Career Questions and Answers
Should I quit my steady "9 to 5" to be a truck driver?
Asked by jspech22a
I have a fairly stable job that pays somewhere around $25,000 to $30,000 a year. It's flexible scheduling also allows me to work on the side with a family member and make another $10,000 a year. I have a lot of debt to pay off so I need every penny I'm making. I want to drive tanker trucks for a living but most of those companies want 2 years experience. I have my CDL but no experience. Should I take an over the road tractor trailer driving position now, and give up my steady job for something I've never done before, so I can get the experience I need to make good money? I'll be making about the same or a little more for the next year or two, and be away from home and my girlfriend a lot. Tanker trucks pay 60k to 70k a year, and there are a lot of local jobs in that field. It's what I want to do after a year or two. In this economy should I cling to what I have or take a chance at living my American dream? I know it doesn't seem like much, but it's my life and I have my reasons for being where I am today. By the way, my current job is ridiculously easy but the people I work with drive me nuts. I don't want revenge or anger to be a factor in me quitting my current job if it's not the right thing to do. I do want to better my life, but not just to prove a point to someone.
Asked by jspech22a
I have a fairly stable job that pays somewhere around $25,000 to $30,000 a year. It's flexible scheduling also allows me to work on the side with a family member and make another $10,000 a year. I have a lot of debt to pay off so I need every penny I'm making. I want to drive tanker trucks for a living but most of those companies want 2 years experience. I have my CDL but no experience. Should I take an over the road tractor trailer driving position now, and give up my steady job for something I've never done before, so I can get the experience I need to make good money? I'll be making about the same or a little more for the next year or two, and be away from home and my girlfriend a lot. Tanker trucks pay 60k to 70k a year, and there are a lot of local jobs in that field. It's what I want to do after a year or two. In this economy should I cling to what I have or take a chance at living my American dream? I know it doesn't seem like much, but it's my life and I have my reasons for being where I am today. By the way, my current job is ridiculously easy but the people I work with drive me nuts. I don't want revenge or anger to be a factor in me quitting my current job if it's not the right thing to do. I do want to better my life, but not just to prove a point to someone.
A:
Best Answer:
*Not* right now....if you have a stable job & not under threat of layoffs, stay where you are. Right now many of the largest carriers that hire "new" drivers straight out of school are either on hiring FREEZES or are severely restricting who they'll hire & where in the country they will hire FROM. For example- Schneider, who used to actually have a "free" training school & would pay you to get your CDL through them, is now only hiring experienced drivers. Werner & Swift and I believe US Xpress, all companies that hire trucking-school grads, are on severe hiring restrictions. There are experienced drivers with 1-3 years in the business who can't find a job even with a clean MVR & good work history. Those companies who are hiring are being VERY picky & selecting the drivers with the most experience & the best driving history. 3 years ago- even 1 year ago there was a "driver shortage" and a "job surplus". High fuel prices shoved a lot of companies out of business real quick....and the economic downturn has put a strain on even the bigger companies who were more stable. The driver shortage has turned into a "driver surplus". Freight is slow & a lot of companies are struggling. This is "make or break" time for trucking companies. Schools & company recruiters are NOT going to tell you this- if schools told you most companies are severely restricting who they hire, nobody would go to school & they'd be out of business. Company recruiters make money based on how many people apply on their urging- not how many people are hired. Look at the trucking industry FACTS, join a trucker forum, ask any driver. It's not pretty out there. The good thing is, when the economy improves, trucking is typically the FIRST sector to feel it (we started seeing the decline about 2-3 years ago & ask any trucker how long we've been in a recession- he'll tell you it started before the housing bubble popped). And when the economy does improve, that "driver shortage" will be right back where it was overnight- probably even WORSE than before. So if you have your dream- live it....in any job you have to pay your dues & eat crap for a couple of years before you make good money. Being a rookie OTR driver will suck crap through a straw more often than it'll reward you.....just be prepared. But just hang out & wait for a while. There are folks who preach doom & gloom for the economy over the next 20 years & folks who say it'll start coming up by the end of the year. WAIT & see....keep an eye on trucking industry news through OOIDA & ATA, and when you see positive numbers & stories coming up regularly, you'll know it's time to start moving in that direction. Good luck.
*Not* right now....if you have a stable job & not under threat of layoffs, stay where you are. Right now many of the largest carriers that hire "new" drivers straight out of school are either on hiring FREEZES or are severely restricting who they'll hire & where in the country they will hire FROM. For example- Schneider, who used to actually have a "free" training school & would pay you to get your CDL through them, is now only hiring experienced drivers. Werner & Swift and I believe US Xpress, all companies that hire trucking-school grads, are on severe hiring restrictions. There are experienced drivers with 1-3 years in the business who can't find a job even with a clean MVR & good work history. Those companies who are hiring are being VERY picky & selecting the drivers with the most experience & the best driving history. 3 years ago- even 1 year ago there was a "driver shortage" and a "job surplus". High fuel prices shoved a lot of companies out of business real quick....and the economic downturn has put a strain on even the bigger companies who were more stable. The driver shortage has turned into a "driver surplus". Freight is slow & a lot of companies are struggling. This is "make or break" time for trucking companies. Schools & company recruiters are NOT going to tell you this- if schools told you most companies are severely restricting who they hire, nobody would go to school & they'd be out of business. Company recruiters make money based on how many people apply on their urging- not how many people are hired. Look at the trucking industry FACTS, join a trucker forum, ask any driver. It's not pretty out there. The good thing is, when the economy improves, trucking is typically the FIRST sector to feel it (we started seeing the decline about 2-3 years ago & ask any trucker how long we've been in a recession- he'll tell you it started before the housing bubble popped). And when the economy does improve, that "driver shortage" will be right back where it was overnight- probably even WORSE than before. So if you have your dream- live it....in any job you have to pay your dues & eat crap for a couple of years before you make good money. Being a rookie OTR driver will suck crap through a straw more often than it'll reward you.....just be prepared. But just hang out & wait for a while. There are folks who preach doom & gloom for the economy over the next 20 years & folks who say it'll start coming up by the end of the year. WAIT & see....keep an eye on trucking industry news through OOIDA & ATA, and when you see positive numbers & stories coming up regularly, you'll know it's time to start moving in that direction. Good luck.
A:
Obviously, you are fishing for advice that serves to confirm what you already plan to do: take the over the road job. As such, I think you should be advised that we are likely only in the beginning stages of a long economic downturn.
US shed another half-million jobs in April
By Andre Damon
9 May 2009
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/may2009/jobs-m09.shtml
Answered by Renegade99
Answered by Renegade99
Best Answers are selected by the person who asked the question or other Yahoo! users. Find out more at Yahoo! Answers
Find Career & Employment Answers
Enter a keyword below to find questions and answers from real people