however there are good days and bad days in trucking and just starting out I've had my share of slightly crappy days mainly because I've been away from home for 2 and a half months and not by choice yesterday was a rough day for me but at the end of the day as things started to turn around I said I love my life, i love this job for me it's a passion right now I love to drive and I feel that in order to really suceede here you need both to be a good hard worker and have a love of driving, to me no, it's tough being away from my family in a space smaller then a jail cell and surrounded by nothing but people I don't know from a hole in the wall, it's tough but I do not regret any of it hope that helped and I also hope I got my point across there, best of luck bud

I'll try to make this as brief as possible. I'm 25 years old, my father has been in the trucking business for 35+ years. For about 10 of those years he was an O/O. Ever since I was a kid, when I rode with him on summer breaks he told me to not get into trucking. (He primarily did local sand/gravel hauling for the quarrys)

I've always wanted to be a business owner or self employed. Not even a year out of high school I started a pressure washing business and have been doing it ever since...the money is alright but I have been wanting to get out. Sick of working in the summer heat, long hours then to come home and just do quotes the rest of the night. The worst part of it for me is selling, i'll admit im not that great at it. I'm one of those shy, introvert type of people. Just looking for a change to something that fits me a little better.

i've always felt trucking was a bit in my blood. The idea has came back to me several times in the past few years. What is holding me back is how my dad has talked about it from as far back as I can remember.

What's your question?

"Bad" is a completely subjective word.

If you're a highly extroverted people person, then you might think the long hours alone in the truck are bad.

If you have a family at home, especially one with young children, then you might think the weeks away from home are bad.

If you prefer constant feedback from your superiors on your job performance, or frequent instructions and reminders as to what your duties or tasks are from one moment to the next, then you might think the hands-on personal responsibility nature of the job is bad.

If you hate being micromanaged, then you might think all the DOT regulations are bad (which pretty much all of us do).

There are plenty of other aspects of this life that you may or may not consider "bad," and any combination of them could mean that this isn't the career path for you. But like all of us, you have to take them all into consideration, weigh them carefully, and ultimately decide for yourself. Nobody else can make that decision for you.

Good luck!

Trey, I started this career after being in business for thirty years. I had raised my family and had enjoyed all those years. So, my perspective is different from a person who did this all their life while being separated much of the time from their family. I have heard many long time drivers express the same sentiment of your Dad. I think once one has spent their whole life doing this, and missed so much of the things that people doing "normal" jobs got to enjoy with their families, they tend to be a little jaded, some of them even slightly bitter. They realize that this was a choice they made, and some of them begin to wish they would have chosen differently.

For you, here's something to consider about this career. There has always been, and as far as I'm concerned, always will be a strong demand for professional drivers. If you want to do this, then jump right in and pursue it. This is a career that you can leave at the drop of a hat if you want to, and it is also such that you can get right back in if you want to. It will always be here. So if one decides that it's not for them they can just walk away. But, even those who walk away often decide, "Hey I miss being in that rig, rolling across the country, I'm going back!" That is one of the beauties about it. Brett, the founder of this site, did that very thing a couple of times. He decided to try something else, and then came back. It is not a big deal. If you have a good track record as a driver, you will always be able to land a job at this.

You are young enough that it should be an easy enough transition for you. Only thing I would stress is that it takes a good deal of Commitment to make it out here during that first year. If you do this you'll want to go in with a full on effort at making it work. Get that first year or two behind you and then try to reassess whether it is a career you want to keep on pursuing.

For me it's all about outlook bud, your dad may have had reasons that made him hate the job such as being away from his wife and you and the rest of the family and as a family oriented man myself I agree with him a little in that regard however there are good days and bad days in trucking and just starting out I've had my share of slightly crappy days mainly because I've been away from home for 2 and a half months and not by choice yesterday was a rough day for me but at the end of the day as things started to turn around I said I love my life, i love this job for me it's a passion right now I love to drive and I feel that in order to really suceede here you need both to be a good hard worker and have a love of driving, to me no, it's tough being away from my family in a space smaller then a jail cell and surrounded by nothing but people I don't know from a hole in the wall, it's tough but I do not regret any of it hope that helped and I also hope I got my point across there, best of luck bud

Thanks John, besides a few out of state trips he was always local and home almost every night. I think the costs, breakdowns and regulations is what gets to him.

