Driving Truck

[clayton86]

So I'v been trying to figure out what the hell I wanna do with my life after this deployment and essentially the end of my military career. I was thinking bout moving to Texas and working in the oil fields and was pretty set on it but iv been re thinking that decision. I'm now thinking I'm gonna go to NTTS(National Tractor Trailer School) when I get back and start driving trucks. The GI bill will cover the whole school plus I get paid for going to school so I wont get anymore student loan debt to worry about. The school is 25 weeks and gets me CDL-A and B licenses plus I think Hazmat ad any other endorsements. Iv been looking at the job market and there's tons of truck driving jobs everywhere most pay pretty good with good benefits.

I know it can be hard work and stressful at times my father was a truck driver, my grandfather was one, father in law was one and my brother in law went to the same school and is what hes doing now as well. My brother in law went to the same school started with over the road as most do only home on weekends then after 6 months moved to regional home every other night or every night depending on work orders and now he does local stuff home for dinner every night making a little more then he started out doing OTR after not even 2 years. So I know what it entails I remember watching my dad leave for a few days on trips and not being able to go over there some weekends when he had custody or I would spend my weekend with him in the dump truck when he was doing that.

I can still take this and go to Texas I figured to as there's class A driver ads on the rig zone for oil jobs in Texas and I could still move there work in a booming industry and if the bottom ever fell out I wouldn't be SOL with no job and work experience only for that one thing. With truck driving I can pretty much go anywhere and find a job I mean hell even in my small little home town and surrounding ink spills on the map that make up Orleans county there are a lot of truck driving jobs that pay good its just all in how much effort I want to put in.

Any one on here drive or used to drive or even been to NTTS

[slonezp]

My brothers been driving for 25 years. He's on his second wife. It's a tough gig. Money can be made OTR, but local normaly doesn't pay squat, unless your hauling containers or dumps and getting paid by the load. Haz-mat and tankers pay the best. He just recently became an owner operator, and is almost never home. If your really contemplating this, PM me your info. I'm sure he'd answer any questions you may have.

[quanjig]

I cannot imagine that would be very good for nurturing a healthy home life!!

[SirSnookalot]

Being in the scrap metal biz I have driven all kinds of trucks for 35 years, no double or triple trailers. If you can drive and back up a small trailer or boat, you can do a semi, it's easier as it doesn't jackknife as quick. As already said, just from the driving aspect and not addressing time away from home which I didn't do, it's extremely stressful. The most important thing in driving a truck is how the trailer is loaded, balanced, secured, and the proper amount of weight on each axle, a load that shifts is nightmare. These " Ice Road Truckers" have some pretty big cajones, I wouldn't do that for a million dollars a year, lol. One of the happiest days of my life was when all my trucks were sold and I never had to drive one again, I don't miss it all, I don't even want a pickup.

What the pay scale is today I don't know, but like all other businesses the big players get most of the trucking and it isn't easy for independents to break in. I shipped loads to Ridgway, Pa. 2-4 times month for 25 years, used many independents, they were cheaper but not reliable. Being gone for quite some time, I have no handle on the prices of rigs today, my last purchase was in the mid 90's, tractor was about 85K (not an over the road which are more expensive) and trailers run all over the map, our 6 axle dump trailers were about 65K.

[clayton86]

I understand the away from home part I come from a family of truckers. I know a few people who personally went to ntts still reside in WNY and make good money one of them people happen to be my brother in law who lives 4 miles down the road. He drives locally covering from Buffalo to Syracuse farms delivering fertilizer, fuel, what ever farms need basically he delivers to farms that's it and is home every night for dinner bringing in a little over 50k last I asked him hes not independent he works for a locally owned company. I'v talked to him about it and if maybe I could get in where hes at doing the same thing he said there's a good chance as a few of the guys are looking to retire.

The being away from home thing does suck but nothing me or my family isn't used to don't forget I'm in the military and been prepping for a deployment that I'm now on for the last 4 years gone a week every month minimum with the majority of time spent away between 2-6 weeks at a time for schools and training to go to Afghanistan and now I'm here in Kuwait been gone since January. Well being away sucks even if I'm OTR and only home every few days to start out its still better then not home for a whole year or only home a few weeks spending the rest of my time out of reach and out of touch. At least driving there are cell phones and I can call and maybe be home as well. There are a bunch of listings within a 45 minute drive of my house in NY all starting at least 45k guarantied with room for more if willing that also give full benefits and guarantee you will be home every night, every other or every weekend depending on which company but there's a bunch of each that iv found some even with signing bonuses if you come from NTTS which is nice.

Its one of my only choices this economy blows and its something that will be easy to get if anything ever happens there's always truck drivers. I mean I already have gone to school once got my ASE master tech for automotive repairs you name it but the pay sucked and even now iv thought bout going back to wrenching but I really didnt like it and its hard to find a good Tech job with out moving into the city something I hate the thought of I'm a country boy I hate going into my home town village and its barely a mile long with no traffic lights and 1 general store lol.

[rockchalk06]

Have you thought about a career in Law Enforcement?

