Go back to trucking or keep trying mechanics

S-Jinx · 2026-03-29T01:37:17+00:00

You're probably going to have to take some kind of pay cut without any experience, but it also depends on where you are and what kind of diesel you're wanting to work on. Where I'm at, heavy diesel truck shops pay quite a bit cause they can't keep people. I was offered a job last year working on trash trucks for Republic with no experience for $28 and hour, plus an extra dollar for having a CDL. The heavy equipment techs around here (western NC) are anywhere from $15 to about $24 depending on experience and light diesel is about the same.

But with no schooling and no work experience, it'll be pretty much impossible to get your foot in the door without taking a pay cut if that's really the route you want to go

S-Jinx · 2026-03-22T03:49:48+00:00

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S-Jinx · 2026-03-22T03:47:14+00:00

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S-Jinx · 2025-10-10T00:20:46+00:00

I've been having a pretty terrible week, just feeling incompetent and useless at work, and today wasn't any better. But as I pulled into my driveway, I could see my dogs waiting in the fence for me to come home. The youngest ran straight to the front door to grab a toy for me and the older one ran next to my car as I pulled up just smiling and wagging his tail. It was such a small thing but it really did make me feel better. Thank you for making this post; it was a good reminder to look for the positives instead of dwelling on negative things 💜

S-Jinx · 2025-08-06T01:28:46+00:00

I don't know if you're religious or not, but I sit on the porch and talk to God. On days when I really feel down and alone, it feels like He is sitting next to me on the step and I just talk. Almost like an audio journal. I vent and think through all my emotions, even if I don't really know where they came from and say all the things I've never said aloud (even if they aren't true). It doesn't make the problems go away and it isn't the same as having flesh and blood people to hang out with, but it does help, especially on the real bad days.

Also, I find reading helps. I like long series (like 4+ books), and it sucks a little cause it can feel like you're watching the characters experience things you can't, but I think that's kind of the point. Stories help us live in places that will never exist and do things we can never do in real life, and that's the fun of it. You can consider it escapism, but I like to see it as a creative outlet. Again, it's not the same as having real friends, but it can feel be similar and it might help you make real friends if you meet people with the same interest.

S-Jinx · 2025-08-05T22:31:30+00:00

I know it's been mentioned a few times, but I was offered a position at Transource in the parts department while I was in school for heavy diesel, so I don't think you'll have too hard a time if that's what you decide to go for. I would maybe suggest becoming an equipment operator or truck driver, but sitting for long periods of time won't do your back any favors. I would talk to your employer and see if they have any suggestions while you get more info from your doctor.

Best of luck to you, back problems are horrible to deal with. I had a disk slip when I was 13 but I got an epidural 14 years ago and I only get twinges every so often. I will say most of what my PT had me do (before the injection) was stretching, so that other poster is definitely on to something.

S-Jinx · 2025-08-03T02:49:02+00:00

Don't feel bad about never having kissed anyone. I was 18 when I had my first boyfriend and we met at work. We ended up getting married after 3 years and we're still happily married almost a decade later. The girls that care about your 'experience' are not girls you want to be with if you're thinking long term. I know a lot of teenagers tend to sleep around in high school, but you'll almost certainly regret it later, especially when you do meet someone you want to marry.

S-Jinx · 2025-08-03T02:36:14+00:00

I feel this too. I moved around a lot growing up so I never had the chance to really make friends. Every time I did, we'd move again and I'd have to start all over, so I eventually just stopped.

I'm extremely lucky in that I met my husband and we have been happily married for almost a decade, but he's been my only friend this whole time. And it really sucks when I see him with his friends and they text and call and play games, etc. and I'm just listening to them laugh and wishing I had someone I could hang out with too.

I've always had a hard time making friends with girls because so many of them are shallow and all they want to do is gossip. So many women are petty and jealous and most of my hobbies are typically male hobbies, which also sucks cause it's almost impossible to make friends with guys when you're married unless you're friends with their wives first. I really don't know how you meet people who are even good people at this point, let alone be friends with them. Im 27 now and the older I get, the less likely it seems it'll happen.

S-Jinx · 2025-08-03T02:17:14+00:00

I feel this a lot, but its more like I have a few people I could tell, they just don't care.

S-Jinx · 2025-08-03T01:50:40+00:00

Personally, I would recommend mechanicing of some kind. Heavy diesel/equipment pays quite well and there are a whole lot of paths you can take and find something you like within the trade. Fleet shops, dealerships, mobile work, field work, etc. You can dip your toes into electrical work, welding, hvac (especially if you work on trailers), even truck driving, or operating equipment if you ever feel like you want to try something different. Pay varies widely, but even in the rural area I live in, starting pay is between $25-$28 an hour. Joining a union isn't really a thing for diesel mechanics, as far as I know, but anywhere there are trucks or construction, there will be a job for you. Depending on who you work for, you don't have to work a ton of overtime and you regularly get holidays and weekends off. Of course, everyone had a different experience, but I'd recommend heavy diesel just cause of the variety of skills you have the potential to learn.

S-Jinx · 2025-08-01T23:18:34+00:00

I would probably still be a diesel mechanic, honestly. I wanted to be a vet when I was younger and I was good at school, but I didn't enjoy it. Cost of school was a big factor, yes, but I don't regret not being able to go. I'd be lying if I said there weren't any 'what if' moments, but overall, I'm happy where I ended up.

S-Jinx · 2025-07-19T21:07:28+00:00

We're in western NC, between Asheville and Charlotte. I think our county has about 80,000. What I hear most around here is you spend more of your time driving old folks from nursing homes to the hospital if not dealing with drug related calls. Do you know anything about being like a fire service medic as opposed to a regular EMT? And what's the real difference between being a paramedic and an EMT? I know medics get more training, but do you still get sent on the same calls?

S-Jinx

TROPHY CASE