Is trucking a good viable career path for the next 5-10 years? College isn't viable for me rn due to economic circumstances. I just want money. Personal disclosure: 30 years old. Unemployed. Not married or have children.

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DukeBradford2@reddit

about to hit my 5 year mark. my last 4 months paychecks weekly takehome pay (after taxes) was $1240. No wife no kids. The first 2 years are going to suck as far as pay goes. i was lucky enough to have a trainer that showed me a trick to always get the best loads but as soon as Schneider updated their systems I realized why the average employment length with them was 8 days. OTR is the best, I don’t get burned out with a dedicated route and I get to see the lower 48 while listening to podcasts and taking my dog to a rest stop to play fetch whenever it’s not raining

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Kruten10@reddit

You should get paid more with 5 years experience

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morgottkev@reddit

Apparently the truth deserves downvotes 😂

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morgottkev@reddit

Idk how important money is to you but having 5 years of experience you should definitely be making more than $1240 a week. My first year trucking I took home more than that on 50% of my paychecks. Maybe it’s a location thing who knows.

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proscriptus@reddit

I guess I would be worried about autonomous trucking starting to suck jobs away in that 5 to 10 years timeframe. If there is a penny to be pinched by a trucking company, they will do so, and eliminating drivers has got to be very high on every CEOs wish list.

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graibeard@reddit

Have a 10 year exit strategy. Live in the truck stack cash. Or put half your paycheck in Certificates of deposit . So it can compound. Try to eat right and exercise. Get out while your still young enough to do/learn something else.

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LandscapeDue1031@reddit

If you do decide go flatbed

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LeveledGarbage@reddit

I just want money. 30 years old. Unemployed. Not married or have children.

Yes. The first year is ass, you may have to go over the road, and the pay will be ass. After 1yr its gets better, go local, get fully endorsed and then go to LTL or Haul Fuel.

I'm almost 4yrs in making $100k+ Hauling Fuel and am able to still be an active husband/father. I'll probably retire a fuel hauler, its too easy and the money is good.

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Outlaw11091@reddit

It takes an absurd amount of experience to get the best trucking jobs.

Let me try to paint a picture.

Let's pretend.

You have 2 years OTR experience. You're paid the highest a dry van OTR driver can make.

You decide to specialize to increase your earnings.

Your 2 years of experience allows you to get an ENTRY LEVEL position with a hazmat carrier on a regional route. You're back down to getting paid roughly what you started with when you began OTR.

You drive hazmat for a year and are about to make the same as you were with 2 years OTR...but you decide that hazmat isn't worth it. You've got to pay for your hazmat endorsement and the hazardous part isn't matching with the compensation.

Now companies won't hire you because you don't have any RECENT OTR experience.

Your only logical option is to continue with hazmat and keep building your experience, but then you hit 2 years of hazmat experience and expect the doors to be wide open...but no one in your area is hiring hazmat drivers. You're left with staying at that one job for the rest of forever or taking another pay cut and going OTR with a starter company like Swift.

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ivyentre@reddit

This isn't the most accurate picture, sorry. I honestly don't even know what this guy is going on about.

Keep your driving record and work experience clean and you'll always have/find a job in trucking, hazmat or otherwise.

And you can get an OTR job anytime, especially if you have prior (not just recent) exp with it.

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Outlaw11091@reddit

And you can get an OTR job anytime, especially if you have prior (not just recent) exp with it

I didn't say you couldn't.

I said if you have no recent OTR experience, you're working for SWIFT or some other shit company because good paying companies want current experience.

Walmart, for example, requires 6 months of OTR experience in the last 2 years.

I'm sorry about your reading comprehension.

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ivyentre@reddit

No, I meant what I said.

I could get a job with any OTR company by tomorrow because I've got experience and a clean record all around; whether I've done it in two years or 10 wouldn't make a difference. I am very certain about this.

You're full of shit, dude. I'm trying to be polite about expressing that but you won't let me be that.

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Outlaw11091@reddit

Scroll down to the highlighted bit.

https://careers.walmart.com/drivers-distribution-centers/drivers#:\~:text=A%20minimum%20of%2030%20months,last%20three%20(3)%20years.

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New_Assignment_2341@reddit

Go for it!

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Lpgasman1@reddit

Construction guys make more money. I would go there

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D-Ray1469@reddit

But they also have more expenses.

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Lpgasman1@reddit

Living on the road is $$$.

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D-Ray1469@reddit

How so?

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kayacap@reddit

Linehaul

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Mirindemgainz@reddit

I’m 34 been 7 months in making decent money for what I do. I never went OTR and been local whole time it’s least stressful job I’ve ever had. I work for a beverage company

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nastyzoot@reddit

It's insanely stress free, isn't it? If I would have known I would have switched years ago.

