In some of my past articles, you’ve read about back-up plans, Plan B sources of income, and other ways to save or make money. Today, I’d like to talk about my “Plan A”. My day job so-to-speak.
This is what happens in a recession if you don’t have a recession proof job.
For those of you who’ve been long time subscribers, you’ll know that I started my career in trucking and have been driving for the last 15 years. But what I haven’t talked about much is exactly what is it that I do in trucking and why I do it. Despite having enough other multiple streams of income to live on, I still choose to drive our nations highways as my primary line of work. Why? Quite simply, it’s FUN! That’s right, I don’t do this work because I have to, I do it because I WANT to.
If you can honestly say that about your job, then you are in the minority. I can’t even begin to count the number of people I talk to, especially on social media, who hate their jobs. Why would anyone do work that they hate? A famous quote by Confucius goes: “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” This quote is what differentiates a job from a career. It’s what keeps your days from dragging on, hoping for the weekend to come, only to dread the next Monday. Â Do you find yourself in that situation?
What I do is a career to me because not only is it fun, it also pays pretty darn well! What’s great, is just about anyone who’s safety conscientious, has good work ethic, and a good driving record can get into this career. Only self-starters need apply.
I drive as an owner operator, and I do it very successfully. That means that this isn’t just a job or a career to me, it’s my business. I enjoy the benefits of calling the shots and making my own choices, going home when I want to, taking a vacation with my wife whenever we want, owning my own truck and earning a fat paycheck by the end of the week. When you are working for yourself, you begin to find a lot of ways to cut back on expenses, budget your money, and find multiple streams of income giving you an edge up in business. Over the years I’ve mastered skills in safety, fuel economy, trip planning, business management and more. All of these are skills that pay off immensely in this business. Proper budgeting not only allows for savings for retirement, but also gives you a chance to do things that most people only consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Our recession proof career affords us the opportunity to see things that most people only dream of
Flor viewing Devil’s Tower
For example, Flor and I just got a contract that’s taking us to San Diego. After we drop that, we’re heading up to Disneyland for a few days off so I can treat her to a vacation that she’s always dreamed of since she was a kid (On the way there we may even swing by Meteor Crater). As you know, with most vacations, half the expense is just getting there. We don’t have that travel expense. In this business, I get paid to drive. We do our work, then when we’re ready to take some time off, we request time off at whatever place we want to go and ask to get routed there. A couple weeks ago we ran through Rapid City, SD and also had a chance to stop in and see Devils Tower in Wyoming. Then there’s the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Statue of Liberty, Las Vegas, so many other great things to see in this country. Sure, you can’t drive a big rig into a lot of these places but there are many truck stops and rest areas in every state and a taxi or rental car is only a phone call away. Again, being good at budgeting, finding deals, coupons, and saving your money will afford you the opportunity to do things like this. We live the American Dream.
In this business we get to haul some pretty cool stuff.
So what exactly kind of work do we do? Well, there’s a lot more to this business than just getting a CDL and pointing your truck down the road. Not only is there a lot of safety involved and a thorough understanding of laws and regulations, but we also haul some pretty high value stuff for some of the nations largest companies. What we do is “Specialized”. We handle a lot of equipment like MRI machines, Mainframe computers, Servers and other electronics, Trade shows, Office moves, and some of the coolest motorcycles you’ve ever seen. Why do I like to say this work is recession proof? Because whenever a company opens a new store, office, or factory and needs someone to bring their equipment, they call companies like ours to move it for them. When times are bad and a company has to scale back and close a store, office, or factory, they still have to call us to move their equipment. In a good or bad economy, we still come out ahead.
But let’s talk a little more about the company that I drive for and why I personally think they are hands down a better company to drive for than just about any other on the road. (Experienced drivers, you’ll want to read this)
Over the years I’ve driven for several companies, so I’ve had a chance to see what’s out there and compare. The company I’m with now is the one I’ve settled down with and chosen to stay at. I’ve never had one complaint the entire time I’ve been with them, nor have I heard any complaints from any of the other drivers. They are here to take care of their drivers.
As you know, with any business you’ll have your ups and downs and that’s where these guys are different. They’ve provided me with excellent pay and opportunities so that I can achieve my ups (my success). But even when I’ve had my “downs”, they were right there to help me out. When I had an engine go out, they were there in no time to help get me into a new truck and back on the road. They have an open door policy so you can go right in to talk to your dispatcher, payroll, recruiters, safety department, or even leaders in the company if you need to talk to them.
They go out of their way to make sure we are safe and successful, and that’s why I’d like to recommend them to you. If you are looking for a change in your career, a new company to drive for, or just a whole new experience, then I can help you get started by pointing you to the right people.
If you are experienced and qualified, you can start right now working for the same company I work for. If you have no prior experience, then I can still direct you to the right places to get the schooling and experience that you need.
For those of you with experience, here is a bit of an overview:
- This company has one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry. 80% of drivers stay with us.
- We haul High Value and Specialized Products
- All drivers are Owner Operators
- Most shipments are between 24,000 LBS and 30,000 LBS, with many weighing much less than that. Rarely do we max out our weight, that means less weight = better fuel economy and less wear on your truck
- Our fuel card gives you an additional .12 cents per gallon discount (I can even teach you how to optimize your routing for the cheapest fuel saving you even more money)
- Highway, bridge tolls, and required scales paid, no cost to you
- Fuel Surcharge paid on all dispatched miles (subject to change based on weekly national average of fuel prices)
Pay:
Truckload Solo rates: Loaded miles including FSC & Handling average is $1.40
Empty miles including FSC & Handling average is $1.13
For a limited time drivers are being offered a sign on bonus: $1,000 for Solo Lease/Purchase and $3,000 for Team Lease/Purchase.
Sign on bonus for Solo or Team who bring their own truck is $6,000.
Reimburse up to $500 with receipts for the travel expense to Orientation.
All trucks must meet qualifications. If you do not own a truck I can have the recruiter explain the lease purchase program to you.
I was able to get into a Lease/Purchase truck with no money down, no credit check and have my my truck paid off in just 3 years. With the maintenance program, repairs were covered and I didn’t have to worry about out of pocket repair expenses.
Requirements:
Owner Operators must have “high standards” with regards to Safety, Quality Performance, Motor Vehicle Record, Appearance and Employment Stability. Lead drivers must have a class “A” CDL license and at least one current year of OTR driving history and be willing to blanket wrap & secure items and travel 48 states. Drivers are asked to be available at least three to four week before home time. You decide how long you want to be home and communicate that with your dispatcher.
Simply email me at Tom (at) AmericanPreppersNetwork.com and I will put you in touch with Connie from Recruiting and she can help you get started. Even If you have little or no prior experience we can still connect you with the right people to get the schooling and experience that you need.
The post Recession proof your life with this career appeared first on American Preppers Network.
Recession proof your life with this career
Recession proof your life with this career
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