Hello all. For 2 years I have been following blogs/vlogs of truckers, and have decided that might be the lifestyle/career change I need. Actually being an O/O of a Sprinter is what is most appealing. I'm so sick of the B.S. corporate desk job! Doing lots of research about getting into this business... it's a bit overwhelming...
Massive career change...
- Thread starter Nurvus
- Start date
Murraycroexp
Veteran Expediter
Don't sell your desk just yet!!!
Read EO for about 40-50 hours first.
Read EO for about 40-50 hours first.
Excellent advise. Read and ask lots of questions through the forum and by PM.
zorry
Veteran Expediter
If there isn't a sticky to refer this guy too, there should be.
Then we could refer people to it.
It should cover unsteady income, lack of benefits,taxes.
Companies that don't pay, cost of ownership, etc.
This question comes up a few times a week and I think many put off the weekend of reading until after the jump; once they decide to research why this isn't working for me.
Then we could refer people to it.
It should cover unsteady income, lack of benefits,taxes.
Companies that don't pay, cost of ownership, etc.
This question comes up a few times a week and I think many put off the weekend of reading until after the jump; once they decide to research why this isn't working for me.
Murraycroexp
Veteran Expediter
Wouldn't a search for "Thinking about getting into...." yield a plethora of responses and strings from the past few years?
I always find it funny that when someone new ask for advice on getting into the business no one ever says yup this is great read the forums and join us on the road. What i do see a lot of is read the forums and keep your desk job type of comments even from people that have been doing this for a long time and I still havent figured out if this job sucks or you guys dont want anymore competition out there on the road? Just saying...
Daffyduck528
Expert Expediter
Depends. A lot of people feel stuck doing this from when it was great. It's a very different lifestyle than what most people do. A gypsy loves being a gypsy. I'd hate it. A lot of people have bought vans/sprinters/trucks and hated it or not made the money they thought they would or get into it with very little money and fail at the first bad settlement or major repair. I think most of us like this job/lifestyle and want others to be successful and jumping in with no knowledge and doing no research is a great step for failure.
This job sucks and i'm trying to get out of it but can't find anything else but when i do my straight truck will be for sale. Hows that! B.T.W. I will trade my 24' 3 axle straight truck with liftgate for your desk job.
tenntrucker
Expert Expediter
This was my "desk job" over the weekend. Did a weekend rental to do some cleaning up around the farm.
sent from my Galaxy S3
Murraycroexp
Veteran Expediter
This was my "desk job" over the weekend. Did a weekend rental to do some cleaning up around the farm.
Very cool!!! Was it as fun as it looks?!?!
tenntrucker
Expert Expediter
It was a blast, right up to the moment I got it stuck. .......
sent from my Galaxy S3
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Murraycroexp
Veteran Expediter
It was a blast, right up to the moment I got it stuck. .......
Ouch!!!! It's not like you can tie it off to a sapling and yell "PULL!!!!"
No damage, I trust?
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tenntrucker
Expert Expediter
Naw, its all good. Had to get one of my good neighbors to bring a couple big tractors over and get it out.
sent from my Galaxy Tab2
There are people who have desk jobs and love them, and there are people who have desk jobs and hate them. So too with expediting.
Think deeply about what it is exactly that you hate about the "B.S. corporate desk job." Is it the people, policies, unfair working conditions, lack of a fair chance, inability to get time off when you want it, work hours, an idiot boss, an uncomfortable desk chair, one or more of these in combination, something different?
Leaving a desk job to take up life on the road has been done successfully and happily by many. There are also many who have done the same thing and deeply regretted making the change.
Trucking is a fantastic job if you happen to love the lifestyle. For those who do, it does not seem much like a job at all. But if the road is not calling you, and it is instead hatred of your present job that makes trucking look good, trucking may not be the answer, because most of the desk-job negatives listed above can be found in a truck cab too.
Sounded like a career burnt out 
Every job has it, including driving. I get it too
May be the OP just need to take a break from his job?
Before making a big career change, how about jumping in a car, drive across a few states and spend a few nights at the truck stop parking lots. Do it for about a week. I'm pretty sure at the end of the week, the OP will have an answer
Every job has it, including driving. I get it too May be the OP just need to take a break from his job?
Before making a big career change, how about jumping in a car, drive across a few states and spend a few nights at the truck stop parking lots. Do it for about a week. I'm pretty sure at the end of the week, the OP will have an answer
My Advice to you is for you to take a few weeks of vacation from your desk job and try driving a Sprinter for an owner for a few weeks as a co driver. You will know at the end of the two weeks if expediting is for you. If you don't like it you still have your desk job to go back to. Not everyone can handle being gone from home weeks at a time. OVM, Turtle and few others on here can give you the up and down parts about driving a Sprinter.
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The desk job does have a steady paycheck, paid holidays and paid vacations. All things we don't have on the road. Since you're an "Independent Contractor"--- all those things are something you don't get.
On the flip side, some desk jobs-- not all, but some-- are soul-killing jobs I wouldn't wish on an enemy. So-- weigh one against the other and see where you get with it.
On the flip side, some desk jobs-- not all, but some-- are soul-killing jobs I wouldn't wish on an enemy. So-- weigh one against the other and see where you get with it.
I have posted something like this before:: This weekend, on Friday after your desk job and no sleep, drive 12 hours to another town with a truckstop and pretend you made a delivery. Take a 12 dollar shower since you do not have any fuel points and eat at a Dennys if they have one. Now go back to your car and sleep for 8 hours if you can. Leave your engine running for hvac if you want to, but you do not have to. Be sure to block all windows and such so you are not awaken by lights.
If you make it thru the night, sit in your car all day waiting for a load( again pretend ). Continue to run your engine as needed for cooling or heating, at least 8 more hours. Now go in the truck-stop and watch tv if they have one or just play on your laptop in your ride. Do this for 2 days minimum because this is the way it is for many drivers. Yes you can get out of your ride and walk around the truck stop or visit a wally world and watch people do dumb stuff..be creative, buy some movies and watch those on your laptop too.
Now get on your cellphone and call your friends and chat for 2 hours and tell them all the fun you are having. Places to visit while you wait, Meyers, Walmart, Kmart, Sears, the mall.
Ok, now its 6pm on Sunday night, drive 12 hours back home, clean up and run Forrest Run to that desk job....try it before you spend more money next weekend at that truck stop..bet you will not drive back to that truck stop, just saying......................
If you make it thru the night, sit in your car all day waiting for a load( again pretend ). Continue to run your engine as needed for cooling or heating, at least 8 more hours. Now go in the truck-stop and watch tv if they have one or just play on your laptop in your ride. Do this for 2 days minimum because this is the way it is for many drivers. Yes you can get out of your ride and walk around the truck stop or visit a wally world and watch people do dumb stuff..be creative, buy some movies and watch those on your laptop too.
Now get on your cellphone and call your friends and chat for 2 hours and tell them all the fun you are having. Places to visit while you wait, Meyers, Walmart, Kmart, Sears, the mall.
Ok, now its 6pm on Sunday night, drive 12 hours back home, clean up and run Forrest Run to that desk job....try it before you spend more money next weekend at that truck stop..bet you will not drive back to that truck stop, just saying......................