How bad of an idea is it to become a trucker right now?
Posted by Sea-Wing-2277@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 39 comments
Im 27, no kids, no family or friends, huge introvert, hard working, but have no money saved up. My last real job was working as a retail pharmacy tech, and I would rather do anything else than go back.
dipstickdarin38@reddit
If you’ve got five years plus experience and a perfect record like I do you can literally go work anywhere. So it’s still wide-open you just have to pay your dues a little more than usual at this point.
oasuke@reddit
I also have 5 years experience and a perfect record. Rejected from multiple jobs because of job hopping. You need to be very careful of what crappy trucking jobs you take because future employers will ask about them, and they don't care why you left.
bunnybaby33@reddit
When people tell me they’re thinking about driving I ask are you homeless? Are you about to be? No? Do something else
Sea-Wing-2277@reddit (OP)
Actually, I am about to be homeless if I don't go back to a 9-5. Id rather do trucking and save a little so I can by a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere
bunnybaby33@reddit
Okay then I suggest doing some real schooling, no Roadmaster shit. And get grants so you don’t have a loan over your head. Definitely don’t sign any contracts with companies.
Mistahfen@reddit
I pull in over $150K a year with my Class A in a HCOL area working a recession proof job with guaranteed 14 hour days and many opportunities for overtime. I’d tell them the exact opposite
bunnybaby33@reddit
Well I work 14 hour days and make about a third of that so good for you
Mistahfen@reddit
Move to the Bay Area and apply to any food service job if you’re in good shape. Every food service job here pays over $100K a year for their standard shifts.
LeveledGarbage@reddit
No kids with low "overhead", fuck it, go for it. Thug out the first year, its not bad but its better than retail pharmacy I can tell you that (I came from the drug store management world).
Come out the other side of year 1 with experience and get your fucking endorsements and go from there.
General freight isnt the only thing one should look at, there are a metric fuck ton of jobs that are not pulling reefer or dry van, and you dont want to do those for any longer than you need to anyways. I'd suggest getting your experience and specialize in something like fuel, I can tell you right now even during slow times I'm not bringing in any less than $1500(net) a week. Fuel haulers will never not have work and anyone who says otherwise is dumber than dogshit.
MoonBootFoot@reddit
I got my CDL A last summer. Went to western because they’re the first place to respond to my application. They take people w 0 experience. Training was mostly a terrible experience. A lot of the trainers will just use you for miles and never teach you anything. Training is only about a week tho. Then they put me on regional and I take home 800 a week pretty consistently but sometimes it’s more. Planning on working local once I get enough experience to land a job until then this could be worse. If you’re gonna work with a mega carrier try and get a regional position with pay bands bc otherwise it’s .40cpm.
Mirindemgainz@reddit
Job market in general is just hard, it’s the economy
Wise_Goats@reddit
If you have a pulse you can get a trucking job. Companies have equipment that they’d rather make a little bit on as opposed to having it sit.
Once you hit 2-4 years of experience you’ll get better opportunities that present itself. AKA the company won’t take brand new drivers since they beat on the equipment, wreck more often, etc. let’s be real though, it’s also to cut down on insurance costs as well.
I’d say go for it… just be careful with WHO or WHAT you sign up for.
There’s multiple types of freight out there. Would you rather bump a dock and haul general freight/produce?
Or perhaps be a bit more involved with loading/unloading. Fuel, flatbed, pneumatic, LTL, construction company RGN/laborer/jack of all trades.
There’s a bunch of different paths with a wide array of income potential. You could bust your ass for $75k/yr OTR, or you could be home every night making $85k. Perhaps more of your risk tolerance is high and you want to deliver fuel. Of which you could make $100-$130 local as a fuel guy… or more regional pulling caustic products. Side note, I would not recommend going this route until you’ve had a couple years of safe driving experience, and then branch into tanker if you want to go that route.
Reverse engineer what you WANT to do. What’s your dream bud?
Mistahfen@reddit
Do it. Getting my Class A was the best thing I ever did. Sign your name on the dotted line if they have some kind of program where they’ll pay for it all in exchange for some form of work contract. Try not to date it for longer than 2 years though that way you’ll have your freedom to go local before you turn 30, and then you can start pulling in the big bucks. Start with beverage, then move onto food service. Food service is not easy but it’s where the money is. Absolute best of luck to you man, it’s not easy for us young men out here.
JeanGnick@reddit
It's possible that after trying trucking you will be happy to go back to work in pharmacy. Trucking is usually job of last resort, unless you know how it really is and still want it.
