Starting a new career

[Frimp]

June 12 I ship out to Springfield Missouri to be trained as a truck driver. I have to sign a 1 year contract with them and after that, I can stay with the company or seek other employment. I'll be looking for a local job in Columbia, SC. My wife is moving back there next week and staying with her parents until I bring in a couple paychecks and we can get our own place. Finally getting the hell out of Tennessee, and ending a rut that started in 2004. Looking forward to living comfortably for a change. Wish me luck!

[Dave Gray]

Good luck, Frimp.  I hear that truck driving is a tough job, but that it pays well.  You'll get to hear lots of sports radio!

[Landshark]

Good luck, Frimp.  I hear that truck driving is a tough job, but that it pays well.  You'll get to hear lots of sports radio!

Especially if he installs a Sirius satellite radio in his truck!!!!

On a more serious note, it's a tough job in the fact that you have to spend a LOT of time away from your family.  Good luck Frimp. 

[Frimp]

Thanks guys. I know its a tough job but I only have to go over the road for one year, then I can look for local work with a company like Budweiser, Coca Cola, Walmart, etc. I figure whats a year away from my family if it will end a 7 year old rut. My daughter is 16 months old so if I do this now, she won't remember the time that I was away.

[Pats2006]

Congrats Frimp.. and good luck with your new job..

So whats your CB handle going to be? Frimp 

Def get the XM raido installed into the truck and maybe a get a ipad to keep us all updated..

and you probably wont miss any football because there isnt going to be any 

[bsfins]

Good Luck Frimp, and Safe Truckin...Let me know when you make it into town...We can get together...(I've got your number in a P.M.,unless it's changed recently)

[fyo]

Take care if you're hauling a heavy load...

[Lee]

This may sound wierd based on my current career, but I have always liked the concept of being a truck driver.  I like driving and scenery, so I think I would like driving coast-to-coast/long distances.  Maybe one day I'll give it a try just for the fun of it.  (Either that or buy one of those travelling trailers for a long vacation).

So, with that thought, I wish you good luck and safe driving!

[Sunstroke]

^^^ I'm with Lee...trucking is a field that I think I'd enjoy. My little brother drove long haul for quite a while, and if not for the fact that he needed to raise a family and be closer to home, I'm guessing he'd still be doing it.

[Dave Gray]

Like Lee, I have kind of a romanticized view of driving a truck.  I am attracted to the isolation of it.  You just have to worry about yourself.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

^^^^ Put me in that category as well. I have made a few road trips in the past and I just enjoyed seeing the scenery and different cities and cultures. I wouldn't mind doing it for a year and traveling the entire country.

[Sunstroke]

During my second tour in the Army, I was in a tactical unit not far from the Czech border (108th MI Bn, 8th Infantry Div), and one of the things I was responsible for was driving the 5-ton with the big TCAC (tech control and analysis center) trailer when we deployed to the field for exercises. While the trailer was a little smaller than a normal semi is, it was still pretty humongous. Once we'd get to the field site, we'd set up the camouflage, fire up the 30kw generators and go to work inside the trailer. It was like driving your office to work.  I really enjoyed driving that truck...though breaking it down afterwards to clean and service all the equipment was a pain in the ass.

[Phishfan]

  You just have to worry about yourself.

My experience in speaking with truck drivers is the exact opposite. You have to worry about every single person on the road. You also ride with other drivers when you first start out (at least my experience) so you have to worry about other drivers within your own truck. I know one guy who was the training driver and he absolutely couldn't sleep during his rest periods because he was too scared of the other driver in the front not getting enough rest himself.

There is no way in the world I would ever want to be a truck driver. Maybe at one point, but not now. I'm too entrenched in my life of pool leagues and football on the weekends.

[Jim Gray]

I'm with Phisfan on this one.  Driving a massive vehicle through traffic with idiot drivers is bad enough, but I get really stressed just driving my regular truck through a construction zone (no shoulders, concrete barriers right next to you) in  a driving rain with trucks passing you.  Seems every time I drive through Houston, this is what I find.

I also think sitting on your ass all day would get painful.  I've heard that many drivers suffer from bad backs because of this.

[Frimp]

Ive been toying with the idea for several years. I also like long road trips and the idea of being paid to see the country really appeals to me. I'll only have a trainer in the truck with me for 5500 miles, then I go solo. I'm not worried about the trainer getting enough sleep. I'm worried about me getting to sleep during the times when we will have to both be sleeping at the same time. The 2 person trucks have 2 bunks in them. If someone snores, I cant sleep. But hopefully, we will be splitting the driving the majority of the time, and 5500 miles could be reached in a matter of 3 weeks.