If you could do it over again, would you be a trucker

I didn’t choose to go truckin.......truckin chose me. If I was to check out tomorrow and they put my heart into some New York City bum that couldn’t drive a lawn mower soon as he was healed up he would be headed south to find a Pete and go haul feeder cattle. He wouldn’t know why but that’s what he would do
Lol
 
If I could actually go back to when it all started, I probably would’ve started driving along time ago before when I actually did; or well, I don’t really know if I would’ve or not, because so far my trucking career had been everything that I’ve ever dreamed it would be and I’m happy with how it’s turned out.

Would I have made some changes? I don’t really know because I don’t really regret how things have turned out because even though I did start my career at CR England driving school, I really can’t badmouth them simply on the premise that if you’re somebody who is serious about getting in the industry and want to make something of it, I can’t argue with how they did their training and how I ended up where I am today. Now by saying that, do I agree with their lease program? No, I do not but, me and my ex-wife, we leased a brand new truck for almost the whole three-year time except for just short of a year left until the end of its lease only because we just got tired of being gone, tired of nasty old truck stops and showers, and even though we had a fridge and was totally capable of cooking on the truck, just being ran so ragged that all you really had time for was fast food.


Besides that, we had well over three years experience to where we could go do whatever we wanted in very greener pastures and since it’s no lie that CR England is one of those companies that doesn’t want experienced drivers, they want newbies so they can pay them pennies and pocket a lot more of the profits. We actually did fairly well in our lease truck, hardly had any negative paychecks and when we turned the truck in, we actually got a pretty good chunk of our escrow fund back which is almost impossible… LOL.

When we came off the truck and settled in a new city, we had a couple jobs here and there but long story short, after we had a divorce and went our separate ways, I was able to find a really good job as a rock hauler and I’ve been there ever since for the last eight years this first of May. Couldn’t ask for a better boss… Life is great so, I love what I do and I’m gonna keep on trucking for as long as I can… LOL.
 
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I'd be torn to either choose this profession again or get into something horticulture related. I prefer working alone. Not that I'm not a people person, just a natural loner. I was raised around trucking & sometimes I say I wouldn't trade it for the world, then other days I'd give anything to play in the dirt all day with plants. To each his own, I guess. IMO, there's nothing better than spending time alone without the outside world poisoning your mind. I love being alone in this truck, but I also love being alone in a garden. ❤
 
I'd be torn to either choose this profession again or get into something horticulture related. I prefer working alone. Not that I'm not a people person, just a natural loner. I was raised around trucking & sometimes I say I wouldn't trade it for the world, then other days I'd give anything to play in the dirt all day with plants. To each his own, I guess. IMO, there's nothing better than spending time alone without the outside world poisoning your mind. I love being alone in this truck, but I also love being alone in a garden. ❤
Same. People keep asking me why I don't have a woman.

They can't grasp the concept that we don't all want someone around all the time.
 
nope..i'd have stayed in the auto repair business, having regular lunch breaks, work all the hours i want with no worries about breaking any laws, and hurry home for a hot bowl of raviolis........

then, have ALL holidays off, full benefits, regular work hours, regular home hours, regular toilet time, and a partridge in a pear tree.......
Ever work on somethin current lately? You can have that one :eek-64:

Now if this were pre ww2 that wouldnt be too bad
 
Ever work on somethin current lately? You can have that one :eek-64:

Now if this were pre ww2 that wouldnt be too bad
the thing is, many times updated training is done via DVD's, or books. i used to keep up to the new tech of the days, with VHS tapes, and seminars.

then too, as one ages, one can delegate others to do the work.
 
Had I not made the decision to move away from the DFW area, I would probably still be under the hoods of Fords at one of the dealerships in the area, if the money was still good. If not under the hood, somewhere within FoMoCo since there was lots of opportunities there outside of working at a dealership.

