Is wanting to be a truck driver setting low standards for a career?

Question

I have always wanted to be a truck driver I just love the fact of the freedom of the road and all the travel opportunities. Also, there are alot of possibilities for advancement in the trucking industry, as far as I know from the research I have done. I'm a senior in high school now and am contemplating if i should set out to become a truck driver or enlist in the military. From the way my parents make it sound, it seems like they think becoming a truck driver is setting low goals for myself and they think I can do much better. I know I can too myself, because I got a 21 on the ACT and have a 3.5 GPA, but being a truck driver is what I really want to do. I was thinking about getting my CDL's and being a local driver like a dump truck or something like that until I turn 21, so can I drive interstate. And while I am driving a dump truck or whatever locally, I was planning on going to my local community college in the evenings to major in Business Administration. I want to continue my schooling, so this way if I do not want to continue driving, I could become a trucking terminal manager, or the manager of a warehouse. ect... If worst comes to worst and things are turing out badly and not going as planned, I can always join the military.

Does anyone else agree with my thinking? Disagree? Comments? I am just curious as to what others think of my plan and what they think of truck drivers. Please any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much in advance.

Answer 1

being a truck driver isn't a bad career choice. since the bottom fell out of the economy, I see lots of college educated folks driving trucks now that thought it was beneath them, but you gotta do what pays the bills. it would be good for a guy like you that is'nt tied down with kids and a wife. you won't stay married long (on wife #3). I really doubt that you will be able to find a local job until you turn 21. and then almost every company wants 2 yrs over the road experience. the insurance companies dictate the guidelines. I got my class b tried finding a local job driving dump truck , this was a no go. evry place wanted 2 yrs. so I went back and got my class a .the school has recruiters from companies come in and sweet talk ya. I went with a co out of wisconsin ( I live in fl) did 4 weeks with a trainer then got my own truck. been on the raod since. some places use electronic logs and some run paper logs. gotta learn how to cheat the log book if you want to make money. that means runnin illegal, driving up to 20 hrs a day sometimes but mostly 18 hrs. I don't run like that anymore now that I got the experience and how things work. the dispatch will push you to run and if you don't they punish you by making you sit by not giving you loads. if your not burnin your not earnin. don't take long to figure out how to cook the books. it's not a great job but you gotta start somewhere.

Answer 2

Not any more than going to college and majoring in poetry. Remember it is a job and it is not like it is on TV. There will always be a job for truckers. You will have a hard time finding work until you are 23 because of insurance. It's your life. That is not a bad plan. Learn diesel mechanics as well.

Answer 3

Sounds perfectly acceptable. You are making real plans and if driving is your "destiny" then don't let people tell you otherwise.



You have a plan that makes sense and I am pleased to see a youngster that doesn't pursue a career they have seen on T.V. or think that becoming a game designer is the equivalent of playing video games.



Good Luck