Profile For Benjamin D.

First, you will be exhausted as a new driver. Even an experienced driver has days of "im.gonna sleep 12 hours". Do NOT rely on having time for the web.

Second, you need to put all of your effort into driving if that is your choice. there is no room to give it half an effort. that could kill someone.

Do trucking 110% or dont do it.

Thanks Rainy, that confirms my assumption, so at least now I know what to expect and can safely hang up any plans to continue studying that, so I can shift focus over to trucking. I still think I'm going to move forward with trucking, even though it's not going to leave room for studying anything else. Since I started seriously thinking about doing it, every time I see a truck on the road, or think about it, I get excited. I don't feel that way with web development. With the Web development it just seemed like a way out of my current career without having to get a college degree. Another job I'm not really interested in doing that had better benefits... Trucking seems like something I will actually enjoy.

I've thought about this question also - when I pictured one aspect of trucking, I pictured lots of downtime at the loading docks = plenty of time to study. I was wrong - looks like!

Benjamin asked...

Is it still a good time to get into trucking?

A resounding, shout-out-loud "YES" to your question!

Freight is abundant right now, doesn't appear it will let up any time soon. Based on your primary concern...self-driving trucks, I suggest investing your time reading all of the threads, articles and listening to a Podcast dedicated to the subject of your concern.

Autonomous Trucks

Keep something in mind, the autonomous technology is computer based and relies on sensors and a satellite feed. These systems individually or in tandem do fail and do not always provide accurate input. I deal with something called DriveWyze...it consistently warns me when approaching an overpass that is in no way impeding my forward path. If not for lightly pressing the throttle when approaching the offending objects, my truck would apply emergency braking. Technology is a tool...IMO we are decades removed from being totally replaced.

Read the content contained within the link. I believe if this is your only fear, it's high time you get serious and realize the only thing holding you back is indecision.

Good luck!

G-Town, I appreciate it, good to know!

My best friend's Dad, a retired trucker, became a truck driver about 40 years ago, and drove for 30 years, mostly for JB Hunt - he never asked anyone about it before he started his career, never hemmed and hawed like I've done about it, he never studied for a CDL beforehand (I don't even know if CDLs were in existence then), he just went for it. I've drilled him with questions on trucking as a career, he gave me solid advice, but heck, that was about a decade ago that I asked him. Yet, here we are - well, here I am - on forums, trying to decide if it's the right thing to do. I've been on the fence for the last decade about driving professionally, and I still haven't made up my mind. I've posted here before, but I'd like to just ignore those old posts as I was not in a good frame of mind then when I posted.

I read through Brett's book about 2 years ago, and most if not all the articles on TruckingTruth. It would be nice to just go for it, but I'm overwhelmed by all the good information Trucking Truth has to offer. But I'm going to start over and work on learning the High Road CDL test (again, but get through it this time), and read up on Brett's online book, plus articles. This might be the start of something, and I'm tired of not working; yet, right now, I still have the opportunity to get started in a trucking career, learn everything I can, to go through this stuff on Trucking Truth. The thing that worries me is the job security - what about those dumb self-driving trucks we keep hearing about? To me, it's not cool and not fair that they are going to try to bring those into fruition. The powers that be scoff and laugh at people who think self-driving trucks aren't a good/fair idea, but to me, self-driving trucks feels kind of like a let down.

Is it still a good time to get into trucking?

What are the best articles to start with on this site?

Wish me luck!