That Little Voice That Eats At Ya.

First and foremost, trucking site or not, this is one of the most professional and best responsive forums and blog site that I have come across in a long time. Brett and all the other mods as well as the posters, I commend y'all.

Thought about trucking for years, but I've done almost everything but that. Radio DJ for 13 years, Supervisor of a metal shop for a few more years, security guard for a few years, and now working in printing and all the while (with the exception of dj'n) I have felt stuck. A longing in my soul that there is more out there waiting and wanting to be explored.

Every time I mention wanting to be a truck driver I get mixed responses. Yes, I am a father of two wonderful kids. However they both now live with their mothers. I am engaged and she has a young kid but oddly enough I get the most positive feedback from her.

Growing up my neighbor drove and ended up retiring from ABF. Although in the early years of my memory he did do some OTR work when he had his own truck.

Is there such a thing as a calling? I have no idea, but I do know that more often than not when I'm driving down the interstate I look longingly at the majestic vessels that sail our concrete and asphalt seas.

I've been looking into a few places and reading here (again KUDOS on the way this site is ran and maintained) and the pull seems stronger. Although I still have mixed feelings about being away from home that much. Even though my kids are at the very least an hour and half away I still feel like I'm leaving them.

Anyone else have this dilemma? Or am I nuts?

Go for it!!!

The man who loves what he's getting paid to do never has to go to "work!" Those who can do so are few, but happy.

ABF is a tremendous place to spend a driving career and in some cases they take on new drivers. Can you do some networking with your friend who spent his career there and see if you can't open a door for yourself? Especially being that you have a family, you might turn over every rock you could to get in there.

If you don't have your CDL yet, take a course at the local community college to get it and then refer to the paragraph above.

First and foremost, trucking site or not, this is one of the most professional and best responsive forums and blog site that I have come across in a long time. Brett and all the other mods as well as the posters, I commend y'all.

Thought about trucking for years, but I've done almost everything but that. Radio DJ for 13 years, Supervisor of a metal shop for a few more years, security guard for a few years, and now working in printing and all the while (with the exception of dj'n) I have felt stuck. A longing in my soul that there is more out there waiting and wanting to be explored.

Every time I mention wanting to be a truck driver I get mixed responses. Yes, I am a father of two wonderful kids. However they both now live with their mothers. I am engaged and she has a young kid but oddly enough I get the most positive feedback from her.

Growing up my neighbor drove and ended up retiring from ABF. Although in the early years of my memory he did do some OTR work when he had his own truck.

Is there such a thing as a calling? I have no idea, but I do know that more often than not when I'm driving down the interstate I look longingly at the majestic vessels that sail our concrete and asphalt seas.

I've been looking into a few places and reading here (again KUDOS on the way this site is ran and maintained) and the pull seems stronger. Although I still have mixed feelings about being away from home that much. Even though my kids are at the very least an hour and half away I still feel like I'm leaving them.

Anyone else have this dilemma? Or am I nuts?

Well if u are nuts your not alone. I also have that same feeling of my bell being tolled to hitch a ride in the industry. As far as children I have three beautiful little ladies that live at home with me and altough I have my concerns of "leaving" I also know that what I am trying to get into is for their best interest in the long run. Been in construction for past 15+ years and it has been nothing but a roller coaster ride. The idea of starting a career that has very minimal unemployment and fact that as long as people are buying stuff (and I don't screw it up myself, which is not likely) I will always have a steady income and bills will get paid. Not to mention saving for what will be most important years from now which is college and more than likely weddings (although I swear I'm not rushing either one) only 35 but figure I'm getting to old for hunting that next job and don't think I would make it past another 10 years before I would be "broke down" from the manual labor and wanted to look for something I could do from here on. The thought of trying to start a new career after I've had my share of roofing for so long and by then WOULD be broke down made me start hearing "welcome to walmart" more often. That's just nit my idea of preparing for retirement

ABF is a tremendous place to spend a driving career and in some cases they take on new drivers. Can you do some networking with your friend who spent his career there and see if you can't open a door for yourself? Especially being that you have a family, you might turn over every rock you could to get in there.

If you don't have your CDL yet, take a course at the local community college to get it and then refer to the paragraph above.

My thoughts exactly, I figure for myself doing a year or two otr for experience (and the thought of getting to at least SEE the rest of the country) then try my hand a little closer to home for the family, and hopefully once they are out on their own maybe talking the wife into a "teams type of retirement plan" from there on out. Hey a man can only plan and hope for the best. I second that motion GO FOR IT, after all there are so many different options to suit your needs and if you don't like the one you choose try for the next. Great thing about it is there are endless options and more than enough seats ready for the taking

The dark side of trucking is you have to LEAVE the comforts of the things you have worked thus far to get.

Yes it does offer a nice income with lots of opportunities. But, if you THINK it will be hard on your family the reality is probably much tougher.

I can only say as a man who raised 5 kids, and thought it was gonna be easy because 4 of them moved into their own adult lives, I sorely misunderstood what I was going to STILL miss out on.

Take your time..

I am VERY happy with the choice I made and would do the the same again.

Good luck

I do believe that we do have a calling and if we're lucky we get to be paid for what we love to do. Even as a small child I would draw trucks and trailers which led to a convoy that literally circled the walls of my bedroom. At the age of 23 I started in this field driving for a local farmer being home everday hauling grain elevator to elevator or farm to elevator. Come summer time I would haul tomatoes from the field to canneries in Ohio, Michigan or Indiana which would require overnight trips in an old IH Transtar cab over with no AC, power steering, etc... ;)

I knew then this was what I was born to do.... But, I let my wife at the time, long since ex wife now ;) talk me into joining her at a local factory and I did last over 7 years there until very shortly after we divorced when I got back in a truck and haven't been out of one since. I spent a couple of my early years OTR , then got a local LTL line haul gig, I missed life on the road shortly after getting the local job but at the time was a slave to the money that job provided and now, finally, Monday, my wife and I are starting orientation at an expediting company to drive team class B straight truck and be OTR for 4-6 weeks at a time...

I can't speak for leaving family because I've never been married and don't have any children. But I can say this about taking a shot a trucking - there's very little risk in it. I mean, the schooling is relatively inexpensive and only lasts a month or so. You could make that money back in no time. So even if you decided to give it a shot and found out that it wasn't for you, simply walk away and never look back. No harm done. If you love it then you've found yourself a new path in life.

Thanks y'all. I'm thinking if I jump in Company sponsored training is the way I'll go. Just wish everything wasn't so far from my little hometown. Asheville and Fletcher have schools, it's the upfront cost that gets me right away.

I appreciate y'all letting me take a little bit of ya time!

Thanks y'all. I'm thinking if I jump in Company sponsored training is the way I'll go. Just wish everything wasn't so far from my little hometown. Asheville and Fletcher have schools, it's the upfront cost that gets me right away.

I appreciate y'all letting me take a little bit of ya time!

BTW a lot of company sponsored programs won't cost u any money to start. Aside from (depending what program) the money you will need to eat off of r nit but during your school. After that, again depending which program, you will be getting paid even as your in training. I'm not sure if u have already but search for company sponsored on this site. Ton of info there and reviews for each. You may not yet know just how helpful and informative this place really is :)