Article in last Countryside about truck driving

[hawgdawg308]

Did anyone else see the article in Countryside Nov/Dec 2004? I am thinking of going truck driving. I did it 4 years ago so I know about problems on the road. But if a person could stick with it they could be debt free in 18 months and have their homestead free and clear 3 years after that.

Duane KF4ELJ

[limhyl]

My brother went to school for six months to get his truck driving license and now he does long haul all over the U.S. He has no family and it works for him as he has no bills and banks all of his pay. He likes it ok but says it gets lonely out on the road. If you had a partner you could trade driving with it would be better and you could cover more miles and make more money. You're right about saving though. Not much to spend your money on being out on the road. Theresa.

[seedspreader]

Originally Posted by limhyl

My brother went to school for six months to get his truck driving license and now he does long haul all over the U.S. He has no family and it works for him as he has no bills and banks all of his pay. He likes it ok but says it gets lonely out on the road. If you had a partner you could trade driving with it would be better and you could cover more miles and make more money. You're right about saving though. Not much to spend your money on being out on the road. Theresa.

Having owned and managed several trucks and worked as a recruiting/driver retention manager for a large corporation, don't believe that there is nothing to spend your money on. It costs alot to eat every meal at a restaurant, pay for showers (if you don't happen to need fuel, when you need a shower), and everything is 2 times as much at the truck stop. It is a hard life, but can be rewarding if you are disciplined.

[dale]

I drove over the road for 10 years and loved it for the first 7 then I started to get a bad attitude and was tired of living constantly on the road.
Company said we will get you by the house each week.

Well they told the truth "by" the house some times just for an hour wasnt even worth the stop.

Last company i drove for was really good but my youngest was coming along and i didnt want her growing up like the oldest with out dad around so i found differnt work.

Yes I made alot of money but like someone else said it takes alot.

dale

[Beeman]

I've had a CDL since they started it as I grandfathered in. Two years ago a friend convinced me to come to the company he worked for and drive team with him. I made 40k the first year in 11 mo. and will make 60 this year and I'm not topped out in pay yet. End of Jan. I'll get a 5 percent raise that will top me out. Every year we've gotten cost of living increase plus we get 401k match and benefits. We're work 3 1/2 to 5 days a week, 5 days max as we're on a schedules run.
Right now is a good time for the transportation industry, trucking, railroad and cargo ship. Just be sure to do your homework and know what you are getting in to. Not all companies are the same and all different types of operations differ. Even the top notch union companies like Yellow Freight is hiring trucking school graduates with no experience. Learn what dry van, flatbed, reefer, expedited, and LTL is before you jump in. Be prepared for increased rules and regulations and the responsibility that will come with it.

As I was growing up my dad drove for a furniture moving company and hauled cross country. He was paid very, very, good. The only bad part was that he didn't share it with us his family. He did at first but as the years went by he started sharing it with lady friends he would have in different states. He eventually got to where we would only see him maybe 2 or 3 times a year. He rarely watched one of my ball games or any other school events. Finally my mom devorced him so we could get some kind of support from him. I told myself that I would never be a truck driver even if it was the last job on earth.

However here lately I have thought about getting into truck driving. I met a felllar the other day who drives locally for a outfit. He only drives 3 days a week and still makes a good living. The rest of the week he tinkers around on his place.

[Ken Scharabok]

Can anyone say, "Hello Guest Worker Program". If the Guest Worker program with Mexico is approved, I can see the trucking industry as a large employer. I would foresee teams of three guys virtually living in the truck for several months, then home to Mexico for a month or so. One driving, one sleeping and one riding. Would put about the maximum number of hours on a truck in a month. For them it would be BIG bucks.

Ken Scharabok

[Beeman]

I drive for an LTL company, all drop and hook, terminal to terminal and I pull doubles.
Anyone that thinks they want to get into trucking needs to do research. Find out about Haz-Mat regs, log books and a CDL. Do research on FMCSA and also organizations like CRASH and PATT.