Any truck drivers in Rx land?

SoCal · Dec 31, 2013

I have been working in sales for almost 20 years. Some years I have made six figures, some years I do not. I am good with people on the phone and even better in person.... but ... I really never LIKED being in sales. Every month, every qtr, every year ... it's a race, it's a grind, it's swimming upstream and always a fight. Anxiety and stress, year after year after year.

I am considering a career change - one that has to do less with people, and more with a definitive goal. Like hauling ass across the country from point A to point B. I like driving. I don't mind being alone... my international wife is stuck in her country for another year - and I am getting damn tired of sales, sales, sales ...

And so... if I were to make the jump to driving a big rig for a living. Anyone know of the most lucrative way to do it? No experience here. And no decisions have been made... in fact I just took a new job recently where I could move into sales mgmt... but I am just so fcking tired of people. lol. Any advice from any truckers? Best company to look at and have them pay for all training, etc...

TheFalls · Jan 1, 2014

Curious about this...to see if there are truckers here.
What a grind.

On that note...sounds like a terrible move based on what you have written.
But, life is not about your job.

SoCal · Jan 1, 2014

The Falls said:
Curious about this...to see if there are truckers here.
What a grind.

On that note...sounds like a terrible move based on what you have written.
But, life is not about your job.

I had a few drinks early and started fantasizing about not being in sales. Perhaps the better avenue is to incorporate some driving and sales together. I've made too much in sales to close that door completely. All that being said... some of my clients have been truck drivers pulling in 150k+. Those guys are out there for sure. And they are doing well.

Mobdeeper7239 · Jan 1, 2014

Anxiety, stress..... the wolf of wall street said jerk off and use cocaine.

just reporting the news

SoCal · Jan 1, 2014

Mobdeeper7239 said:
Anxiety, stress..... the wolf of wall street said jerk off and use cocaine.
just reporting the news

It's funny you brought up that flick. When I saw it I was motivated to go back to my office and kick ass on the phones. I am not a stock broker, but I work the phones for life insurance products (no cold calls ever - ever). I am at my best when I have had too much coffee. It's not very healthy, but being tweaked helps when you work the phones all day. No coke for me, just coffee. After the third cup I can see around corners.

Another note about Jordan Belfort... I wanted to hear the guy talk so I looked him up on you tube. He has numerous sales training videos and I started watching one just to get a sense of what this jerk off sounds like. After the novelty of hearing him speak wore off, I found myself intrigued by his lessons on phone persuasion. Since he made the videos after prison, he emphasizes over and over again that his methods should always be used ethically. What he did to those people back in the 90's is disgusting. The guy is scum... and yet, he is a smart little mofo. He has a video on tonality that is pretty damn insightful.

Illini · Jan 1, 2014

I tried it a long time ago. Went to truck driving school for 5 weeks at a community college and then spent two weeks in training with another driver on overnight trips, but not long hauls. Trust me, I thought the same as you. I have a college degree and just was tired of the corporate grind and thought "hey, I like driving, why not give it a try?" Trust me, it is about the worst job in the world. Those people are absolute scum, I can't imagine a bigger culture shock if you are used to working in an office. The driving is not easy, as you are driving a death machine every time you get on the road. I was not relaxed at all, and it was very stressful. People pulling onto the interstate from exit ramps, expecting you to move over, but it's hard to move a semi over quickly. You can't, because you'll flip it if you do. You are constantly checking your mirrors every 5 seconds to monitor when you can safely switch lanes in an emergency. It's not like getting in your car and kicking back with tunes as you drive across country. I never drove in mountains, but I imagine I would have had a nervous breakdown. If you shower and have teeth, the white trash workers at truck stops will flirt with you. They aren't used to seeing that.

It's better than a North Korea prison work camp, but not much else.

slapshot · Jan 1, 2014

SoCal said:
I had a few drinks early and started fantasizing about not being in sales. Perhaps the better avenue is to incorporate some driving and sales together. I've made too much in sales to close that door completely. All that being said... some of my clients have been truck drivers pulling in 150k+. Those guys are out there for sure. And they are doing well.

don't fantasize about driving a truck or maybe do that and just don't act on them :103631605

so no CDL you can go to a school at a company that will give you a job making about 40k with crap Ins

if you want to make deliveries local like for a food distributor to restaurants maybe 60k with OT and better Ins but that's a lot more work then driving

to make money there are really 2 ways

1) own your tractor and trailer and run with a few log books and never take off most IC only take off holidays

2) you need to train new drivers as the company will still pay you full miles while they drive so 2 students and you can keep the truck rolling 24/7

now if someone was single just divorced ect and wanted to live rent free and try to catch up on some debts :think2:

TopShelf11 · Jan 1, 2014

SoCal said:
I have been working in sales for almost 20 years. Some years I have made six figures, some years I do not. I am good with people on the phone and even better in person.... but ... I really never LIKED being in sales. Every month, every qtr, every year ... it's a race, it's a grind, it's swimming upstream and always a fight. Anxiety and stress, year after year after year.

I am considering a career change - one that has to do less with people, and more with a definitive goal. Like hauling ass across the country from point A to point B. I like driving. I don't mind being alone... my international wife is stuck in her country for another year - and I am getting damn tired of sales, sales, sales ...

And so... if I were to make the jump to driving a big rig for a living. Anyone know of the most lucrative way to do it? No experience here. And no decisions have been made... in fact I just took a new job recently where I could move into sales mgmt... but I am just so fcking tired of people. lol. Any advice from any truckers? Best company to look at and have them pay for all training, etc...

http://www.heavyhaul.com/career.html

FairWarning · Jan 1, 2014

Independent truckers barely make anything, it is that cutthroat. I wouldn't want the stress of mountain/winter driving. Many accidents involving semis are caused by cars. I drive a smaller inner-city box truck and cars just assume you'll stop.

