On this episode of The Road Forward we’re sitting down with Alex Mei, who has been a truck driver for almost 12 years. Alex works as a mover 8-9 months out of the year as well as running one of the largest trucking channels on YouTube. He uses his channel to share useful information for other drivers and companies in the industry. 

We asked Alex about his story, as well as what he’s learned from his time in trucking and from running a successful YouTube channel. 

Getting Started

As a kid, he worked with his uncle every Summer, helping him out with his moving business. He initially decided this field wasn’t for him. Instead, he went to college, after which he worked as a manager at Walgreens. He found that he was disappointed with the job he had, despite having gotten a higher education. This led him to realize how much more money he could be making if he got into trucking, based on the stats of his uncle’s business. Alex trained under his uncle and followed his steps closely to start his own moving business, getting him to where he is today.

How did the YouTube channel come about? 

Alex noted that getting started in trucking can be challenging, especially at first. He started making videos as a way to add something new and fulfilling into his life. Now that his channel has picked up quite a large following, Alex is using his platform to ‘shine the light of social media on the trucking industry.’ One of his main goals is to provide a space for truckers to share their stories.

Alex’s growing influence led him to Congress, where he was able to see firsthand the types of things lawmakers are talking about regarding the trucking industry. His personal observations were that very few issues were discussed that are of real concern to those in the industry. He suggests that this disconnect is due to the fact that the only people connected to the industry with a real say in Congress are mega carriers as well as oil and truck stop owners– people with a very different agenda than smaller carriers and drivers.

Why Choose a Job in Trucking?

From the perspective of someone who has spent many years on the road, truck driving is definitely not an easy business. So why are people still drawn to trucking? One reason is that the barrier to entry can be a lot lower than in other industries as far as education and experience. If you’re the kind of person that isn’t quite sure what career to get into or where you want to go in life, Alex suggests that trucking could be a solution for you. He says that if you have the circumstances to do it, spending a few years on the road allows you to meet new people, experience new things, and it will give you a lot of time to think about who you are and where you want to go. 

Be sure to learn more by checking out the full episode on YouTube or our other platforms.

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