Yeah I would say fixin' Fords would be a gold mine. :D
although i get what @Mike is saying...

what he means is upper management. from there, one can be a warranty administration as one example. or service director, and if it is a multi line dealership ownership, the sky is the limit for earnings.

when i wrenched, i had an opportunity to work at a chevy dealership as an assistant service manager, and i took the job.

one can move around the brand (or corporate as in the GM family, or a family owned chain of brands) and make very good monies.

especially if the high level cars like, Porsche, Jaguar, Mercedes, etc....
 
although i get what @Mike is saying...

what he means is upper management. from there, one can be a warranty administration as one example. or service director, and if it is a multi line dealership ownership, the sky is the limit for earnings.

when i wrenched, i had an opportunity to work at a chevy dealership as an assistant service manager, and i took the job.

one can move around the brand (or corporate as in the GM family, or a family owned chain of brands) and make very good monies.

especially if the high level cars like, Porsche, Jaguar, Mercedes, etc....
I also had the possibility of working at Fords training center in the Dallas area.

Once getting away from the DFW area, the income potential was just no longer there.
 
although i get what @Mike is saying...

what he means is upper management. from there, one can be a warranty administration as one example. or service director, and if it is a multi line dealership ownership, the sky is the limit for earnings.

when i wrenched, i had an opportunity to work at a chevy dealership as an assistant service manager, and i took the job.

one can move around the brand (or corporate as in the GM family, or a family owned chain of brands) and make very good monies.

especially if the high level cars like, Porsche, Jaguar, Mercedes, etc....
Yeah, probably all of that but my post was about taking a dig at Fords and gaining a few of the newly established dislikes.
From what I can tell thus far is two people really like Fords and the dislike feature. :D :stirpot2:
 
I am a service/parts director at a new car dealership. The earning potential at a job like this is awesome. It's mostly commission which can be scary at times but the good months more then make up for the lean months.
 
Yeah, probably all of that but my post was about taking a dig at Fords and gaining a few of the newly established dislikes.
From what I can tell thus far is two people really like Fords and the dislike feature. :D :stirpot2:
when i was younger, i had my likes and dislikes of some brands.

but now, i like the ones with the cheapest lease program.

looks like Hyundai is running in first place for my next lease.
 
I really hate what the trucking industry has become.
But It has provided me a livable wage. Where would I be had I not become a truck driver? Probably at the airport with a broken back and joints like my father. Shift work and no weekends off.
I got steady day shift and weekends off.
Plus if this job ain't working out for me there are plenty of other options out there. The airport, the companies that you can switch to are very limited.
So, I should be grateful! But I am still allowed to complain because it is what truck drivers do best.
 
Growing up out in the country and working on farms my entire youth, it was fitting to have an admiration for semi trucks. So I’d say I was destined for the industry in some capacity; I just had to overcome my discontent for being cooped up in a vehicle for extended periods of time.

I’ve now been a commercial Driver for over half my life. I haven’t always enjoyed it, but I have no regrets.



One thing I’ve learned is, in order to set yourself up for enjoyment in this industry you need to put effort into finding your place within it.

What I mean by that is, finding the right segment of trucking, the right carrier, and the right scope of travel that align with you and your values.

I’ve met so many Drivers that have those three things off and they have no idea how big of a deal it is.
 
Growing up out in the country and working on farms my entire youth, it was fitting to have an admiration for semi trucks. So I’d say I was destined for the industry in some capacity; I just had to overcome my discontent for being cooped up in a vehicle for extended periods of time.

I’ve now been a commercial Driver for over half my life. I haven’t always enjoyed it, but I have no regrets.



One thing I’ve learned is, in order to set yourself up for enjoyment in this industry you need to put effort into finding your place within it.

What I mean by that is, finding the right segment of trucking, the right carrier, and the right scope of travel that align with you and your values.

I’ve met so many Drivers that have those three things off and they have no idea how big of a deal it is.
Absolutely agreed and well said.
 
I would go back and tell my younger self to start earlier! I came from the IT Administration industry and before that I was an insurance agent. Let me tell you.. F*ck the student lones!! I started in trucking as a way to pay them back quickly. ...And the idea of going back to an IT dungeon every day with a bunch of people I don't even like is THEE definition of hell to me. Never again will I have to ask "why is your email not working if you emailed me to complain about your email" Argh! After damn near 20 years of customer service, I can tell you I am a full fledged misanthrope. I am done dealing with the bowels of humanity over the phone or otherwise. No amount of education will prepare you for the poor manners that seem to magically manifest over the phone when you tell someone something they don't want to hear. But hey, it still happens, I just get to hang up now without endangering my job. I am a company driver, but I'm still the captain of this ship **honk honk**.
 

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