The Source for Trucking News, Opinions and Trucking Jobs | New Truckers Part I

For the last couple of weeks I’ve had this train of thought in my head, it’s become so long I’ve split it into three separate posts. At the end you’ll probably think that train derailed into a horrible wreck, but here it goes.

Believe it or not, I haven’t been driving for that long. Back in late 1998 for circumstances I won’t go into I went to a technical college for six weeks and got my CDL, signed up at a "puppy mill", survived all the BS and finally, I think I’m doing pretty well at the moment.   When I read this article it reminded me of the enthusiasm, excitement and the frustration of starting a new career.  Plus the excitement that Cindy has for driving has reminded me of my own excitement when I started.

Even though these articles are usually propaganda put out by large company recruiters, this is pretty good.

Revving up a new career

By Mardi Suhs, Cadillac News
LAKE CITY – Annette Niles loves her new career and proudly showed off her office – a shiny red truck – a monstrous, top-of-the-line Volvo road cab with leather interior, bunk beds, color TV, refrigerator and satellite capability.

When the course ended, national recruiters stood in line to offer her a high-paying job.

High paying??? It’s not bad and it beats working in fast food. But I wouldn’t try and support a family first starting out, I didn’t even support a car or an apartment when I started. When I started I did think it was pretty cool to have so many job choices waiting for me. Between the recruiters at school and all the free "trade" (recruiting) magazines at truck stops the hiring process was a lot different than what I was used to.

…Out on the road for five weeks at a time, Niles has never been happier.

She
criss-crosses the country with confidence. She raves about the thrill
of driving through the Donner Pass – or gazing from the roads of El
Paso across the border into Mexico. And she has tackled her fears
head-on.

“One of my fears was driving through the mountains in this big rig,” she said. “But once you do it you conquer your fears.”

Five weeks? That’s a long time leaving your family behind and most trucking companies know this, but don’t do anything about it. Besides that, I thought it was great traveling around and being paid for it! Now the frustration - 

Her new job hasn’t come without mistakes and traffic tickets.

In the Virginia Mountains she found herself in a National Park – where no trucks are allowed.

“I
wasn’t paying attention,” she confessed. “They give you a route
solution but I was already there. My rear tandem wheels were off the
road, that’s how skinny this road is. My truck was scraping the side of
the mountain.”

That mistake cost her $265.

This job is definitely sink or swim and the companies don’t care if you get frustrated and quit because there’s more where you came from. It’s major on the job training and if you can’t train yourself and learn quickly, stuff like this will happen a lot.

There is one fly in this idyllic ointment.

Her
husband of 35 years and her daughter miss her – and want her back home.
Niles is torn between her thrilling new career and wanting to keep her
family happy.

“I think Jerry
was really proud that I did this truck driving school and got good
grades,” she said. “But I think he’s getting a little tired of it.”

Maybe, she said quietly, maybe she’ll have to look for a local job.

That’s what everyone says, but more likely she’ll quit and look for something else. If it wasn’t for the children, her husband could quit his job and join her in her "high paying" career. All this sounds good, but soon the reality hits that this is no way to have a family and drive at the same time.

Originally posted 2006-03-15 04:34:00.