As many of you may know i am a licensed mechanic and though i love cars the business is tough. Tons of dishonesty. Alot of expesne pay isn't stellar. I lost my job last week due to i wouldn't play ball with the dishonesty and am thinking about shifting gears. I am considering maybe doing truck driving. Hogan trucking offers free schooling and home every weekend. Its a 5 week course i am tempted to do it i think id like it. Im nervous it's not like with cars where i knew i liked working on them. I've never done the trucking thing before. So advice amd knowledge is appreciated i feel like making a change is better now at 24 than when I'm 40 . so please all insight is appreciated.
Career change advice
- Thread starter ram_man
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Do what you want to do now at your age.
Once you get older you may not have that option.
Once you get older you may not have that option.
There are many options at 24, explore and see what you like. Do you have a young family?
Yep, truck driving, or learn a trade at your local community college. Electronic techs are (and will be) in high demand. Mr. Nice likely has some advice on the topic.
I'd google Hogan trucking and see what the reviews are like for that company. Estes trucking has a hub here that seems pretty decent. Their trucks are newer, clean and the drivers don't drive like crazies. It also depends on where they're sending you. I wouldn't want to go by or through NYC for example. Since you'll be doing a lot of sitting and waiting. You're paid by the mile so that won't work too well. Also trips into Canada and Mexico will have you sitting for long periods. Older trucks in the fleet will break down more often which means you'll be idle more often.
There's a guy on here by the name of TiredTrucker that has some good info.
There's a guy on here by the name of TiredTrucker that has some good info.
Look for money to enroll in a 3 year nursing program. That is where the demand is now and will be for years to come as the Baby Boomer generation retire. Read an article in the Omaha World Herald this week saying nurse shortage is so acute that hospitals are recruiting outside the country. Best of luck at whatever you choose. I have a relative that drives for Crete that contracts with Walmart. He is away a week at a time and lives in his truck but he does get home every week. Very hard way to make a living. Never ceased to amaze me as to what stepped out of trucks I used to transport power generation equipment. Had two twenty to pulverizer roll wheel assemblies wind up in Clear Creek near Golden,Colorado and the driver just disappeared before law enforcement arrived. Another truck and a large crane and back to KC,Kansas the assembles went for complete tear down. An insurance nightmare.
if you do it make a youtube channel and make even more $ on the side. I watch these guys every now and again.
https://www.youtube.com/user/24juan68
https://www.youtube.com/user/indianajacktrucker
https://www.youtube.com/user/24juan68
https://www.youtube.com/user/indianajacktrucker
You'll find that truck driving also has it's share of problems, such as dispatchers that insist you run despite being out of hours or in treacherous weather, shippers and consignees that demand you be on time but have no regard to how fast you are loaded, government regulation and red tape (permits, taxes, posted roads, medical certifications, DOT authority, EPA regulations, hours of service, state laws, federal laws, etc.).
No deadhead pay, poor public perception, and a lack of truck parking and rest areas for trucks when you don't have hours left on your log book or you're in inclement weather. Unless you manage a day cab job with an LTL carrier you'll be gone for days, sometimes weeks at a time. The "home every weekend"? Yeah, if it happens it means you get home tired every Saturday morning, and then leave again Sunday afternoon. It's a rare marriage that can hold up to one partner being absent for weeks at a time. When you're out and you do have downtime, it's usually spent in a truck stop or similar hovel. You'll sleep all sorts of odd hours in order to keep your log book current.
With the right carrier you'll make a decent hourly equivalent as long as you're rolling down the highway at 70 MPH. But if you average that out based on the time you're gone from home, you'll be lucky to make an average of $12/hour. The really good line-haul drop and hook routes take a very long time to work into. Until then you'll be making less than you are now and doing all of the grunt work. And if you bump the dock at a consignee such as a grocery warehouse with all touch freight? You'll either hire a lumper out of your own pocket or spend the entire day hand unloading and stacking the freight. At least it's good exercise.
Of course, there is the whole responsibility thing-you are responsible for everything concerning your truck whether or not it's in your control, including mechanical issues. You'll also be buying all of your meals while you're out on the road. Not only is most truck stop food unhealthy, but it's also expensive and is one of the reasons why truck drivers generally have such poor health.
Unless you want to drive for one of the fly-by-night outfits, you better have a good credit rating, an excellent driving record, and zero accidents. In many cases you'll need to be bonded for high value loads.