Bruins4Life · Jan 1, 2014

Got a buddy who just started doing long haul team driving. He doesn't like it. Drive 6 hours, sleep 6 hours while the other guy drives, drive 6 hours.......never stopping. Paid something like 30 or 35 cents per mile for both driving and sleeping.

DNoonan · Jan 1, 2014

I'm not a huge fan of my job either. If I could do it over I think I'd be a cop. I'd probably need a new set of friends and to change a few habits, but seems like a more interesting job than most. The only thing I like about my current job is that it pays pretty well, but that's not the most important thing to me. However, once you have a family, mortgage, etc it is tough to take a step back/start a new career that makes a lot less. My take is if you dont like what you are doing and have the flexibility to change course, you should go for it. Only get to play this game of life once so find the things that make you happy and go get em. Good luck!

SoCal · Jan 2, 2014

Good information guys. I think I needed a reality check is all. The comments regarding the stress will close the door on this one for me. Stress is what I am trying to get away from... not make less money, work harder, and have more of... (which is what driving appears to be).

The next month will be pretty interesting for me careerwise. I start with a new company on Jan. 2nd. They are a start up with major backing and excellent growth opportunity. And then I meet with a competitor on the 10th where I know about 10 people already. I've been told by some of those people that I am a shoe in for a job with that company if I want it. The Jan 10th company pays more, but there is less growth. Regardless.. it looks like it's back to the phones for me. What a fcking grind. In the end, the money always makes it worthwhile. If it doesn't kill me first

DELSOL · Jan 2, 2014

If I may ask, what do you pitch on the phone? What is the rhetoric? Is there a way to make more money if you have a rhythm or is it just a plain % # game?

I make a solid living telemarketing. Be glad to share some best practices and soft skills if interested

SoCal · Jan 2, 2014

DELSOL said:
If I may ask, what do you pitch on the phone? What is the rhetoric? Is there a way to make more money if you have a rhythm or is it just a plain % # game?

I make a solid living telemarketing. Be glad to share some best practices and soft skills if interested

I'll pm you soon to talk some shop. The products include life & health insurance. Medicare & supplements too.

TopShelf11 · Jan 2, 2014

DNoonan said:
I'm not a huge fan of my job either. If I could do it over I think I'd be a cop. I'd probably need a new set of friends and to change a few habits, but seems like a more interesting job than most. The only thing I like about my current job is that it pays pretty well, but that's not the most important thing to me. However, once you have a family, mortgage, etc it is tough to take a step back/start a new career that makes a lot less. My take is if you dont like what you are doing and have the flexibility to change course, you should go for it. Only get to play this game of life once so find the things that make you happy and go get em. Good luck!

Cops suck. I've done security on and off for years...working with many different police officers. Most are assholes, cops are just wired different....they get off on wrecking people's days and lives. Most of them do anyhow.

DNoonan · Jan 2, 2014

TopShelf11 said:
Cops suck. I've done security on and off for years...working with many different police officers. Most are assholes, cops are just wired different....they get off on wrecking people's days and lives. Most of them do anyhow.

I suspect you are right in a lot of ways on this one. I recognize that it would not be as good/interesting as I would imagine it to be, but I like the fact that every day would be somewhat different, the adrenaline aspect and that it wouldn't be behind a desk/CPU most of the time. Would also like to think I could help people if I was a cop. I fill my void for adrenaline and competition with surfing these days (every wave is different) but hard to find enough combination of swell and free time to satisfy my need. I've thought about it enough to run a few numbers to see if I could make it work as a cop, but I actually am pretty anti authority and suspicious of cops myself. I'd like to think i would be different, but thats probably what all cops say when they are starting out.

loomis41973 · Jan 2, 2014

If truck driving was lucrative you wouldnt see so many mexicans and sand niggers in the profession....jmo

Enfuego · Jan 2, 2014

Illini said:
I tried it a long time ago. Went to truck driving school for 5 weeks at a community college and then spent two weeks in training with another driver on overnight trips, but not long hauls. Trust me, I thought the same as you. I have a college degree and just was tired of the corporate grind and thought "hey, I like driving, why not give it a try?" Trust me, it is about the worst job in the world. Those people are absolute scum, I can't imagine a bigger culture shock if you are used to working in an office. The driving is not easy, as you are driving a death machine every time you get on the road. I was not relaxed at all, and it was very stressful. People pulling onto the interstate from exit ramps, expecting you to move over, but it's hard to move a semi over quickly. You can't, because you'll flip it if you do. You are constantly checking your mirrors every 5 seconds to monitor when you can safely switch lanes in an emergency. It's not like getting in your car and kicking back with tunes as you drive across country. I never drove in mountains, but I imagine I would have had a nervous breakdown. If you shower and have teeth, the white trash workers at truck stops will flirt with you. They aren't used to seeing that.

It's better than a North Korea prison work camp, but not much else.

This literally made me laugh out loud.

Enfuego · Jan 2, 2014

Why not just get your own truck and deliver stuff like you see on shipping wars? Own your own business and make your own schedule.

TopShelf11 · Jan 2, 2014

Enfuego said:
Why not just get your own truck and deliver stuff like you see on shipping wars? Own your own business and make your own schedule.

Yea...cause TV's reality. Clown.

Any truck drivers in Rx land?

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