Two Great Years; Looking Forward to More

[ATeam]

Two years ago today, Diane and I hauled our first-ever load as expediters. We walked away from our white-collar professions and entered the industry with no prior trucking experience. Our goals at the time were to increase our income, simplify our lives, spend more time together, share in a business project, and see the country. We're pleased to report that all goals have been and continue to be achieved. In a word, expediting worked out better than we dared hope.

With two years now under our belts, and having experienced the full range of expedting challenges, our goals remain the same. We plan to continue expediting as long as our bodies allow. With healthy diet and exercise and a bit of good luck, we hope that will be 15 to 20 years.

Then we'll "retire" to a small town and finish out our years as public school teachers. Already we're traveling the country with our future students in mind. Collecting artifacts for classroom display and gathering up primary source information for the history classes we plan to teach adds yet another positive dimension to the interesting life we've found expediting to be.

Expediting is not for everyone. There are plenty of people here in the Open Forum that will eagerly tell you how horrible the work and life can be and how high the failure rate is. Today, on the happy occasion of our two year anniversary, I'll leave that to them.

While expediting is not for everyone, it is absolutely for us. We've never once regretted giving up our previous careers. We love our work and life on the road. There's nothing we'd rather do.

 

[redytrk]

We too threw away our "White Collars" 18 years ago.Never regretted it for a minute. To be in control of your own destiny is priceless.

My daughter recently asked,Dad when are you going to retire? I replied.I thought I was retired. I ride around in my RV,get paid for doing so,and get to see this great land.

So now I will be 70 in a few days. Sept 11,(hows that for a birthday).
Whats for the future? Well if the doctor keeps renewing that physical,and I can still scramble up that tailgate,I will still be doing the same.

I wonder who the oldest expeditor is/was. anybody know?

 

[Broompilot]

Congradulations, I feel its great to follow your heart. It is impressive that everyone on this site has guided and helped you down the path ( from me, thank you all for the same ).

How has this site done as a tool for a learning curve for your success?

 

[RichM]

There was a FEDEXCC van driver who passed away last year.He was in his early 80's and his wife was about 78.

 

[davekc]

"Down the yellow brick road" comes to mind.

Congrats on your driving

davekc

 

[Dreamer]

Congrats on making it your first 2 years, and not becoming a statistic.


Dreamer

 

[theoldprof]

Congrats, A Team. When you become school teachers, you will have never had a feeling like you get when the student finally "gets it". You can actually see the light bulb going on in their heads. You will probably never have a more challenging, but satisfying career than being a teacher.

Good luck. :+ :+

 

[RobA]

>>
>Then we'll "retire" to a small town and finish out our years
>as public school teachers. Already we're traveling the
>country with our future students in mind. Collecting
>artifacts for classroom display and gathering up primary
>source information for the history classes we plan to teach
>adds yet another positive dimension to the interesting life
>we've found expediting to be.


Well, ATeam, congrats on making it through the two years; and from what we can tell from these forums (fora?) thriving on the lifestyle.
I am surprised though, that public school teaching would be thought of as a retirement career. I guess, here is another difference between the US and Canada. Here in Ontario; school teachers, whether primary or secondary, are well paid members of strong unions. They retire at about the age of 55 with pensions indexed to the cost of living.
We don't have people coming in later in life. These positions are eagerly sought after by university grads. Of course, there are no real differences in schools no matter the income makeup of the surrounding area. We finance education at the Provincial not the local level to ensure all children get a decent education.

 

[RichM]

Well it's good that you made it through the learning curve with no accidents or damage. It's not eay to drive on the roads these days.I often think back and remember what it was like to cruise along with little or no worries.
Teaching can be rewarding and every so often you change a childs attitude which makes it all worth while. Hopefuuly when you decide to start your teaching career the students will be receptive and not out to do you in. With the X Box and video games plus the music that they listen to teaching can be a challenge. I have neighbors anxiously counting the days when they are finished. Course every generation since the days of Julis Ceaser has put down the future generation. Good luck

 

[cashbox]

Congratulations and hats off to you for all of your well thought out planning, dedication, and determination, and of course hard work. Hope you continue to thrive as long as long as you choose.

 

[cheri1122]

I'd like to add my "Congratulations!" to the chorus, and add that I'm not surprised by your intention to teach - every post you've contributed here is a testament to your desire to share what you've learned. You'll be great teachers, and I hope you're blessed with students who want to learn, because that's as good as it gets.

 

[RichM]

Cheri where are you going??