Other People’s Doubts

I really appreciate everyone chiming in on this topic. I can’t tell you how helpful it is just to have a little validation and support. Ya’ll are awesome ❤️

Late to the party on this, but I can tell you what happens when you listen to those doubting your choices. I let my family's fears drive my decision making process, and made a whole bunch of "safe" choices because "what if I fail at........." I have a mountain of regret from it. My son has a lot of resentment because of my choices. I can't look at him and say "I did my best" because it really wasn't. It was my best within the box I had firmly placed myself in.

At 40, I was still guilt tripped when I packed up my car and left. The morning I said see ya later, I was told that I was "putting my family in a difficult place."

My advice? Tell nobody. List a friend as an emergency contact, and tell people AFTER you have already made the change. At that point there is no longer the room for arguments.

Hello Clare.

I have found myself in a similar situation. A lot of doubt is not coming so much from family, but from myself. I work in a factory and make 25% above average factory money, with many days off. If I try trucking and fail, hit something early in my career, or have some other problem. in just a month I could be back where I am now, but with no good job. ...However, I love trucking. I have driven regionally in a cargo van hauling single pallets.

I write this to say : do it ! If you succeed you will be in high paying, and very in demand career field. You will rarely have a boring day at work if OTR , especially if flatbed driving. There is a whole world ( USA n Canada, maby Mexico ) out there that most people don't get to see. I've personally driven as far west as Colorado, and as far north as Alaska. This country is beautiful, some sleeper berths can be as comfortable as a hotel, regional food can be delicious. You will see the most unique things going down the road. I've seen a bob cat, waiting in a highway median, all kinds of oversize cargo, something I"m sure was a UFO ( on a truck trailer, it looked like a literal flying saucer ) , You'll may see some wildlife, truck stop showers are a far higher quality then you'd might expect.

These are just the things I experienced driving regionally in a cargo\sprinter van. The reality : if your cousin is a trucker, what they are telling is you, is what trucking actually is, what everyone else is telling you is ''what they think it is''. just my 2 cents, hope this helps :)

If I'm wrong or incorrect about any of this, please correct me, as I do not want to mislead or post false information.