What Did You Do Before Becoming A Truck Driver?

Topic 7924 | Page 1

Page 1 of 45 Next Page Go To Page:
Errol V.'s Comment
member avatar

Some people were chiming in on Laura T.'s "I hate Nursing" topic about what they did before they became interested in trucking. I put the question in the title for others to tell what they did "before".

I taught middle school math and science for eleven years. Finally I "had it" with both student attitude and administration pressure to get my students to pass the annual testing.

Also, rookie truckers make just about as much as rookie teachers do, without all that college!

So, what did you do in your "previous life"?

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Maia B.'s Comment
member avatar

I was a purchasing and logistics manager for a small produce distributor in Phoenix. Before that I was a food and beverage cost controller for a resort here in town as well. I have always been on the receivers side of the industry and always enjoyed talking with the different drivers who would come daily.

Since my layoff I figure its time for a fresh start, and with team driving the money is hard to ignore. I don't have any kids or responsibilities so I figure why not?

The Dude's Comment
member avatar

Worked in IT. Specifically in software quality assurance and customer program development for a large corporation who develops inventory management programs on handheld units for some of the largest retailers in the country.

I took home about $480 a week doing that, as a guy who makes sure the program Lowe's, CVS and Kroger use every quarter to count their crap works correctly.

Now I make almost double that on a good week doing flatbed with much less pressure and BS. Every time I get covered in tarp juice I remember that I could be in an IT meeting instead.

RedBeard's Comment
member avatar

Nothing fancey but i just worked in dead end warehouse that sucked and didnt care about its people at all. They had an extremely high turn over rate which is sad cause they are the second largest sporting equipment company in the world. I was there for 8 years and asked to get off 30 mins early to go to school they were like nope. So i quit and signed for school to be a trucker. I was thinking about going on and on about how bad they did me other people but its a waste.

Mr. Smith's Comment
member avatar

Pipeline (Steam, Petroleum, Gas, Water, Sewer, Storm Drain) As a little kid I grew up picking up the pipe or heavy equipment, chaining it down, delivering it. As I got older I learned to dig trenches and install it. Then I thought going to school to learn how to design it would be a good idea. Had a skateboard company for a couple years out of highschool thinking id get famous. Genetic Genealogy and Hot Rods as a hobby.

Papa Bird's Comment
member avatar

I spent the last 17 yrs as an Appliance Repair Technician, the last 10 of which I owned my own business. Just got tired of fixing people's stuff, only to be told (1) sorry, i don't have the money today, can you take a check (which will bounce like a golf ball, and i will never pay unless i need you again.) Or (2) Do you really need to charge me that much, your in business so you can afford to cut me a break.wtf-2.gif Funny thing though while i was home this past weekend someone came to my house and informed me that my shop phone wasn't working, they had gotten the message that it was disconnected, I told them that I was driving truck now, because i wasn't making a living on the repair business anymore, and they tell me that I was selfish "Your the best we ever had around here, you were fair, and honest, so now what are we suppose to do?"sorry.gif

Pat M.'s Comment
member avatar

I installed telephone systems for large and small business. They ranged in size from 3 phones to over 10,000 phones. Used to fly around the country and perform upgrades and installations. There were times that I had to fly in to fix an issue that nobody seemed to be able to figure out. Most of that was dealing with lightning. I can find where that stuff is getting into the phone system.

Robert B. (The Dragon) ye's Comment
member avatar

Auto restoration, custom body and paint. It really is and will always be a passion of mine but with the economy up and down so much it makes it tough to make a good living off of it. Unless of course you have a tv show with 500 sponsors and you don't have to pay for equipment and materials. Then it's easy.

Daniel B.'s Comment
member avatar

I was under 21 so I couldn't do any "big boy" jobs. So I worked overnights at Sam's Club as a stocker/forklift operator.

I'm making 4 times what I made doing that and I was fulltime!

Brett Aquila's Comment
member avatar

I was also 21 when I started trucking. I was working for $5.50/hr in a warehouse when the idea came to me and I went to trucking school. That was in '93. I used trucking as a jumping off point into other interests. I graduated from Motorcycle Mechanics Institute for Harley Davidson and turned wrenches for a few months but went back on the road because it paid better and was a lot more fun. Became a certified tig welder during that time also.

Page 1 of 45 Next Page Go To Page:

New Reply:

New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features

Bold
Italic
Underline
Quote
Photo
Link
Smiley
Links On TruckingTruth


example: TruckingTruth Homepage



example: https://www.truckingtruth.com
Submit
Cancel
Upload New Photo
Please enter a caption of one sentence or less:

Click on any of the buttons below to insert a link to that section of TruckingTruth:

Getting Started In Trucking High Road Training Program Company-Sponsored Training Programs Apply For Company-Sponsored Training Truck Driver's Career Guide Choosing A School Choosing A Company Truck Driving Schools Truck Driving Jobs Apply For Truck Driving Jobs DOT Physical Drug Testing Items To Pack Pre-Hire Letters CDL Practice Tests Trucking Company Reviews Brett's Book Leasing A Truck Pre-Trip Inspection Learn The Logbook Rules Sleep Apnea
Done
Done

0 characters so far - 5,500 maximum allowed.
Submit Preview

Preview:

Submit
Cancel

This topic has the following tags:

Becoming A Truck Driver Changing Careers Military Veterans In Trucking Older truck drivers Photos The Economy And Politics Truck Driving Stories
Click on any of the buttons above to view topics with that tag, or you can view a list of all forum tags here.

Why Join Trucking Truth?

We have an awesome set of tools that will help you understand the trucking industry and prepare for a great start to your trucking career. Not only that, but everything we offer here at TruckingTruth is 100% free - no strings attached! Sign up now and get instant access to our member's section:
High Road Training Program Logo
  • The High Road Training Program
  • The High Road Article Series
  • The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
  • Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted

Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth

Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:

Apply For Paid CDL Training