Trucking: Another part of the trucking industry, synthetic chemists, cdl class

Question
I have worked behind the wheel of a truck (over the road) and found that: It sucks.

The principal reason that I didn't like it is because I can't stand being in a small moving box with another man for weeks at a time with no woman. If I could get a wife and get her into trucking, then it might be tolerable. (This is something that I am looking into.)

It also occurs to me that there are other aspects of trucking, such as dispatching and brokering. Can you tell me how a person would break into brokering? I know that dispatching would be harder to get into because there would be a lot of truck drivers that work with them every day and would be licking their chops at the thought of being able to work at a job that gets them home every night.

It happens that I'm an educated man. (MS degree. Chemistry. The Chemistry job market sucks right now for Synthetic Chemists. I'd make more starting off as a truck driver and DO have a CDL class A.) I'd like to think that this education would qualify me to do something other than shifting gears day in and day out.

Can you offer any other suggestions.

Answer
Lemas, dispatching and brokering are two alternatives to use the knowledge you gained as a driver in another role.  If youo prefer to sit in a office instead of being out on the road then either one is an alternative althogh it will probably not pay as well as driving.  Another option is to change your focus and find a local driving job that get's you home each day.  Probably won't pay as much as over the road but it may provide a better quality of life.  Look at warehouse companies, provate fleets and LTL carriers to find the more predictable driving assignments that run on schedules.  Best way to "break in" to any of these options is just to ask around, check all of the job boards online as well as the print media.  There are plenty of jobs to get started if you are willing to be flexible and work your way into the better positions.  Best of Luck.

PS. the salary / pay ranges for these jobs will be all over the board depending on the region and the company.  If you are in a high cost of living area with low unemployment rates and few qualified you will be able to demand more.  Lower cost of living areas with relatively higher unemployment will get lower salary offers.  Ther are just too many variables to even guess at what youo might find.  The best way to find out is ask and apply as many places as you can to get multiple offers to compare.