You also talked about changing jobs less than 2 years ago for virtually the same reason .
And just over 2 years ago you posted almost the same thread lamenting about your career choice .
No deadhead pay, poor public perception, and a lack of truck parking and rest areas for trucks when you don't have hours left on your log book or you're in inclement weather. Unless you manage a day cab job with an LTL carrier you'll be gone for days, sometimes weeks at a time. The "home every weekend"? Yeah, if it happens it means you get home tired every Saturday morning, and then leave again Sunday afternoon. It's a rare marriage that can hold up to one partner being absent for weeks at a time. When you're out and you do have downtime, it's usually spent in a truck stop or similar hovel. You'll sleep all sorts of odd hours in order to keep your log book current.
With the right carrier you'll make a decent hourly equivalent as long as you're rolling down the highway at 70 MPH. But if you average that out based on the time you're gone from home, you'll be lucky to make an average of $12/hour. The really good line-haul drop and hook routes take a very long time to work into. Until then you'll be making less than you are now and doing all of the grunt work. And if you bump the dock at a consignee such as a grocery warehouse with all touch freight? You'll either hire a lumper out of your own pocket or spend the entire day hand unloading and stacking the freight. At least it's good exercise.
Of course, there is the whole responsibility thing-you are responsible for everything concerning your truck whether or not it's in your control, including mechanical issues. You'll also be buying all of your meals while you're out on the road. Not only is most truck stop food unhealthy, but it's also expensive and is one of the reasons why truck drivers generally have such poor health.
Unless you want to drive for one of the fly-by-night outfits, you better have a good credit rating, an excellent driving record, and zero accidents. In many cases you'll need to be bonded for high value loads.
You also talked about changing jobs less than 2 years ago for virtually the same reason .
And just over 2 years ago you posted almost the same thread lamenting about your career choice .
I'd rethink trucking, because autonomous trucks are probably going to kill a lot of the jobs there in the coming years. Someone mentioned nursing, I have worked as an LPN and hated it. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're the real "caregiver" type. Plenty of other good jobs in the medical field though. You might like medical equipment maintenance and repair.
$26 an hour for BMET 1. Positions in Palm Beach and Ft Lauderdale.
Biomedical Equipment Technician needs associates degree in electronics or prior electronics / mechanical background. This is entry level position for someone new to this field. Repair, test and calibration of non diagnostic imaging equipment.
OT on regular basis if you volunteer for it. Paid training / travel and tuition reimbursement. Must be willing to work at: hospitals, laboratories and off site ER clinics. GE Healthcare and keyword: biomedical.
Field service is where you easily break $100K.
Biomedical Equipment Technician needs associates degree in electronics or prior electronics / mechanical background. This is entry level position for someone new to this field. Repair, test and calibration of non diagnostic imaging equipment.
OT on regular basis if you volunteer for it. Paid training / travel and tuition reimbursement. Must be willing to work at: hospitals, laboratories and off site ER clinics. GE Healthcare and keyword: biomedical.
Field service is where you easily break $100K.
I love it when people say "become a nurse" like it's easy peasy and any Joe Blow can do it. My dad is a retired attorney and is well worth over 7 figures. Unfortunately I didn't have his smarts to become one or otherwise I would have.
Have you thought about switching to a diesel or semi trailer mechanic? I was a mechanic at a Honda dealer back in the 90's and didn't like it. I quit, went to Nashville Auto Diesel College and am now a journeyman semi mech and made 74K last year. You can get a good city job, school district bus mechanic job or a good job with an LTL trucking company and get paid well.
Truck driving is all over the map as far as pay, home time and how you'll get treated goes.
Dry van load trucking is a cutthroat business with little profit margin. Think JB Hunt, Schneider, Swift and a million other trucking companies willing to haul the same load for a penny less a mile than the other from point A to point B, means you'll get paid little to be treated like garbage and not get home much.
LTL trucking is a lot better, but you gotta prove yourself as a safe driver with time on you before progressing to such companies like Estes, UPS Freight, Con-Way, Yellow.. .
Private fleets often pay their drivers well. Wal-Mart has their own private fleet. They start at $82k a year. https://jobs.walmart.com/us/jobs?categories=Drivers&page=1
Have you thought about switching to a diesel or semi trailer mechanic? I was a mechanic at a Honda dealer back in the 90's and didn't like it. I quit, went to Nashville Auto Diesel College and am now a journeyman semi mech and made 74K last year. You can get a good city job, school district bus mechanic job or a good job with an LTL trucking company and get paid well.
