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Boy, I was so excited when that search box appeared with the words "If you had a chance to experience another lifestyle…" With no hesitation at all, I typed TR

Boy, I was so excited when that search box appeared with the words "If you had a chance to experience another lifestyle…" With no hesitation at all, I typed TRUCK DRIVER, and hit "search." All my life, I've said at one time or another, "if I could just take a couple years off and learn to drive a big rig, I'd love to see what life would be like." I've gone so far as to inquire with various trucking schools, but never more than that. It's just too different, too wildly far away from who I am and what I do now. How would anyone understand that I left a high-paying tech career with "no heavy lifting," as they say, to become an over the road driver? Would I be happy? I wish I could know. So of course I typed TRUCK DRIVER and hit search. And in a split second, anticipation turned into unsurprised disappointment. Of course it said "Whoops. Looks like we couldn't find any mentors matching your search." Dead end. Sure, there's a place to enter a suggestion, which naturally just results in an empty-sounding "you're awesome" and a vague promise to "try and get someone," but no CTA beyond that, or opportunity for further engagement. Digging around a bit more, there's a sidebar that can be expanded to show some locations. Clicking on various cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, etc., the minuscule number of mentors that do exist on the site are web designers, UX specialists, and the like. I'd wager that most of the people looking at the site already do things like that. Not much lifetramping to be had there. A concept like this could be amazing, if it had a wide network of mentors in all walks of life. The ones that are there now, though, seem to be variants of "hip tech worker" or "hip artisanal ex-tech worker." I hope the creators can get a lot more variety, and most importantly, a lot of mentors. I'll be watching with my fingers crossed. Still wish I could ride along with a truck driver for a week.

gk1 12y ago
I know someone who quit a well-paying management consulting job to become a truck driver. He bought a Peterbilt and did routes throughout the Southwest and California. After a while (I think about a year), he came to Brooklyn and opened a cafe, which is now doing quite well. From what he told me about his truck-driving days, it sounded like he had a great time. I guess what I'm trying to say is... You can do it.
- ForHackernews 12y ago
  > I guess what I'm trying to say is... You can do it. If you have enough money to buy a truck, apparently...
Greenisus 12y ago
My dad is a truck driver, so I've been around that particular lifestyle for most of my life. I've been in big rigs countless times (the view from that high up really is cool) but I've never had a chance to drive one. My dad owned a few trucks at one point but he'd never let me drive. I've never gone on a long haul with him, but my brother and mom have and for the most part they enjoyed it. My observation of the trucker lifestyle is that has a lot in common with working in tech: - long hours for the majority of us - its own subculture - even its own chat protocol: CB radio :) But there are a few negatives: it's really tough on your health with only having access to truck stop food (you usually can't detour to a fancy restaurant in town when you're hauling a 53" trailer) and lots of time sitting down. From what my dad says, though, seeing the whole country is really great, and he really loves what he does and the strange perks (he used to deliver chemicals to a gold mine in Canada and would bring rocks with gold on them back to all the kids in my neighborhood). I'd be curious to try it too. :)
- jkeel 12y ago
  My grandfather was a truck driver for over 40 years. He worked for a few different companies at during his lifetime but his last was for the US postal service. He said that was the life for a truck driver. He over drove twice a week (to and from Dallas, TX x2). I think it's really hard to get a job with them as a truck driver from what I remember. Anyways, I love the truck driver culture. Before my grandfather worked for USPS, I would go with him on trips and we would go to these truck stops that were more like diners. I'm not sure if a lot of those exist anymore but the waitress would always remember my grandfather and he would just say, "my usual". Fond memories.
Tjodalv 12y ago
Jayson, That's because this site exists for like 4 months. They are still looking for new mentors all around the world. Started in Poland and there is quite a big base (blacksmith, carpenters,fashion designers) but they need some time to grow :)
dotmariusz 12y ago
We just launched it locally to validate if it could work and now it's time for growing, so don't worry, we'll find a truck driver for you too.

gk1 12y ago

I know someone who quit a well-paying management consulting job to become a truck driver. He bought a Peterbilt and did routes throughout the Southwest and California. After a while (I think about a year), he came to Brooklyn and opened a cafe, which is now doing quite well. From what he told me about his truck-driving days, it sounded like he had a great time. I guess what I'm trying to say is... You can do it.

ForHackernews 12y ago
> I guess what I'm trying to say is... You can do it. If you have enough money to buy a truck, apparently...

Greenisus 12y ago

My dad is a truck driver, so I've been around that particular lifestyle for most of my life. I've been in big rigs countless times (the view from that high up really is cool) but I've never had a chance to drive one. My dad owned a few trucks at one point but he'd never let me drive. I've never gone on a long haul with him, but my brother and mom have and for the most part they enjoyed it. My observation of the trucker lifestyle is that has a lot in common with working in tech: - long hours for the majority of us - its own subculture - even its own chat protocol: CB radio :) But there are a few negatives: it's really tough on your health with only having access to truck stop food (you usually can't detour to a fancy restaurant in town when you're hauling a 53" trailer) and lots of time sitting down. From what my dad says, though, seeing the whole country is really great, and he really loves what he does and the strange perks (he used to deliver chemicals to a gold mine in Canada and would bring rocks with gold on them back to all the kids in my neighborhood). I'd be curious to try it too. :)

jkeel 12y ago
My grandfather was a truck driver for over 40 years. He worked for a few different companies at during his lifetime but his last was for the US postal service. He said that was the life for a truck driver. He over drove twice a week (to and from Dallas, TX x2). I think it's really hard to get a job with them as a truck driver from what I remember. Anyways, I love the truck driver culture. Before my grandfather worked for USPS, I would go with him on trips and we would go to these truck stops that were more like diners. I'm not sure if a lot of those exist anymore but the waitress would always remember my grandfather and he would just say, "my usual". Fond memories.

Tjodalv 12y ago

Jayson, That's because this site exists for like 4 months. They are still looking for new mentors all around the world. Started in Poland and there is quite a big base (blacksmith, carpenters,fashion designers) but they need some time to grow :)

dotmariusz 12y ago

We just launched it locally to validate if it could work and now it's time for growing, so don't worry, we'll find a truck driver for you too.