Comments By Old School

Hello Nicole, and welcome to our forum.

As you see... nobody thinks well of your plan. I get the feeling you may be very surprised by the comments. Maybe you're disappointed. We can't tell if you don't respond.

Let me just say as a long time parent, and a long time business owner, I appreciate your willingness to help your son. The problem with this whole thing is that the trucking business is just plain tough. There's no getting around that. What's weird is how almost everyone who tries this career thinks they can do better at it if they own their own truck.

This business has left a lot of people heart broken and completely separated from the money they spent decades putting together. I don't want to see that happening to you.

Look at what it's already done to your son. He's desperate. His desperation is the only thing that would motivate him to bring you into this terrible feeling of drowning without a lifeline to grab. You'll both regret taking this plunge.

There was one sentence in your post that jumped out at me. Here it is...

He's struggling financially just starting out.

What makes that statement frightening is it illustrates how little he and you realize what's going on. His struggles aren't even related to trying to get started. This business is harsh, and very competitive. He is getting a good taste of what it's like to be a minnow in a tank filled with sharks. Unless he is a very savvy minnow, he's better off working for the sharks. He simply cannot compete with them.

The large trucking companies focus on leveraging their economies of scale. That's where they squeeze out the independent operators. Your son can't survive on the types of freight and rates that dominate the load boards. He simply doesn't have the experience or the contacts to develop his own niche market, yet that is the only path he can make work.

You are kind and generous to be so willing to help. Each of us admires that. We just don't want to see the two of you bitter and angry with each other, and we sure don't want to see you losing the savings you've worked hard for.

Please don't make this mistake. If a bank saw this as a profitable venture they'd be more than glad to throw some money his way. Let the bank do their job. You are the mom. The best thing you can do is help him realize when it's time to throw in the towel. Don't extend his pain and then get drug into the struggle yourself.

I agree with PackRat. I literally had pages of companies that said no to me. If you want something, you go for it. Don't let a little resistance hold you back.

I was behind this truck today at a fuel stop. At least i got a chuckle while waiting my turn at the fuel pump.

I'm wondering why you even think you need the apartment. Why not make a fresh start? You could unload everything and just live a nomadic lifestyle in your truck. There's a lot of people doing that. Anytime you want a break from work you just tell your dispatcher where you'd like to take some home time, and if possible, they will route you in that area for a few days of relaxation.

Problem solved. No financial commitments but your cell phone.

Dave, the work history requirement came into play after 9/11. The brains in Washington D.C. decided they needed a way to keep terrorists from using big rigs the way they used airplanes. If they required a minimum of 3 years verifiable work history, that would keep them from being able to get into the career.

Oooops! It's kept a lot of other folks out too. There's a simple work around for folks like you. Have three friends (not relatives of yours) simply write a letter stating they know that you have been retired for x amount of years, but are now ready to return to the work force. The letters must be notarized and have contact information for the person writing it.

I was retired when I got into trucking. A lot of us were. That simple solution works very effectively. They just need to know you weren't in Afghanistan training in some desert training camp.

Give it a try.

Hey Cool Dispatcher, welcome to our forum!

I'm a company driver. Maybe that's why I'm not familiar with what you mean by "dispatch services." Are you a broker or a 3PL type operation? I'm seldom involved with this type service unless I get into an unusual backhaul scenario.

You'll find our website devoted to helping newcomers to trucking navigate their way into a successful career. Most of our members are either rookies or long time company drivers. We have a few O/Os among us, but not very many.

I'm afraid I can't be much help because my dispatcher and I are both on the same team and working to achieve the same goals.

I got over my love of the manual transmission a long time ago. I absolutely love being employed by a large trucking company. The benefits are way over the top for me.

Here's an article on this subject. I realize when looking at most of these responses I seem to be in the minority, but my Volvo I-Shift does everything I need, and does it well.

Do Real Truck Drivers Use Automatic Transmissions?

Jason, we are thrilled to hear from you! It's really awesome to see your great attitude, and hear of your success. Keep it up brother, your on the right track.

You've got to plow right through some of the negativity out here and be your own man. Don't let the Terminal Rats Derail Your Career.

This is a great example of a non trucking person trying to come up with a solution to a non existent problem.

Hello Big Guy, and welcome to trucking!

Don't get too far ahead of yourself. This will be a journey that is full of valuable lessons. I have well over a million miles experience and I'm still learning things daily.

Just about anybody can get a CDL and become a truck driver, but very few manage to be content and successful at it. You are wanting to know how to make the most money at this, but you've barely gotten started yet. There's nothing wrong with that. I actually like to see people having ambition.

The problem with most drivers is they hold a misconception about how to maximize their income. Almost everyone thinks they have to be working for some special company or be hauling specific types of freight.

What is most important for your income is how you measure up as a truck driver. This business is very much performance based. Think about how most drivers are paid. Most of us get paid by the mile. In other words, we get paid for our productivity.

While it's true that Wal-Mart drivers are among the highest paid drivers, you will still find some of their drivers not earning their potential income. There are some who just aren't as productive as others. Top producers earn top pay. That's true in most trucking jobs.

That's where you want to focus all your efforts. Always strive to be the most productive member of your team. That's the path to success in trucking.

Here's an article you might benefit from reading. It's about how you keep yourself at the top of the food chain in trucking.

Show Me The Money!