Finally Time To Introduce Myself!

first off i would like to thank you all. Out of the countless of trucking websites i have been to this is clearly the most informative, positive, and upbeat one out there! Anyways on to me. Im obviously looking to getting into trucking. Im young, 22 years old to be exact from Phoenix, Arizona. Trucking is something i have been dreaming of since i was young. passing by those huge rigs on the highway i would just dream of driving one around the country (Even now i find myself looking twice at a big rig while i Drive by). Its a dream of mine.

My main concerns i guess is more about close friends/family. it seems like when ever i bring up becoming a truck driver around them they think im giving up on life. i get the whole "you should stay in school" lecture from about everyone or i get the classic rolling of the eyes and are you really thinking about doing this? School is important to me dont get me wrong. I am currently 8 weeks away from getting my 2 year degree from a local Jr college (Yay me!). and i do plan on eventually getting my 4 year degree to live out my dream of being a teacher and a football coach. However i feel like if i dont at least give trucking a shot it will be something i regret. this will also probably be the easiest time in my life since i am single and dont have to support anyone. So my planes are is to spend 1-3 years trucking then go back to school (one year if i hate it 3 years if i love it). which peoples response to this is "you will find yourself getting stuck in it." which most of the time i just think if i love it then who cares if i get "stuck" in trucking. did anyone else face something close to this?

I currently have a class B CDL for my current job of driving a school bus. so i do have experience there when it comes to driving a bigger then average vehicle. i do have enough money saved up to attend a local private school here to get the Class A CDL. lucky for me since i already have the Class B most schools ive talked to are willing to give me discounts. so i can afford to pay cash for it.

so ya.. i guess im just posting this to introduce my self and to see any other personal experiences people have had in getting over issues when it comes to close friends/family. also if any of you happen to come out to phoenix (Good idea right now.. high of 70 today). i would love to be able to talk to you personally about trucking!

By the way to Old School who had the post titled "I Love this Job." that was probably the coolest thing i have read.

Welcome aboard Max!

I was in the same position as you when I got into trucking. I was 21 but I had already quit college. Boring!!! I'm super lucky because I was born with one of those crazy math/science brains like Sheldon Cooper on Big Bang Theory (if you've seen that show). So I could've been anything. Was even accepted into the Coast Guard Academy (same as the other service academies - full ride paid for, graduate as a 2nd Lieutenant - all that stuff) but turned it down.

I didn't want to sit in a classroom or a cubicle or whatever. I wanted to live!! I wanted to travel and party and challenge myself endlessly. I wanted to do something that I could really dive into and live it.

Trucking was perfect for me.

But I didn't stop there. During my years on the road I took time off here and there to do other things. Sometimes I just wanted a break from the road for a while so I'd take a few months off. But I love to learn so I also took some time away from trucking to go to Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Orlando for Harley Davidson mechanics. I graduated, did that at a dealership for a few months, decided I liked trucking better, and went back to driving.

The idea of being "stuck" in trucking is baloney. In fact, for me it was the opposite. Trucking gave me the opportunity to make a decent living, save up money, and use that to learn other careers. And the thing about trucking is that the demand for drivers has always been strong. So you can drive for a while, quit to go try something else, and come back anytime you like.

From what you've told us I would say giving trucking a shot if that's what you really want to do. You can walk away anytime and return to college no sweat. But you're right - if you continue with college, get a degree, and begin a career somewhere it won't be something you can just walk away from and return anytime the way you can with trucking.

Unfortunately, family and friends think that if you go into trucking, you are putting yourself in a category of "unsavory people". Truckers aren't real well thought of, and haven't been for a long time. AND thats why TT is here !!! One of Brett's, (and all the drivers on here that take the time to answer questions, and contribute any way we can) goals is to change the trucking industries reputation...ONE DRIVER AT A TIME...we want to see people succeed at making a career of driving truck. But more than that, we want to see drivers start their careers as PROFESSIONAL Drivers...not just foul mouthed, drug poppin' beer guzzlin' steering wheel holders. We all take the time to tell new drivers how it REALLY is out there, not how its thought to be. And if you look at it like this....EVERY driver out there makes an impression on the people they come in contact with. So much so, that when you, as a driver, meet those same people, they will treat you just like that other driver treated them !!! And we want that to be with respect, and a professional attitude. So settle in, learn all you can here, do the High Road Training Program...it will teach you way more than the training school you will need to go to. And feel free to ask anything about anything....We are always glad to help in any way we can. And....WELCOME to TT !!!

