What Made You Want To Be A Driver?

Hey y'all. New guy here. I am considering joining the industry and am really torn on what to do. I've spent my days so far working customer service jobs. I really am passionate about helping people, but don't really like customer service jobs that much. I also am not a home body whatsoever. I like going out as much as I can and I don't mind driving. I am just not sure if trucking is right for me. I doubt myself a lot and don't know if I'm "enough" to get into trucking. I'm kind of always seen as an underdog and don't really feel like I'm good at much, so I worry I would sabotage myself if I got into trucking. So what got all of you into trucking? How did you know it was right for you? Any advice on how to make a decision about what to do?

It was a dream for me as my grandfather, my dad, uncle and cousin all drove trucks. My dad used to take me on the trucks when I was a youngster and watching him shift those twin stick Macks became a ticket to want to drive. I spent 2 years in US Navy and 2 years as an auto mechanic before I was old enough to cross state lines and spent my entire adult career as a truckdriver, 41 years and over 3 million miles. Still love it and miss it too.

Hi, Tyler. Just my two cents worth. I got into driving after 28 years doing something else, and knew I didn't want to keep doing anything related to that prior career. My brother had been driving for quite some time, and he said "well if I could drive a truck, you can sure as hell drive a truck.:" I laughed, and he said he was serious, and after further discussion on work ethic, selfc reliance, and being able to let stuff roll off my back, I realized he was right. So that's how I made by second career decision.

A couple of things in your original post that caught my attention, however. If you don't like doing a customer service job, being a truck driver may not be for you. The bottom line, we are all serving customers. Sometimes the customers are the people are picking up from, delivering to, or working for and with on a daily basis. If you, in my opinion, decide that you want to be a customer service professional, and represent the brand that you work for well, you will succeed in this job. If interaction with customers in a manner that reflects well on your employer is not in your wheelhouse or interest, don't walk, run, away from the profession. There are already enough angry, miserable, disgruntled, a-hole truck drivers ruining the profession, we don't need anymore.

The second thing is your lack of self-confidence. Going into any endeavor with the preconception that you're not very good at anything is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Drop that, decide that you're going to succeed, and throw yourself fully into doing everything you need to do to succeed. The self-proclaimed sabotage won't be sabotage, it will be a timidity caused failure.

Good luck to you, this is a great great great profession, the opportunities for real financial and personal gain are limited ONLY by one's willingness to ride for the brand and always strive for excellence.

Hello Tyler!

Trucking is a Big Commitment . You are smart to give it consideration before jumping in without much thought. You don't sound very confident in yourself and that is troubling. I'll just say this. There are hundreds of thousands of differing personalities out here in this career. Many of them have been "underdogs." Heck, I am pretty sure I started as an underdog because I had a lot of trouble just getting someone to hire me. That is another story for another time, but it was a very daunting time in my chosen profession. I just had to persevere through it and overcome. It still makes no sense to me. It took place, and I got past it. I think a willingness to keep on giving it your all is crucial to breaking into this career. I'm going to say it again - trucking is a big commitment.

Here is an article that may help you with your question...

How Can I Know If Trucking Is Right For Me?

I've wanted to drive trucks for as long as I can remember. Coming from a town plagued with violence, drugs, and homelessness with very little opportunity that most people get away from by ending up in prison it's pretty hard to turn down any chance for a decent career and a better life. I joined the Military, worked im the oilfields when I got out until I was laid off and then got in to roofing, got injured and ended up pulling a loan out to get a CDL and go OTR and hopefully be able to have a decent career. The long hours also appealed to me. I like to be kept busy

One thing that struck me is you said "I dont mind driving". Ive always been fascinated by Trucks since I was a kid. I love driving, its a stress relief for me. Much more so out in the open areas of the country. I love going to new places, listening to music gobbling up the miles. For years and years, I have worked in the suburbs of many areas on house after house. So much so that I generally cant stand houses, theyre just a pile of wood, glass, concrete and metal that costs money. Anyway, trucking allows me to maintain a lifestyle that Im used to. Ive owned a business for most of my life, im not used to clocking in and punching a clock, Im used to making my own decisions, accepting the consequences of them and above all used to my pay coming from how well I perform and make decisions. Im looking forward to getting on the road. Im also looking forward to not having my damn phone ringing off the hook all day long with annoying questions and requests from super intendents, customers and homeowners.

Before I got my CDL , I was working at Target making $10 an hour and doing Uber on the side. Between those 2 jobs, I was working 60-70 hours a week just to barely make ends meet. I felt trapped at Target, scared I was stuck making barely above minimum wage the rest of my life. I don’t recall how getting my CDL first crossed my mind but I do remember when I decided to pursue it. I’m not a people person, I like driving, I like traveling, I have no commitments that require me to be home all the time, and between the 2 jobs I was working, I was already working as much as a truck driver. Why not go for it? A local community college here had an introduction class for CDLs. It was about a week or 2 and covered getting the permit and a basic of what the job is like. Did that, liked it, so I jumped in and did the 8 week class for the actual CDL.

Frankly, the idea of driving in solitude appealed to me. In my previous career, working around a hundred other employees who were also stressed, patients and their families who were emotional wrecks (rightfully so) and requiring emotional support along with their physical needs was causing my own issues with severe burnout. Physchologically and emotionally, I had to get out and find something else. Oh, I have to deal with people who are angry, don't like their situation or other similarities, but I am stressed much less, my health has improved and I enjoy what I am doing for the most part.

I turned 50 in December 2020 and decided after my brother just got hired at TMC after a 30 year career in marines. He said "we should do this together in the next couple of years" talked with my wife and was like.... let's give it a go. After my first week on the road during CDL school I thought. "I should have done this 10 years ago" for some reason it just fits with me so far. Granted I am headed to orientation at Schneider on Monday... Maybe I will HATE IT... not thinking I will. Its been a blast thus far!

I doubt myself a lot and don't know if I'm "enough" to get into trucking. I'm kind of always seen as an underdog and don't really feel like I'm good at much,

Just in the structure and flow of your single paragraph, one can tell you have more than enough mental faculties to be a Trucker. Writing is an excellent indicator of intelligence and good writing is frustratingly less common than it should be. This forum has a surprisingly high level from what I've observed. Don't doubt whether you are "enough" from a mental standpoint.

Next steps are to see if you'd enjoy it and then to see if you physically can do it (meaning go to a school and do basic skills training).

To see if you'd enjoy it (and you really have to enjoy it because it becomes so much of your life), the only thing I can suggest if you're not sure is to try it virtually. Go to Steam and buy "Euro Truck Simulator 2" and install it. Then on a day off when can stop anyone from interrupting you, play it all day. Let yourself have a short break every three hours, but otherwise no stopping for like 10 hours. Yeah, it's not the same, but it's a rather good facsimile of many of the fun aspects of driving. If the next day you have any desire to do it again, you might be a Trucker. If you couldn't make it through the first day without wanting to smash your head in, maybe not. Of course if you hate computers or gaming in general, this would be pointless.

Here's the direct link: https:\\store.steampowered.com/app/227300