I Would Just Like To Say Thank You

Greetings everyone! I am an individual who is preparing for a career in the trucking industry. As such, I have been doing plenty of research into as many aspects of this career that I could muster. As many of my fellow greenhorns can probably attest, there seems to be an inordinate amount of negativity regarding the industry as a whole. I must admit that I, too, had certain feelings that turned out to be unfounded.

After reading through the articles on this site and lurking on the forums for some time, I have decided to register to make this post. I believe that my ideas toward trucking are based solely on a few individuals who blatantly fulfill the role of the negatively stereotypical drivers. I feel that many in the industry have met this type of person: that redirects blame whenever possible; is never responsible for any of their own bad habits; complains non-stop about their job; etc... I grew up near these people and have had their ideals instilled within my thought process.

The articles and data presented here are an excellent source of what seems to be unbiased information. Above all though, the people here seem to truly care. The forums are bursting with a plethora of information that will ultimately help anyone decide whether or not they wish to pursue this career.

So here I sit, mulling over all the options that I am presented with. I humbly wish to say

Thank You

Benjamin Butler, prospective truck driver, Marion, Ohio

Welcome aboard Benjamin! We're glad to have ya!

I believe that my ideas toward trucking are based solely on a few individuals who blatantly fulfill the role of the negatively stereotypical drivers. I feel that many in the industry have met this type of person: that redirects blame whenever possible; is never responsible for any of their own bad habits; complains non-stop about their job; etc... I grew up near these people and have had their ideals instilled within my thought process.

That's the continuous battle we fight here at TruckingTruth. Trucking can be an awesome career for the right person. But even if it's something you seem born to do it's almost never easy and that first year swallows up a lot of people. New drivers tend to go in with the wrong attitude and expectations simply because they either didn't do their research or because of the volume of misinformation out there.

We come from a perspective that almost anyone can get their career off to a great start if they'll do their research, study hard, and have an awesome attitude. But nobody is going to hand you much of anything - you're going to have to put in your time and learn the hard way when it comes to most things. For those who understand this and are willing to keep fighting on no matter how difficult it gets, the rewards are often times well worth it.

Benjamin, I always tell people who are on the fence about a trucking career that there is very little risk in taking a shot at it. The biggest risk to most people is simply the disruption of their current life. But these days a lot of people are either unemployed or underemployed and if you can't pay your bills there isn't much risk at taking a shot at a career that might help you move forward in life. Then again there are a lot of people who have other options but always wanted to give trucking a shot. Again, there's very little risk. The schooling is relatively short and inexpensive so you can get your CDL , get out on the road, pay off your tuition completely, and walk away with a long list of stories and experiences all in the span of a few months.

Definitely try to wipe away any preconceptions you have about trucking. If you do decide to go into it just keep an open mind, a fierce determination, and an awesome attitude. If you'll work hard, get along well with people, and stick with it you'll get past that steep learning curve in the beginning and you'll be out there doing it like a pro. Then you can decide for yourself what you think about trucking. It's not a career that suits most people which is one of the big reasons there is so much negativity about it. But if it suits you, there's nothing out there like it.