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Red_Sox0905@reddit

A big part of this is probably where you live and the route you're on. I did beverage. My 1st route was fine, at most 5 hours a week in OT once I got used to it. But I didn't like the amount of driving I was doing, so I switched my route. Then in the fall and winter I was getting 5 hours at least. Summer comes around and I was doing 10+ a week. Money was nice, but shit was killing me. Switched to a different department and haven't been happier with a job in my life.

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Mirindemgainz@reddit

Yea to each there own it’s just the best pay I can get with my experience. It’s fine drive a 10 speed manual 48 footer which is dope

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Red_Sox0905@reddit

Definitely. A guy who I became buddies with at the job loves it. He doesn't plan on leaving for another 15 years. There was parts I loved and other parts I hated.

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Additional_Hat5751@reddit (OP)

How much can OTR make compared to local? Are we talking big?

I live in Cali. I don't mind leaving the state to deliver to other states if the pay is absolutely worth it.

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Mirindemgainz@reddit

Just depends, it’s like any job, some make more some let themselves get paid less. You get paid what you think you’re worth or what you’ll tolerate. For 7 months exp I’ll make 70k this year working 4 10s. So I’m happy with that for now but eventually want to get in LTL which I’ve heard can make 100k. So we will see it’s easy gig I have work 430-3pm

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highlyelevated_207@reddit

LTL driver here, can confirm. First driving job ever, didn’t even have my CDL when I started Jan 13th of this year. Will break 100k without question this year.

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Mirindemgainz@reddit

Hell ya brother

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DukeBradford2@reddit

I do otr and if all i did was city driving and touching freight i would be stressed. Nothing like waking up almost whenever you want, rolling out of bed, drive 600 miles without going to a shipper or receiver. roll back into bed and watch netflix. God bless the great plains

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robs104@reddit

Alternatively, nothing like waking up in your own bed that doesn’t move and is quiet, go to work, be off after 8 hours and know you have a spot to Park. Thrn be able to go run errands, see friends, eat at any restaurant in town.

Those days where it’s just driving and you’ve trip planned well are awesome. Then the next week you’re taking shorter loads into Atlanta or Florida or some other hellhole and the delivery time is 3am.

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1morepl8@reddit

I see you also hauled reefer before 😂

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robs104@reddit

Guilty

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truckitorfuckit@reddit

What you said

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Snookfilet@reddit

Best part of the job. No destination that day and just cruise.

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bigmac22077@reddit

I drive school busses, work 40-50 hours a week, but have so much down time it’s ridiculous. Probably on my drive 25-30 hours a week. full benefits including a pension. $30/hr. Pretty kush job. Doesn’t depend on the economy and won’t be replaced by technology anytime in the near future.

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WasterOfPaperTowels@reddit

Having to make assumptions that you are not a care giver to a dependent adult and that you haven’t ruined your health by 30… You have described a good candidate for over the road trucker. I only did this for like 3 weeks, wasn’t for me. Being treated like a f gypsy everywhere you go impacts folks differently. I’m more sensitive, so I f yated it. Also, work (pay really close attention to the road and others) for 14 hours, paid for like 6 or 7. What I mean by this is, you only get paid zip code to zip code, have to wake and prep/check truck, sit in stop and go, wait at docks, wait on dispatcher, wait on fuel, etc.

BUT if you like it and resilient and find a niche, you can get into a line where you cash fat checks for yourself and not a middle company..

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boibetterstop@reddit

You got unlucky with zip code pay. I do Amazon relay team loads we get paid for miles

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Dekster123@reddit

Yeah air miles calculated from zip code to zip code.

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ElMeroCeltibero@reddit

That was you getting screwed over and not the industry standard

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Dekster123@reddit

That's true. Tbh there is no real industry standard. From miles to daily pay to getting a cut from the load payout to hourly, it's all different for all segments of trucking. Over the road mega seems to always screw the little guy this way, and honestly working for companies that pay 3 different ways, I couldn't tell you what was best and what was worse. They all have their pros and cons. I just want something stable but the more stable the more risk.

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NFLTG_71@reddit

Yep, I had a Dispatch for one time said yeah it’s 300 miles as the crow flies and I had to tell them I’m not fucking driving a crow you asshole I’m driving a freightliner and it’s an extra 150 miles because I’m going through the mountains idiot. He complained to the boss the boss called me, asked me what happened and I told him he fired the Dispatcher about three days later.

