Becoming A Successful Trucker.

I've been doing a ton of research related to becoming a trucker and today i put in my notice in preparation for starting school. Between this forum and the truckers at my current job most of my questions have been answered pretty well, but there's one that's really important to me.

How can i avoid being one of those truckers that fails to succeed in the first few months.

This question really has a few layers. First in my mind being, what exactly happens to these truckers i hear about not being able to make the cut in the first few months. This is just a story i've heard from several people about guys that didn't manage to keep a job after getting through school, but i haven't heard exactly why this happens.

Secondly, what exactly separates good from bad. Is it entirely based on miles moved without accidents? Am i going to be disliked when i point out to dispatch that i'm planning to ride by the book?

My long term goal here is to forgo rent and stay on the road for a few years to save money up, so i need to know what is necessary to keep trucking for the long haul.

To answer your main question the 2 main reasons people quit and go home after going through school and having a job is 1) they quickly realize that this is a real job and the have to work. A lot of times we do work and are not paid for it in the interest of saving our hours. 2) they miss home. They can't stand the solitude that is a very big part of trucking. You real have no social life to speak of. It's you and whoever you can talk to on the phone. Pretty much it until it's time for you to go joke for 3 to 4 days and then your gone again.

Supposed to have said go home for 3 to 4 days.

Well the solitude is one of the attractive aspects for me. I've just always been the only child loner type. And this thing about working off the clock, i don't really understand how that kindof stuff works. I'd love more info. As far as "working free" goes, i really could care less. I've approached this with the understanding that i'll be working pretty much all day every day for weekly earnings as opposed to getting paid for every minute of work done like hourly jobs.

Also while i've got this thread open, how feasible is it to stay on the road nonstop. I have literally no interest in coming back to a home point, if anything i'd rather take off days in random cities i've never been in.

Also while i've got this thread open, how feasible is it to stay on the road nonstop. I have literally no interest in coming back to a home point, if anything i'd rather take off days in random cities i've never been in.

James R.

Wow. Some DM's gonna' love you.

-mountain girl

Also while i've got this thread open, how feasible is it to stay on the road nonstop. I have literally no interest in coming back to a home point, if anything i'd rather take off days in random cities i've never been in.

James R.

Wow. Some DM's gonna' love you.

-mountain girl

you mean all fleet mangers.

good luck james r.

Well the solitude is one of the attractive aspects for me. I've just always been the only child loner type. And this thing about working off the clock, i don't really understand how that kindof stuff works. I'd love more info. As far as "working free" goes, i really could care less. I've approached this with the understanding that i'll be working pretty much all day every day for weekly earnings as opposed to getting paid for every minute of work done like hourly jobs.

Also while i've got this thread open, how feasible is it to stay on the road nonstop. I have literally no interest in coming back to a home point, if anything i'd rather take off days in random cities i've never been in.

It's very feasible, if that's what you want to do. You can literally put your stuff in storage, change your permanent address to a relatives place, and stay out on the road for as long as you want to.

Just be sure to take some time to yourself out there. It is pretty easy to get in the habit of 'go, go, go' all the time and start feeling kind of rundown. Get out of the truck everyday and get in a walk and get the blood flowing, take some downtime for a few days if you get somewhere that looks interesting, and take in some sights. You've got to take care of "you" while you're out there, in addition to taking care of the load and equipment.

Good luck with your new adventure!

Shaun

When we bought our first truck, we put everything in storage, and lived/worked in that truck for the first year or better. I enjoyed, having left a very stressful job with the state...and the open road was just what I needed. Having said that, I also admitted that I missed my "nest", my piece of dirt where I could go, feel air that wasn't diesel smoke, feel the sun that didn't shine thru some big city smog, have a creek that wasn't a hose at the fuel island. I finally got cabin fever......So we bought a motorhome, put it in a park, then a year later, found a little place that has been just right, room for cows/horses, chickens, the now retired truck dog, and a rescue dog. So living in the truck is just another adventure....go live it, learn from it, savor the time, and when it has lost its allure, go on to your next adventure !!

To answer your main question the 2 main reasons people quit and go home after going through school and having a job is 1) they quickly realize that this is a real job and the have to work. A lot of times we do work and are not paid for it in the interest of saving our hours. 2) they miss home. They can't stand the solitude that is a very big part of trucking. You real have no social life to speak of. It's you and whoever you can talk to on the phone. Pretty much it until it's time for you to go joke for 3 to 4 days and then your gone again.

I thought the joke part was pretty funny, i kept reading it over and over. Then the light bulb went on, he must have meant to go home for 3 or 4 days. Must say it did give me something to ponder, what is a new slang that I dont what it means? lol, my amusement at myself for the day. Thanks and have a good day. Ladydi

I've been doing a ton of research related to becoming a trucker and today i put in my notice in preparation for starting school. Between this forum and the truckers at my current job most of my questions have been answered pretty well, but there's one that's really important to me.

How can i avoid being one of those truckers that fails to succeed in the first few months.

This question really has a few layers. First in my mind being, what exactly happens to these truckers i hear about not being able to make the cut in the first few months. This is just a story i've heard from several people about guys that didn't manage to keep a job after getting through school, but i haven't heard exactly why this happens.

Secondly, what exactly separates good from bad. Is it entirely based on miles moved without accidents? Am i going to be disliked when i point out to dispatch that i'm planning to ride by the book?

My long term goal here is to forgo rent and stay on the road for a few years to save money up, so i need to know what is necessary to keep trucking for the long haul.

First, you have to have realistic expectations of what you want out of your driving career. RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. You have to do your research and find the carrier that will be the best fit for what you are looking for. You will be well ahead of the curve just because you are asking the question on this forum. If you want to stay out on the road then a LTL carrier is not going to give what you want. Just the same, staying out on the road with a company that has low grade equipment will not be a good fit either. Second, you must understand that being a professional driver is an attitude, not just time behind the wheel. http://prodriverproject.com/wordpress/4-simple-steps-to-set-a-good-example/ This article will explain in greater detail. Ask as many questions as you can on this forum and don't ever stop asking questions. God Bless.