Parking-Big3947@reddit
F*ck no OP won’t pharmacy is awful, especially retail. They give you a 60 second timer to fill a script and you don’t do it fast enough, PIP. Don’t answer the phones fast enough PIP. Don’t type all the incoming prescriptions fast enough, PIP. Recipe for deadly mistakes because the metrics need to be up to a speed standard so the managers can get their bonuses. Forced to sign a waiver to forfeit our 15 minute breaks. Not allowed to go to the bathroom until lunch break. Didn’t sign enough people up for flu shots? Fired for “performance issues” they even tried bullying us into bullying people to get a Covid vaccine and if we didn’t sign enough people up we’d get our job dangled in our face. Such a nasty abusive environment. The pharmacy managers are nasty and so are the patients. I’d rather hold my urine because I don’t want the hassle of finding a place to park than hold my urine because Alisha from CVS is going to go in a power tirade tantrum because I didn’t follow her orders and wait until my lun break to piss lol live as a truck driver is so much more peaceful now
Sea-Wing-2277@reddit (OP)
I guessing you used to be pharmacy tech? Retail pharmacy is a nightmare lol
Parking-Big3947@reddit
Hell yea shit sucked ass
Sea-Wing-2277@reddit (OP)
Im aware that it is a last resort, and im ok with it
JeanGnick@reddit
Then think about what are other things that you're good at, or like to do, maybe develop some skills in those fields, then land a job, but if there are no other options, then yeah, trucking at least will give you some money (and home, if you need it). But be ready for tough start
12InchPickle@reddit
A lot of mega carriers aren’t taking in as many new drivers. So finding a job will be much more difficult. But that’s not to say it’s impossible. Just depends on where you’re at really.
Sufficient_Tooth_949@reddit
Werner is making new students team "teams are our only opening" then your locked into that for 90 days
Don't get along with your teammate? Your only option is to quit
Ask me how I know 🫠
Sea-Wing-2277@reddit (OP)
sounds awful
Sufficient_Tooth_949@reddit
I lucked out with my teammate, we aren't best buds or anything but he's also a kind introvert type like me and values cleanliness
the only reason I did teams was I was desperate and needed a job asap
It has some benefits I can run down my clock ALL the way because I just need to park for 10 minutes to swap out drivers
Then the big set back is your never gonna get good sleep
Sea-Wing-2277@reddit (OP)
I live in Las Vegas Nevada currently, but am able to relocate anywhere.
Playful-Excuse-272@reddit
Right now in your area I see “vesta food service” home daily, starting at $25 an hour.
e0240@reddit
Why not drive a bus for transdev?
Nice-position-6969@reddit
Get into road construction driving. Nevada is always doing construction on roads up there. Belly dump, end dump, super dump trucks. Any of those will keep you working.
RKK-Crimsonjade@reddit
Apply. It’s not hard when all you do is learn a new trade and work at being better will they pay you.
sarysa@reddit
We're going to be in a freight shortage situation for awhile, meaning it's an employer's market at this point. Pay is going to stall and it's too dangerous to start ones authority. Underlying reason: Tariffs will slow international trade and American manufacturing will take awhile to be implemented.
Doesn't look like the orange man is bluffing. That said, it will slowly recover. Going to suck for drivers for the next couple years.
morgottkev@reddit
Depends on what you’re willing to deal with, what you can handle personally (away from home) and how much money you need to make.
Sea-Wing-2277@reddit (OP)
Time away from home isn't a big deal, Im currently living out of an Airbnb and don't have friends or family. So as long as im making at least $600 a week i'd be good.
morgottkev@reddit
Heard. Do you have your CDL? If not, what would be your plan to get it?
Sea-Wing-2277@reddit (OP)
No not yet, Im leaning more towards company paid CDL since there is a good chance of getting a job at the end of the training, at least form what i've heard.
ComprehensiveDark814@reddit
Swift has a terminal in Vegas
CronoXpono@reddit
If you’re a resident of your state, SEARCH FOR FREE CDL CLASSES! I moved to Pa and THEN got mine, hence the small loan due. Check for that first! Also, don’t limit your search for traditional trucking jobs. My boy is about to go back to garbage and he’s gonna make 30 bucks an hour. Is it 2500 a week like some companies boast? Nope. But he’s also not driving for peanuts or pushing himself to the point of being a danger to himself and everyone else.
Good luck!!
Colonel_Lexx@reddit
What’s wrong with a retail pharmacy technician job? I was actually considering it 😂
Due_Change6730@reddit
Reach out to beverage companies. Pepsi paid for my cdl along with 5 other people at the time.
Mobile-Ostrich7614@reddit
If your looking for a career start whenever, if you just want money don’t expect a lot
justdan76@reddit
Depends how you go about it. There may be good opportunities where you are locally, or you may find your way into something specialized. But you need experience for most good jobs, so in the short term you may have to tough it out at a crappy job. The entry level jobs (usually driving long distance) are pretty bad from right now from what I hear, but play the long game and it may work out.
Good luck whatever you decide.