Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've posted numerous times about issues related to my current jobs and such.
But to this date, it feels as though the only time I've had any significant vacations was after a catastrophic firing from an employer.
About two-to-three months ago, I was booted from a job I was at for three years due to a rather minor offense.
I waited about two weeks, or so to get back into another job and had about the best time of my life in quite awhile.
Took a road trip out to CA and back, went on quite a few of some of those group bicycle rides I've mentioned in previous threads here.
Then I jumped back into the working routine and it seems as though life has been put back on lock-down again.
Recalling the other two jobs I got fired from in the past, several years, there were periods of a week or two where I spent some time just going on random outings before either looking for work or getting rehired elsewhere.
After realizing this, I'm beginning to wonder if I should start looking for jobs within my field(truck driving) that offer better days off and vacation packages.
Or if I should just shrug off permanent position altogether and just go with one of those temp agencies that hires truckers for certain gigs when they pop up.
I think it's kind of bad thing when the only sense of a vacation I get is after I've been fired from some place and start to think whether or not I should go back to work, or just get out of the industry permanently.
It definitely uses you up, physically and mentally.
Three times in the past, nine years.
Once for an accident where the truck rolled over, the second time for an altercation at a loading dock.
I would say those were some rather acceptable causes for it.
The third time recently, I accidentally dozed off while the truck was parked and we weren't exactly getting paid hourly at this place either.
Just a different manager took over and turned a non-issue under the previous managers into a big thing and turned me into an example.
No one else really seems to drive semi trucks on this forum and wouldn't really know how tiring of a job it actually is.
With the strange hours you work, there's really little-to-no way to find and engage in some sort of social life.
In fact, there's a good chance you're doing recreational activities by yourself when you're off duty.
I've been with this line of work for the past, ten years and am itching to make the jump out of it and into something a little more, physically and mentally fulfilling.
No upward mobility, or cross-training into other fields involved in this industry.
Upping your productivity rating doesn't really get you much of anything rewarding either.
My parent's neighbor drives a truck. I think he just works like 3 days a week making them same run from central to south Texas. He's been driving a really long time though. You could also try a construction company, hauling gravel, cement and such. No long drives doing that, closer to a 9-5 schedule I think.
If you don't like your line of work, then you need to find something else. If it's just you, that makes it easier. Think about what you WANT to do, then work towards it.
What you seem to be saying is that your life lacks balance. Perhaps you can find a position that will give you those breaks you need to pursue your interests. Did you ever wonder whether it might be those "locked down" positions that subconsciously lead you to "accidentally F-up" so you can get fired and have some fun?
My parent's neighbor drives a truck. I think he just works like 3 days a week making them same run from central to south Texas. He's been driving a really long time though. You could also try a construction company, hauling gravel, cement and such. No long drives doing that, closer to a 9-5 schedule I think.
If you don't like your line of work, then you need to find something else. If it's just you, that makes it easier. Think about what you WANT to do, then work towards it.
I've been putting in apps with Pepsi and am now about to look into some of the local, construction related hauls around here and elsewhere.
It's not going to be easy transitioning out, so I might as well find something similar to make the new job and life search a little less of a task.
I already kind of know what I want to do with life, but I've got to free up more time in order to take on that new task.
But then again, who really knows what I want to do?
I think about a lot of things, and then I cross if off a short time later.
I'd like to second the suggestion for doing some local hauling - roofing companies, construction companies, gravel hauling, road construction, even waste hauling - I know people (and have worked) in all of those fields! They offer excellent pay (especially if you get into a union shop) as well as reasonable work days and depending on where you live, time off each year due to weather slow downs. Heck - with a CDL, you could probably learn heavy equipment - my best friend's husband transitioned out of trucking into heavy equipment and LOVES it!
I'd like to second the suggestion for doing some local hauling - roofing companies, construction companies, gravel hauling, road construction, even waste hauling - I know people (and have worked) in all of those fields! They offer excellent pay (especially if you get into a union shop) as well as reasonable work days and depending on where you live, time off each year due to weather slow downs. Heck - with a CDL, you could probably learn heavy equipment - my best friend's husband transitioned out of trucking into heavy equipment and LOVES it!
Good luck!!
I did put in a for a roll-off dumpster position in Albuquerque and got a phone interview scheduled for tomorrow.
We'll see what happens.
In the meantime, I'm definitely going to go through the lists for what other companies are available locally, and even where I want to move out to.
You are right about the slow seasons and even though they might work 3-4 times during the week in the Winter, the money doesn't seem so tight to me.
As a whole, I should really be broadening my horizons in my current line of work before I completely write it off.
I want balance and a little bit more of some type of social life.
My 20s were wasted for the most part on a whole lot of nothing.
I'm still early in my thirties and the last thing I want to do is step into 40-something land and become part of that "creepy" demographic.
It's really hard to never get vacation time. It can affect your health and your overall happiness. I worked for a nursing registry after my hospital wouldn't allow any vacation time in summer or Dec. It was great to set my own hours. If you can manage it, I'd at least try the temporary work. Of course you have to get your own health insurance with that.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