[clayton86]

Have you thought about a career in Law Enforcement?

yeah its crossed my mind but IDK if id like it honestly just sitting handing out traffic tickets idk I may try its on the list of maybe's

[rockchalk06]

yeah its crossed my mind but IDK if id like it honestly just sitting handing out traffic tickets idk I may try its on the list of maybe's

And if I said that all Military men do is kick doors in and kill people would that describe your job?

It's a hellova lot more than a traffic ticket.

[clayton86]

And if I said that all Military men do is kick doors in and kill people would that describe your job?

It's a hellova lot more than a traffic ticket.

well that was what I was trained to do but they sent us here to Kuwait but I am an infantryman we are the trigger pullers and for MOUT I was the breach man.

[slonezp]

Being in the scrap metal biz I have driven all kinds of trucks for 35 years, no double or triple trailers. If you can drive and back up a small trailer or boat, you can do a semi, it's easier as it doesn't jackknife as quick. As already said, just from the driving aspect and not addressing time away from home which I didn't do, it's extremely stressful. The most important thing in driving a truck is how the trailer is loaded, balanced, secured, and the proper amount of weight on each axle, a load that shifts is nightmare. These " Ice Road Truckers" have some pretty big cajones, I wouldn't do that for a million dollars a year, lol. One of the happiest days of my life was when all my trucks were sold and I never had to drive one again, I don't miss it all, I don't even want a pickup.

What the pay scale is today I don't know, but like all other businesses the big players get most of the trucking and it isn't easy for independents to break in. I shipped loads to Ridgway, Pa. 2-4 times month for 25 years, used many independents, they were cheaper but not reliable. Being gone for quite some time, I have no handle on the prices of rigs today, my last purchase was in the mid 90's, tractor was about 85K (not an over the road which are more expensive) and trailers run all over the map, our 6 axle dump trailers were about 65K.

My brother just paid 136k for his tractor. As far as the ice raod truckers, he said he would never do that, and my bro is "well decorated" in the trucking world. He has won numerous awards, competes at the nationals in Paducah, and has been chosen to test drive rigs with prototype safety equipment for his feedback.

I learned to drive stick on big rigs. In high school I worked part time as a porter/detaier for Ryder Trucks. Drove locally for almost 10 years. Much rather do what I'm doing now

Clayton, I guess you have an advantage being away from home. Still a tough gig

[roadwarrior]

yeah its crossed my mind but IDK if id like it honestly just sitting handing out traffic tickets idk I may try its on the list of maybe's

Well, if that's how you really think of law enforcement, that won't work

However, we have a number of career officers on this board. In addition

to good benefits and job security, some of our guys make a six figure

income.

[Bassn Blvd]

LMAO, I haven't written a traffic ticket in more than 15 years. There's just something about going into a strange apartment/house in a bad part of town to buy dope. You go inside by yourself only to find multiple thugs inside. They lock the door after you enter and challenge you if you're a cop or not. Major adrenaline rush.

You'd also be surprised how many cops are killed during a traffic stop.

[clayton86]

Yeah IDK I need a secure job there's no LE jobs in my area. When I was younger its what I wanted to do but now idk I just need something to put food on the table and not really have to worry wether or not I can find work. Trucking there is always work to be had.

[SirSnookalot]

Clayton, you may think you always see a lot of trucks on the road, but in slower economic times those numbers are reduced, although the average person probably doesn't notice. I've been thru a number of downturns and recessions since 1973, when business slows trucking is one of the first to feel the crunch. Whatever path you take, nothing is easy, if it was everyone would be doing it.

[Bluebasser86]

yeah its crossed my mind but IDK if id like it honestly just sitting handing out traffic tickets idk I may try its on the list of maybe's

I'm an LEO and I've never written a traffic ticket in my 6 years of doing it (other than the senerios in the academy and core training anyways). Mainly because I've chosen to stay in the corrections division of our agency. I work in a building out of the weather with heat in the winter and AC in the summer. Plus if anything ever goes down I've got back up less than a minute away. The job is plenty interesting and entertaining on a day to day basis and it pays better than a lot of people probably think it would. If you make it to Sgt here and don't mind working some OT you can pull 6 figures, we have straight deputies that come close but they don't have a home life because of all the OT they work. It's steady work, great benefits, and with all the stupid people in this world it's great job security .

If it was easier to get into I would seriously consider going into being on at a fire department but that can be a long, drawn out process since it seems most of them want you to volunteer for a year or two along with all the school you have to go through.

[clayton86]

I did a quick search for LEO jobs in my area there are none what so ever no county jobs or state. I went for CO a few years ago got a 87 on the test was like 12## on the list I was told that was really good but that's all I heard got a letter saying my score and ranking talked to a few CO buddies they all said that's a good spot because 3/4s of the people in front of me probably wont make it threw all the screening. I never heard or got anything back I called the state and county to see where my application was and they had no clue I even took the civil service test.

I even looked into conservation officer no luck there either. Yeah truck driving will probably suck but it looks like one of my only options since what ever I do I need lined up for 2 weeks after I get back when ever the hell that will be.

[Quillback]

Nice thing about the LE jobs is that they come with a pension. Pensions are next to impossible to get in the private sector these days, you'll have to save money out of your salary through a 401K or IRA.