Truck driving is all over the map as far as pay, home time and how you'll get treated goes.
Dry van load trucking is a cutthroat business with little profit margin. Think JB Hunt, Schneider, Swift and a million other trucking companies willing to haul the same load for a penny less a mile than the other from point A to point B, means you'll get paid little to be treated like garbage and not get home much.
LTL trucking is a lot better, but you gotta prove yourself as a safe driver with time on you before progressing to such companies like Estes, UPS Freight, Con-Way, Yellow.. .
Private fleets often pay their drivers well. Wal-Mart has their own private fleet. They start at $82k a year. https://jobs.walmart.com/us/jobs?categories=Drivers&page=1
Topic has been covered here before. Read page 5 of this thread. The last post on page five has some great insight.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3142824/5
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3142824/5
I would look for a technical career with training at a community college or as suggested nursing.
Would you be willing to move? Come build aircraft on the gulf coast. Your background is perfect for it.
If you like working on cars, have the tools and know how to price jobs where you'll make a decent buck, start your own thing.This way you can choose what you want to work on and for who. If after a while it's not working for you, look into something else.,,
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
$26 an hour for BMET 1. Positions in Palm Beach and Ft Lauderdale.
Biomedical Equipment Technician needs associates degree in electronics or prior electronics / mechanical background. This is entry level position for someone new to this field. Repair, test and calibration of non diagnostic imaging equipment.
OT on regular basis if you volunteer for it. Paid training / travel and tuition reimbursement. Must be willing to work at: hospitals, laboratories and off site ER clinics. GE Healthcare and keyword: biomedical.
Field service is where you easily break $100K.
There it is! Thanks for stopping by. I'll consider something like that as a second career after I'm retired from my current gig.
$26 an hour for BMET 1. Positions in Palm Beach and Ft Lauderdale.
Biomedical Equipment Technician needs associates degree in electronics or prior electronics / mechanical background. This is entry level position for someone new to this field. Repair, test and calibration of non diagnostic imaging equipment.
OT on regular basis if you volunteer for it. Paid training / travel and tuition reimbursement. Must be willing to work at: hospitals, laboratories and off site ER clinics. GE Healthcare and keyword: biomedical.
Field service is where you easily break $100K.
There it is! Thanks for stopping by. I'll consider something like that as a second career after I'm retired from my current gig.
Nursing is great, focus on cardiac cath lab / EP lab or Neuro.
Bedside nursing is very difficult, trust me...
When I did field service it was strictly for open heart surgery such as cardiac balloon pumps, cell savers, hemostasis, perfusion heart/lung bypass equipment , etc...
If you like working with your hands and being in a very clean environment this might be a field for you. If you specialize you can make very good money because with you training and skill set, you are the go to person when that equipment needs repair or even a mandatory PM. TechNation magazine has more info. Attend a Biomed Society monthly meeting in your area and talk to the folks. When I lived in south Florida we had monthly meetings at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston. About 50 biomeds attending the meeting, so a great place to network and chat.
Robotics is the future of surgery: Da Vinci and Mako
Bedside nursing is very difficult, trust me...
When I did field service it was strictly for open heart surgery such as cardiac balloon pumps, cell savers, hemostasis, perfusion heart/lung bypass equipment , etc...
If you like working with your hands and being in a very clean environment this might be a field for you. If you specialize you can make very good money because with you training and skill set, you are the go to person when that equipment needs repair or even a mandatory PM. TechNation magazine has more info. Attend a Biomed Society monthly meeting in your area and talk to the folks. When I lived in south Florida we had monthly meetings at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston. About 50 biomeds attending the meeting, so a great place to network and chat.
Robotics is the future of surgery: Da Vinci and Mako
I would not recommend trucking. Go for a trade along another line, but not trucking! Been trucking 22 years now myself.
although picking your dream at 24 is often the best, I would consider working on your personality and aiming for a different employer. ALSO, consider growing a part time specialty such as brakes, or alarms, or a special car, such as land rovers, MG's, perhaps Volvo, ((I doubt you can jump right into BMW, Porsche, etc.) and gradually build up business in a friendly, competent, specialized manner.
I would look for a technical career with training at a community college or as suggested nursing.
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