Started CDL school, two weeks ahead of everyone else and on simulators already. I’m having regret about it now.

Posted by HighlanderColby@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 45 comments

I guess the life style and everything just isn’t what I want to do. I’m a very active person, the thought of being in a truck all day is giving me bad anxiety. I also drink lots of liquids and use the bathroom quite often. I’ve already notice my eating habits are bad just going to class lol.

I wanted to do CDL school to get away from my old job but the life style and not being active is really starting to bother me. I can quit before 10 days for a full refund. Anyone been through this and stayed with it and glad you did?

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sarvin3333@reddit

You can quit cdl school and do something else.

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EuphoricLoss1690@reddit

Just get your license and do what you want after you get it. It's not necessary to get experience if you wanna do something else...

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crudeshag@reddit

Bro choose any other trade. Trucking is a dead end career.

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Waisted-Desert@reddit

Sounds like you want food service.

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RestoWolf629@reddit

This! I never wanted to be sitting down all day. I love being outdoors in my previous job and the physical activity isn't bad if you work smart!

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FishermansPlatter@reddit

This is excellent advice, people don’t realize you can work foodservice! I loved it for three years.

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atomictoaster94J@reddit

One of us, one of us

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droptozro@reddit

I do DG loads. I work physically about 3-5 hours per day and drive about 4-6 hours/day average. I come home daily too, but that's not all DG drivers. Either way you would have to tailor your life around your needs. I eat carnivore mostly and you can bring weights along if you're stuck in a truck or do exercises outside the truck on your 10 hour break.

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Thebumonurcouch@reddit

Brother. You can have that DG shit! But you’re absolutely right, that shit is a work out and a half and sounds like it would be good for OP. I did that shit for 3 years and it forced me to change my eating habits and physicality.

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G0DCyCL0nE@reddit

Food service usually pays well and you'll definitely get your workout. Have fun with 3-4, 14 hour days.

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Castingnowforever@reddit

I'm local myself. Started OTR and Regional. Even worked for the Harlem Globetrotters for 3 years. Now I'm local with Amazon. I ran for 97 days straight working nights (14 hour shifts pretty much every work night). Now that it's still snowing in Denver I get home and jump rope for 2 to 4k jumps and I ride my stationary bike for 10 miles. Try to turn the negative of the situation into a positive if you can and if you truly want to continue with this job. Remember, people talk about trucking like it's a life time career. For most of us, it's just a job and a paycheck at the end of the day.

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captain__jr@reddit

What’s it like to work for Amazon locally? I just got hired and I’m waiting for them to tell me what day I start.

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PlymouthSea@reddit

With an AFP?

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Pedialyte1221@reddit

Werner dollar tree/general put ass to work

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soldierdec08@reddit

You would be perfect for food service. It’s hard work but the money is good and all your stops will be close together so you will always have a bathroom at the location you are delivering to. Just remember you can always stop truck driving and just keep your cdl in case you want to go back.

I did food service for 1 year and I kind of miss it. I miss racing with the other drivers to see who can make it back first and I miss the free food the stops would give me. I ended up doing car hauling for 2 years which I loved and now I deliver pallets which is starting to make me lazy.

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PlymouthSea@reddit

I keep seeing these kinds of recommendations, but I've found difficulty getting food service HR to even give me the time of day. I did last mile for years driving Class C commercial trucks in cities/canyons doing commercial/apartments/residential. In some pretty challenging areas, in trucks with significant tail swing due to how far forward the rear axle was.

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Sufficient_Wall5192@reddit

I've been active my whole life. Went though school for my class A. I was able to get onto a home daily gig. Sad that I am on call 24-7 and can't go over an hour away. By the way I still eat healthy and I get to exercise as much I want. If you go otr that may change. Just "you" have to make the decision on what to do.

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Few-Bid-444@reddit

In the same boat, doing my rookie year & driving tankers with a company doing 24/7 on call. We push a lot of hours and get paid by the hr. Liking it so far but I’m definitely not sticking around here long. This schedule is buns. Thankfully I have no kids as of rn and have a very understanding spouse, she makes it all the while worth it for sure.

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Rich-Ad-9797@reddit

Sheesh brother, I hope you are getting paid well, that sounds like another form of prison.

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Sufficient_Wall5192@reddit

Feels like it at times. Until I get to drive which I always and excited for doing. I drive a flatbed with counter weights. It's a 48 foot trailer. 18 speed

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John9250@reddit

You’re a very active person and you thought DRIVING was a good career path? That makes no sense. But, there are jobs that can keep you fairly active. Food service, dollar general accounts I hear require quite a bit of work, etc

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HighlanderColby@reddit (OP)

I didn’t think it would be an issue, honestly.