Welcome aboard Max!

Unfortunately truck drivers do have a bad reputation in most peoples eyes. I recently took my oldest daughter out with me on the road for a little while. She is grown and out of college. She was on the phone with a friend of hers one day while we were out together and she told her friend that she had a whole new regard for truck drivers now after experiencing first hand what we do, and her friend responded with "Oh No, they're such nasty people". Unfortunately the miscreants who are in the industry have successfully gotten us all stereotyped. I asked my daughter what her friend thought of me, and she said "Oh Daddy, she knows you - she thinks you are cool!" Anyone who is in this industry is fighting an uphill battle when it comes to the perceived images of professional drivers.

If you do get into this business you will find that there are all types of people in it. There are lots of people who retired from one profession and are doing this now for the love of the adventurous lifestyle. I've met retired engineers, policeman, dentists, and an attorney! It's a great lifestyle that can't be found anywhere else. Follow your own heart and trust your own intuition when it comes to your career. You don't have to fit the stereotypical mold. I have other drivers tell me all the time "You don't really seem like a truck driver". That's because I don't want to be the type of truck driver they are accustomed to seeing.

I posted a journal about my days of travelling with my daughter, you may find it interesting and informative about the lifestyle of a truck driver. If you'd like to read it feel free.

Thank you all for your responses! I guess its one of those things like you said that truckers just have a bad name. Hopefully when i do this i can change some of those stereotypes among my family/friends. this is something i really want to do and hopefully they all can realize that. if not well then i guess they weren't that great of friends to began with! This is something i have been thinking about and talking about doing for awhile now. i just need to pull the trigger and do it!

Well, let me offer a different view. You are young. You do not have a family to support. That is good! It will be great to go trucking. But let's say you like it and decide to stay in the business for "3 years." Around 1 and 1/2 years in you meet this young lady working at a dinner. You talk. You click. You date. OMG, am I really getting married? Next thing you know, you have a child to support. Well there goes going back to school to be a teacher. Things sometimes do not go as planned.

I will give you a very personal example. To be honest, I have not told this to any of my friends or family. I wanted to be a firefighter / Paramedic. I started doing Paramedic work in college. After three years of college, I decided to go do it with out finishing. I said I would go back and finish my degree. Well, fast forward, I am now 41 years old. I have three daughter and a wife that depend on Daddy's salary. I am miserable as a Paramedic. I have fought fires and care for the sick most of my working life. The years of taking care of people (sometimes at their worst) has made me jaded. The compassion for other humans is almost gone. When you see things like a drunk driver laughing after he just killed two teenage girls in a wreck takes something from you.

My point is, I am in a bad spot. I did not ever go back and finish my degree. Now, I am looking at trucking. I need to make a change. School is too long and expensive because I have to support my family. Trucking will still be there after you finish your degree. Unless, you can not afford to go ahead and get you degree, I say take the education first. Trucking will be there two years from now!

Well, let me offer a different view. You are young. You do not have a family to support. That is good! It will be great to go trucking. But let's say you like it and decide to stay in the business for "3 years." Around 1 and 1/2 years in you meet this young lady working at a dinner. You talk. You click. You date. OMG, am I really getting married? Next thing you know, you have a child to support. Well there goes going back to school to be a teacher. Things sometimes do not go as planned.

I will give you a very personal example. To be honest, I have not told this to any of my friends or family. I wanted to be a firefighter / Paramedic. I started doing Paramedic work in college. After three years of college, I decided to go do it with out finishing. I said I would go back and finish my degree. Well, fast forward, I am now 41 years old. I have three daughter and a wife that depend on Daddy's salary. I am miserable as a Paramedic. I have fought fires and care for the sick most of my working life. The years of taking care of people (sometimes at their worst) has made me jaded. The compassion for other humans is almost gone. When you see things like a drunk driver laughing after he just killed two teenage girls in a wreck takes something from you.