"Bad" is a completely subjective word.

If you're a highly extroverted people person, then you might think the long hours alone in the truck are bad.

If you have a family at home, especially one with young children, then you might think the weeks away from home are bad.

If you prefer constant feedback from your superiors on your job performance, or frequent instructions and reminders as to what your duties or tasks are from one moment to the next, then you might think the hands-on personal responsibility nature of the job is bad.

If you hate being micromanaged, then you might think all the DOT regulations are bad (which pretty much all of us do).

There are plenty of other aspects of this life that you may or may not consider "bad," and any combination of them could mean that this isn't the career path for you. But like all of us, you have to take them all into consideration, weigh them carefully, and ultimately decide for yourself. Nobody else can make that decision for you.

Good luck!

Super introvert here so if I don't have to "sell" jobs to people and talk to people all the time i'm great with that!

I have a fiancee, no kids..during the season we don't get to spend much time together during the week anyway. That is one thing about OTR i'm concerned about, I don't want to spend weeks and weeks away...I'm ok with several nights to a full week.

From what I know, the personal responsibilities of trucking is more preferred than what i'm doing now. (just based on my personality)

Yeah, I don't think there's much getting around the DOT stuff.

That's where im stuck. Just weighing the options and figuring out which route to take. I do know I would want to drive for myself.

For me it's all about outlook bud, your dad may have had reasons that made him hate the job such as being away from his wife and you and the rest of the family and as a family oriented man myself I agree with him a little in that regard however there are good days and bad days in trucking and just starting out I've had my share of slightly crappy days mainly because I've been away from home for 2 and a half months and not by choice yesterday was a rough day for me but at the end of the day as things started to turn around I said I love my life, i love this job for me it's a passion right now I love to drive and I feel that in order to really suceede here you need both to be a good hard worker and have a love of driving, to me no, it's tough being away from my family in a space smaller then a jail cell and surrounded by nothing but people I don't know from a hole in the wall, it's tough but I do not regret any of it hope that helped and I also hope I got my point across there, best of luck bud

Thanks John, besides a few out of state trips he was always local and home almost every night. I think the costs, breakdowns and regulations is what gets to him.

"Bad" is a completely subjective word.

If you're a highly extroverted people person, then you might think the long hours alone in the truck are bad.

If you have a family at home, especially one with young children, then you might think the weeks away from home are bad.

If you prefer constant feedback from your superiors on your job performance, or frequent instructions and reminders as to what your duties or tasks are from one moment to the next, then you might think the hands-on personal responsibility nature of the job is bad.

If you hate being micromanaged, then you might think all the DOT regulations are bad (which pretty much all of us do).

There are plenty of other aspects of this life that you may or may not consider "bad," and any combination of them could mean that this isn't the career path for you. But like all of us, you have to take them all into consideration, weigh them carefully, and ultimately decide for yourself. Nobody else can make that decision for you.

Good luck!

Super introvert here so if I don't have to "sell" jobs to people and talk to people all the time i'm great with that!

I have a fiancee, no kids..during the season we don't get to spend much time together during the week anyway. That is one thing about OTR i'm concerned about, I don't want to spend weeks and weeks away...I'm ok with several nights to a full week.

From what I know, the personal responsibilities of trucking is more preferred than what i'm doing now. (just based on my personality)

Yeah, I don't think there's much getting around the DOT stuff.

That's where im stuck. Just weighing the options and figuring out which route to take. I do know I would want to drive for myself.

You might want yo look at vompsnies that offer more regional work. Out 7-10 days home for 2-3

Where are you located, Trey? If you live in the eastern "half" of the U.S.; H.O. Wolding will allow Rookies to start with a Regional job. Out 5 and home 2 (generally speaking).

Where are you located, Trey? If you live in the eastern "half" of the U.S.; H.O. Wolding will allow Rookies to start with a Regional job. Out 5 and home 2 (generally speaking).

I'm located in Northern Virginia. I know it's a big jump but I would like to buy my own truck from get-go. Even though my dad is reluctant he will help me out.

(I see you are based in TN. I love east Tennessee - i'm down there at least 3 times a year for weekend trips..might would even relocate there if the fiancee's work situation changed)

I live in Clarksville. It is 45 mins NW of Nashville. I enjoy the mountains in eastern TN as well.

That is H. O. Woldings hiring map.