Should I Become A Truck Driver Or Keep Working As A Nurse ?

I was a Nurse for 32 years. I KNEW it was time to get out. No one can - nor should they - tell you what you "should do" when considering changing careers. We have no idea your likes, interests, skills, aptitudes, etc.. Stating that, I am glad I changed careers, but I did so for my own reasons. I enjoy what I do now. Regarding your differences in income between Nursing and truck driving. If you are making $30.00/hr for a 40 hour week ( you probably work more than that), $1200/week as a beginning driver may be a reach. There are many variables that can affect your weekly pay driving a truck, which you have no control over. Truck breaking down, delays at a shipper or consignee , weather causing slow downs and delays, waiting for loads. All of these can affect your pay for a week.

You need to consider one thing regarding your Nursing license. If you do start the procedure of a trucking career, you will need to deactivate your Nursing license, since you will not be practicing. At least in Ohio, we do. Depending on how long you continue in your new career and remain out of Nursing, if you decide you don't like it and want to go back to Nursing, your State board of Nursing will no doubt require you to take refresher courses It's possible they could even require you to repeat your education. If you have not done so, you should check with your State's board of nursing about their guidelines/requirements on deactivating your license. Your State may have a grace period where you do not have to make it inactive until after a period of time you have not practiced. That way, if you decide to go to school to attempt to get your CDL , and either do not complete the training or decide you do not want to continue, you could jump right back into another nursing job.

Thank you sir. That was inspiring.

Aby M.

I was a pediatric/neonatal Flight respiratory therapist for 20 yrs and gave it up to jump in a truck. As a rookie, the pay difference was drastic and had to learn to more with less. Six years later, I’m making more now than I was in the hospital.

I have met lawyers, doctors and bank managers, who gave up the white collar word, to become a Knight is the Highway.

Aby, here's a link to a long running topic, What Did You Do Before Becoming A Truck Driver?

Take a close read aboit why I started this topic.