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ZealousidealAngle151@reddit

OTR is only one path. I’ve seen CDL jobs where guys are lifting, loading, unloading, constantly going here and there. For some people trucking is TOO physical of a job for them to consider.

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HumanVsWorld@reddit

PLANET FITNESS!! Literally changed everything for me you would be amazed at how many planet fitness there are even in the smallest of towns if you plan correctly park up a few miles from one meet ppl talk to the locals at the gym you get to see the scenery rather than just the ole interstate I wish I would have done it sooner

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SanPaladin07@reddit

I had the same situation that you had right now, I wish I quit when I had the chance

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HighlanderColby@reddit (OP)

Are you not driving?

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SanPaladin07@reddit

I am driving

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BrandontheCDLguy@reddit

Simulators? Nah man go to a different school.

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HighlanderColby@reddit (OP)

Yeah the double clutching is a nightmare

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Baconated-Coffee@reddit

There are careers other than trucking which require a CDL such as a lineman. That type of work will keep you physically active.

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business_estate8647@reddit

bro put ur year in. then u can go local or do just about anything. that year experience opens lotsa doors. also u can be active in and around ur truck. u can eat healthy. it just takes extra work, dedication and discipline. u have 10 hours off every nite. buy urself a chore chart and write down what u wanna acomplish every morning. for me perosnally, i wake up and use the bathroom, come back brush my teeth, mouthwash, then take my vitamins and allergy pillls, make my bed, check my bank accounts, journal, workout/stretch, breakfast, tea, mouthwash, and floss while i drive which i dont recomend if u have a driver facing cam. takes me about 2 hours to do all this. then at nite i have 2 hours to cook for the next day. so i always have 3 meals for the next day. wash ma dishes in the shower. not ideal-not by a long shot but doable. if u have someone who can cook for u at home, buy a cooler and stock 2 weeks worth of meals and then u just need to swing by once every 2 weeks to swap dirrty containers for full ones haha. best of luck op.

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Auquaholic@reddit

You just need food service driving job. It pays good and it's physical. Sysco, McClane, etc.

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Bamfurlough@reddit

There are plenty of trucking jobs that will allow you to be physically active. When I was younger I did a couple 5Ks and a 10K while I was a truck driver. I also did a 50 mile and 82 mile charity bike ride, and another 50 mile bike ride in Oceanside california. I take a month off to snow ski every winter. You can still be physically active and do this job. You just have to prioritize it.

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1Stack_Mack@reddit

I'm reading this as I eat roller dogs and questioning my choices 🤣

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Bamfurlough@reddit

I've started cooking in my truck over the past 2 years and it's been really amazing for my diet. There's nothing wrong with resorting to Roller dogs occasionally, but it's actually quite doable to eat a decent diet most of the time.

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Express-Perception65@reddit

Those are valid points but I would at least finish the program if I were you.

It creates options that you didn’t have before and plus you’ve already likely paid the tuition for it so why not get your moneys worth even if you don’t do it long term?

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e0240@reddit

You don't have to go otr. In fact I've never been over the road in 12 years. Food service, beer dump truck tons of local opportunities that keep you moving.

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ComprehensiveNail416@reddit

Look into hydroexcavation. (Hydrovac). The truck is just what your equipment is mounted on I generally put in 8-15 hour days, home everyday. I drive 1-4 hours a day typically and the rest of the day is out of the truck working a moderately physical job. The wages I’ve seen on the FB groups and subreddits range from $25 in Texas/ Florida southern states non union to $45-50+ in NY and bigger centers union jobs. I’m Canadian and wages across the country range from 30 to 50 depending on union or not and experience/location. There’s lots of other jobs that require a CDL, but the truck is just what your equipment is mounted on. Maybe worth looking into a little

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Discount_Sugardaddy@reddit

Don’t go over the road, lots of choices that’ll keep you active AF.

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Frankus44@reddit

Start researching jobs locally. I could never do OTR. I found a smaller company and I spend about 4 hours driving and the other 4 monkeying around a flat bed unloading, throwing straps, helping the forklift unload by climbing to get better angles. It’s great excercise and breaks up the monotonous driving. Or as others have said food service is quite active.

Also depending on your area and routes you learn the best gas stations and rest stops to plan your piss accordingly. I usually have a rest stop or easy in / out truck stop about every 30 minutes.

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