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Dekster123@reddit

Wow lucky you. I got laughed at and told that was industry standard. I ended up going to two other companies become finding one that payed me daily. I was content with them until they didn't pay for 4 days of work. Now I'm basically retired from driving until some 50 year old at the rock quarry near me has a heart attack so I can slip into a seat.

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NFLTG_71@reddit

No, it’s not industry standard if someone is telling you it’s industry standard they’re lying to you. You’re not driving a plane you’re driving a truck. Always when you get a pre-plan and you see the paid miles you always check the miles with the GPS how far it’s gonna be and if it’s more than 10% of what the paid miles are I’d be calling my dispatchers and say hey you cocksuckers you’re trying to underpay me

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boibetterstop@reddit

Yikes

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Immediate_Flower4834@reddit

i got about 6-9m of experience with my CDL and i been trying to get out of my current company because of trash pay and miles , and when i tell you that you need experience , you need experience. Once you hit that 1 year mark , you’ll make good money depending on where you go, but if you’re young and got nothing to do CDL is great i’m chilling i’m just trying to get my experience up i’m 22m

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kakarota@reddit

Yes. This job is as stressful as you make it. As long as you dont let the little things bother you. It's actually a really enjoyable and relaxing job.

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Theworkingman2-0@reddit

Yes. You can’t live in the road and either purchase a house cash or at least put down a wildly large down payment after 7Yrs. 5 if you’re smart with money.

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ivyentre@reddit

I've been in trucking 8 years.

Year 1: 47k

Year 7: 90k

How: Experience, changing jobs, changing locations, getting hazmat.

Don't be afraid to job hop, just not too much.

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username_fantasies@reddit

Not sure if it will be viable or not for the next 5-10 years; however I did meet some folks who roll OTR, save money, and even own land. It's a lifestyle, and definitely can be lucrative if you have a plan and stick to it.

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Losalou52@reddit

Get a two year x-ray tech license from a community college.

Professional licenses and certifications are always the way to go.

Legal aid, medical imaging, dental assistant, etc

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Asleep_Paramedic@reddit

It’s not two years the program is two years , and that’s even if you get into the pro gram the prerequisites can still take longer so like 4 years

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Losalou52@reddit

Nope. At least in Oregon. Several community colleges offer 22 month programs directly out of high school. I volunteer in the career development center at our local high school and know kids who have gone directly into these programs. My buddies wife went that route years ago and has crushed it. Kept getting more and more training and certifications and making more and more money.

https://linnbenton.smartcatalogiq.com/en/current/catalog/degrees-and-certificates/associate-of-applied-science-degrees-and-certificates/diagnostic-imaging/

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crudeshag@reddit

No. Literally any other trade is better. Do not pick trucking .

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Btomesch@reddit

Hauling fuel pays well . Lots of guys usually save up and buy their own truck and make more after they get the experience. Got friends doing LTL that make good money and like it a lot. Food delivery makes 6 figures and lots of guys I know do it and over 40 years old. Beverage delivery is okay, that’s how I started. I only delivered to restaurants (not convenient/grocery stores). You meet a lot of girls that way lol Srry had to throw that in there. Miss those days.

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throwitawayruss@reddit

Look into joining a local union with plumbers, electricians or carpentry. Hard work but good benefits, and good pay

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NFLTG_71@reddit

I sold the business and decided to retire bored out of my fucking mind did some odd jobs for two years. Decided to take up trucking been driving for eight years now I love it. You’ve got the perfect background. You’re not married you’re single. I’m assuming you don’t have a house that you were attached to if you have a car. Or not you could always store it but if you want to, I would say give it a year drive OTR after a year come back drive city driver or be a yard dog.

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xDoomKitty@reddit

If you are ok with only making like $500 a week and having a free place to sleep, I'd say go for it.

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WrongBlueprint@reddit

The answer is yes. I would recommend going to one of Mega’s that pay to get your Cdl. You only sign like a one year contract with them. One of the best decisions I have ever made

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gkjnvgyj@reddit

It’s not. I just quit after 16 months and 7 trucking companies. I sued 2 companies and I’m getting a settlement out of one. I don’t recommend trucking for anyone but if you truly want to get fucked, then get your CDL and be ready to be treated like absolute shit.

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Mundane408@reddit

Get your class a license. 3 weeks. Crane operator license? 3 weeks. Lineman school? 8-15 weeks. All of them provide housing….. Don’t go OTR bro. You’re better than that.

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StonedTrucker@reddit

It can be for the right person. You probably won't be making a lot of money right off the bat but with a little experience you can. I made about $90k last year and you only need 6 months experience to do my job

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Dare_Ask_67@reddit

Maybe. It's not like it use to be. Stressful, and aggravating at times

But you have a roof over your head, money and food. And see the country

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