Is The Risk Worth The Career Move?

Hello TruckingTruth community!

I am a US expat, who has been employed with the Marine Corps for 8 years now, both active duty and contract work.

I've been itching to get into trucking for almost 2 years now. I am a semi-van dweller, renting vans every other month to just try out the lifestyle of living in a cabin for 1-2 weeks at a time. When I'm at home, I spend a lot of time on American Truck Simulator on PC (500+ hours now!), in my makeshift cabin of a plastic driving wheel, and office chair.

The question that stops me from moving back to the US and contacting a recruiter is the plausibility of employment. I don't want to move back to the states, unemployed, and be told that nobody's hiring drivers. My only home of record is my parents home in SC, but I don't want to impose on them for too long. My dream is to get my CDL , get the training, hit the road, and be a nomad.

What's the reality of being picked up? There are so many ads out there for new truckers, paid training, guaranteed paychecks, but they all ring "too good to be true". I have the funding (GI Bill), the willingness to learn the trade, the mindset to be on the road, but what is the possibility? I have no foreseeable issues passing the DOT physical, am more than willing to do the training involved, but how do I know it will lead to employment?

I want to talk to a recruiter, but I don't want to move back to the states unemployed. Does the TT community have any advice or even recommendations on paving the path?

Thanks, and be excellent.

I don't want to move back to the states, unemployed, and be told that nobody's hiring drivers.

That will never happen! Drivers are in high demand.

You're going to have two issues.

1) As an ex-pat your employment verification may be difficult, not impossible, but it may prove to be a challenge. The fact that you're in the military should help.

2) This career is a rude awakening for many. It takes a great deal of Commitment. It's not always pure pleasure being a nomad, but hopefully you've already got that figured out.

I have no foreseeable issues passing the DOT physical, am more than willing to do the training involved, but how do I know it will lead to employment? Does the TT community have any advice or even recommendations on paving the path?

We highly recommend that you take advantage of the Paid CDL Training Programs. Here's a couple of articles explaining why these programs are preferable over private schooling. Take a look at them and you'll have a better idea of why we suggest taking that path. If they take you into their program and you pass the drug test and don't act like an idiot during the training, you're going to have a job.

Why I Prefer Paid CDL Training Programs

Busting The Free Agent Myth

So many of the trucking companies cater to military vets. In general they have the "grit" to survive the difficult learning curve that wipes out so many. I'd start a conversation with some of the companies that will pay you to train, and find out what they need from you so they can verify three years of overseas employment. You should have your U.S. income tax records, and that may be all they will need.

Here's some other great information that should help you get prepared.

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