It’s time for a change!

Ok Ladies n Gents...

Where are my truckers at?!?

20 yrs AF. Played on both the enlisted side (acft crew chief), and the officer side (kc135/MQ9 instructor pilot).

Did 1.5 yrs of the gubmnt contract flyer gig after that. The pay is...well...ridiculous. But requires I lived overseas 6-7 months aggregate every year.

House bought and nearly paid off in that 1.5 yr time. No other debts.

It’s time for a change!!

Been concurrently applying for a flying Game Warden position here at home AND am 1 week down on a CDL-A (Haz/tank/dbls/triples) course.

Game Warden seems up my alley, seeing as I spend the majority of my free time hunting/fishing/trapping/boating and Rec vehicle riding, but my “age” may be a factor. Seriously. I’m in exams and tests with kids.

The trucking thing seems a sure bet, but want to see what’s out there!

Who has stories? Goods? Bads? Gotchas??

Looking for mostly local/regional work as the long haul thing doesn’t interest me so much.

Ring in and let me hear ya!!

 

I own a transportation/warehouse company and babysit 125 adults everyday. It’s interesting, to say the very least.
The Fish/Wildlife seems more up my alley and yours.
I dress up quite a bit and drive a Lexus for work/customers and have to be “businessey”.
It’s like leading a double life.
I come home, change into Sitka/Grundens and hop in the Tundra and go fishing and hunting.

If I could work in the wilderness, I’d probably lead a much more peaceful life.
Might not have what I have, but $$ isn’t what life is about. (And it sounds like you’re well off here, so I say pick something you’re truly passionate about and enjoy your work)

Unless you go owner/operator and run a small fleet of trucks, not sure I’d recommend class a CDL. It doesn’t sound like you’re getting any younger (me either) and sitting in a seat all day long (even if it is air-ride) isn’t ideal.
My vote is to stretch your legs out in the wilderness
Good luck with whichever path you choose!

On a side note, CDL drivers have damn near become extinct. We’ve had to resort to recruiters, and upping our pay a LOT over the past few years. I would never let go of your CDL, because if any other position you choose falls through - you can always rely on the CDL and land a solid position. It’s the perfect back up plan.

 

Thanks for the reply!!

I agree, CDL is def a backup. I’m not paying for the class, and actually am getting paid to take it—so there’s that. I don’t mind driving...been coast to coast on my own 11 or 12 times in the past 20 years. It’s a beautiful land we have here.

I’m fairly excited about commanding a rig. I mean, it’s no Boeing 707, but still impressive in its own rights.

FTR, Warden doesn’t pay a whole lot either. Peanuts in relativity. But yes, stretching the legs and edumacatin’ the public sounds very sustainable for the long term.

Maaaaaan.

Choices.

 

Not sure where you are located and this could very a bit. Usually most local gigs require 2 years OTR experience before you can land a local job. Notice I said “usually”. I wasn’t about that OTR life and had the gi bill pay my cdl as well. Like you got everything but my passenger endorsement. I got “lucky” and landed local right out of truck school delivering fork lifts, boom lifts, and other excavation equipment. I hated that job. Our dispatcher would constantly send me downtown to pick up a freaking scissor lift when we had way smaller trucks for that. I spent most of my time in a 7 mile radius of downtown Portland. Most people in this city can’t park a freaking smart car down there and then here is me with a 48ft trailer trying to unload with sometimes just inches between me and traffic.

I then used my CDL to land my job as a Cryo Field Service Tech which I loved till we got bought out. I jumped ship at the right moment and am now almost done with an LRV apprenticeship.

If you want to make a little more money with the cdl you will have to do more work. Food service delivery usually pays well with decent home time but you have to unload your freight with a hand truck.

If you think outside the box you can probably make more money and be happier leveraging your cdl and military experience.

 

That's excellent on not paying for the class and taking advantage of the opportunity
I agree on our Country, and the beauty. It's just a matter of the driving position, routes, and equipment you are given.
We operate out of the PNW, and a route out through the Columbia River Gorge would be great every day. But that only happens a few times a week for one or two of our drivers. Many of the other drivers end up in Seattle or Portland, bumper to bumper cursing out of state drivers. LOL
We haul up to 105,500 gross and take care of our equipment really well. Many, do not. Any of the large carriers I wouldn't suggest looking at (XPO/Schneider/JB Hunt/Knight). They promise the world to you (pay, routes, bonus) and the F you over by making it impossible to obtain your sign on bonus. You're just a number.
I'd focus on a 10-60 truck fleet and really talk to the drivers to see what they say about the company. It's busier than shit right now in the trucking world, and driver pay is great. Companies will try to take advantage of a green driver in any way possible (shit schedules, shit routes, etc).