Originally Posted by
RMWRIGHT
2 years of training and 70k later one becomes a "pilot" , unemployed and
even if one is lucky to land an FO job it starts at 18k per year... In 3 weeks and 3k one can get a CDL class A. Truck drivers start at 50k and owner/operators can make 100k per year. You'd need to invest about 8 years in aviation to make 60k. (2 years school, 2 years cfi, 4 years fo)
kind of. Anyone with the discipline, background, and motiviation to get a Commercial/ATP will be in demand as a driver but working conditions are a lot different. Some companies provide well-equipped sleeper cabs and/or get their drivers home every week; a lot don't. Hotel rooms at company expense are unusual at most companies, unheard of at many.
The travel might seem appealing, but most truck stops are nowhere near the city center or any form of public transit. Parking the rig at a mall or industrial area to go sightseeing is problematic, even if you're not carrying a valuable or hazardous cargo. There is practically no such thing as jumpseating, except possibly on trucks owned by your own company...
and so on. Been there, done that.
probably will end up doing it again, since it's what I know- but hard to argue that professional pilot is any worse.
There are some few good exceptions; the best single example might be household goods/moving where a lot of the work is organization and customer service.
good luck!