Southern Dad Joins The Fray

Who is Southern Dad? I am a guy who has spent a couple decades working my way up the corporate ladder in an evolving industry, print media. Okay, you say dying, I say evolving. Death is a form of evolution, right? There are some days that I feel like I worked myself up to the Executive Officer position on the RMS Titanic, after that little scratch. The good thing about being in my fifties is that I am in a better position for a career change.

Why would I want to become a mid-life trucker? I love management. Working schedules, building plans, getting things done, that is a passion of mine. I spend 3 hours commuting a day. That's 15 hours a week behind the wheel of my hybrid trying to get the maximum fuel economy, that I am not being paid to drive. Ever had that question, what do I want to do when I grow up? Mine is, what comes after management? I see the financials, I know that through consolidations, mergers, or possibly sale of the company, my position will need to be eliminated.

I landed at TruckingTruth because, like every other thing in my life, I manage change. I do research. I make decisions. I build a plan. Then I execute the plan. I downloaded CDL Genie and I am easily scoring passing grades on the General Knowledge and Tanker tests. By the time I take the CDL permit test, I'll be scoring 100% in all of them.

Unlike most people, I am not driven by getting the most money. Home time is a big consideration for me. I am married and I have kids in college and high school. I may go with someone like Swift Transportation, knowing that I will have limited home time to get that first year OTR under my belt. I had considered getting my CDL by taking training at a truck driving school in Conyers, GA. After research here, I do see the points about why it is better to get trained through Prime, Swift, CR England, or some other company sponsored program. It makes sense.

My father-in-law has the ultimate truck driving job that I would love to have. I know that he didn't just walk into it, he's a lifelong truck driver. His job is a milk run. No, quite literally, he hauls the milk. He makes four or five tanker runs every week, never has to sleep in the sleeper because he's home same day on his runs. The company has just over a dozen trucks. He could probably get me on there if I had my CDL but I know that it is not a good idea to go spend three weeks in a truck driving school then hook up to a food grade tanker with no bulkheads or baffles. But eventually, that is something that I would like to do. Be home every day or at least every weekend.

I look forward to reading the stories and contributing here on the forum. I will continue to learn. I would also like to learn podcasting, blogging, and YouTube. I just think of the things that would be tax write-offs, if I was producing content.

Welcome Dad, it's nice to have you here. Definitely join in the conversations, there's a lot to be learned here.

Coincidentally, your thread from December 2016 was one of the first threads that I read on the forum. As you were leaving for Prime training.

Welcome Dad, it's nice to have you here. Definitely join in the conversations, there's a lot to be learned here.

Recruiting for truck drivers is intense. I clicked a few links on here and filled out a couple applications or requests for more information and two companies have already called me. Even better is that neither have been high pressure. Both recruiters were more than willing to pass on information and answer questions. I do not know how to send PM on this forum or if it is possible but I will seek out a driver's name for referral when I decide on the company. Again, I appreciate the hard work that has went into all the resources this site provides.

Thank you all for letting me be a part of it.

We don't do private messaging, and we don't do referrals. We just focus on helping folks make a good start at this.

Welcome aboard Southern Dad! It's great to have you in here!

Oh, yeah. Welcome to our forum! I've been busy posting on your topic already. Important point: there are no put-downs, just lively discussion in here. We all learn stuff all the time.

Southern Dad, you are a nice addition to the forum. I like your style. Yeah, truck driving will be a good fit for you.

Thanks for the welcome. I see that you also left another career later in life to get into truck driving. There's always been this allure to drive the big trucks. I know that we should all only believe what a recruiter is willing to put in writing, and then maybe not even that but what I am being told is 2 days home after every 12 days on the road. The recruiter is calling it regional , although it is a big region. No northeast, no NYC, no west coast. Most of what he says jibes with what others have posted on this forum.

Southern Dad, you are a nice addition to the forum. I like your style. Yeah, truck driving will be a good fit for you.

That's about normal for hometime: one day off for each week out.

I'd be asking if it is actually 48 hours, two days, or a 34 hour reset at home? All three are different.