My point is, I am in a bad spot. I did not ever go back and finish my degree. Now, I am looking at trucking. I need to make a change. School is too long and expensive because I have to support my family. Trucking will still be there after you finish your degree. Unless, you can not afford to go ahead and get you degree, I say take the education first. Trucking will be there two years from now!

this right here brutal honesty!!! i totally agree with this as alot of guys on here have said you can always come back to trucking its not going anywhere. Your very close to finishing a degree although i dont know why in this world we live in everyone thinks having a degree means your not a loser. Id go ahead and finish since your at the halfway point anyway and then see how you feel

Keep the great thoughts and enjoy the road young man. The best I can offer is "do it the right way" With all of the changing regulations you will have to stay on top of your game. You have but 1 CDL , and you have to protect it! Enjoy your journey, and good luck!

first off i would like to thank you all. Out of the countless of trucking websites i have been to this is clearly the most informative, positive, and upbeat one out there! Anyways on to me. Im obviously looking to getting into trucking. Im young, 22 years old to be exact from Phoenix, Arizona. Trucking is something i have been dreaming of since i was young. passing by those huge rigs on the highway i would just dream of driving one around the country (Even now i find myself looking twice at a big rig while i Drive by). Its a dream of mine.

My main concerns i guess is more about close friends/family. it seems like when ever i bring up becoming a truck driver around them they think im giving up on life. i get the whole "you should stay in school" lecture from about everyone or i get the classic rolling of the eyes and are you really thinking about doing this? School is important to me dont get me wrong. I am currently 8 weeks away from getting my 2 year degree from a local Jr college (Yay me!). and i do plan on eventually getting my 4 year degree to live out my dream of being a teacher and a football coach. However i feel like if i dont at least give trucking a shot it will be something i regret. this will also probably be the easiest time in my life since i am single and dont have to support anyone. So my planes are is to spend 1-3 years trucking then go back to school (one year if i hate it 3 years if i love it). which peoples response to this is "you will find yourself getting stuck in it." which most of the time i just think if i love it then who cares if i get "stuck" in trucking. did anyone else face something close to this?

I currently have a class B CDL for my current job of driving a school bus. so i do have experience there when it comes to driving a bigger then average vehicle. i do have enough money saved up to attend a local private school here to get the Class A CDL. lucky for me since i already have the Class B most schools ive talked to are willing to give me discounts. so i can afford to pay cash for it.

so ya.. i guess im just posting this to introduce my self and to see any other personal experiences people have had in getting over issues when it comes to close friends/family. also if any of you happen to come out to phoenix (Good idea right now.. high of 70 today). i would love to be able to talk to you personally about trucking!

By the way to Old School who had the post titled "I Love this Job." that was probably the coolest thing i have read.

Well, let me offer a different view. You are young. You do not have a family to support. That is good! It will be great to go trucking. But let's say you like it and decide to stay in the business for "3 years." Around 1 and 1/2 years in you meet this young lady working at a dinner. You talk. You click. You date. OMG, am I really getting married? Next thing you know, you have a child to support. Well there goes going back to school to be a teacher. Things sometimes do not go as planned.

This is definitely something i need to and have considered.. thanks for the input and the personal story. it definitely puts a different perspective on it. lucky for me i still probably have 5-6 months before i need to make a choice. a lot can change in 6 months! especially when your 22 year old single guy. haha. this is something i have always wanted to do though. ive been dreaming about it since i was a kid.

Now let me play devils advocate and give you yet another proseptive...

I never went to college. Never wanted to. I spent $3500 for my cdl and I make close to $40k a year. I have ZERO debt from school.

College on the other hand you go to 2 to 4 years and rack up a mountain of debt just to get a job pay $30k to $35k and you only make that amount if you are lucky enough to stay at your job 10 to 15 years. Not to mention IF f you are lucky enough to find work in your choosen field.

Just something to think about.