Driver Spotlight: Josh Jefferies

Tired of making his living working long hours in a factory, Josh Jefferies of Dyersburg, Tennessee decided to pursue a childhood dream and take the wheel of a big rig.

“I always wanted to drive an 18-wheeler, I just didn’t know how to go about it,” he said.

A friend, and fellow factory worker turned driver, turned Josh onto Dot Transportation and their Dyersburg driver training program. He enrolled and earned the training and leadership he needed to start his trucking career. Within weeks, he was on the road solo.

Intimidated initially by the size and sheer power of the 18-wheeler, Josh learned quickly that it wasn’t nearly as scary as he thought it might be.

“The most surprising thing about driving a truck is how easy it is,” he said. “It looks intimidating, but once you’re behind the wheel it’s like driving a car.”

With barely a year under his belt as a first-time truck driver, Josh is already carrying himself with the confidence and skillset of a seasoned highway vet. He says the new career path allows for much more freedom than anything he’d done previously.

“It’s peaceful and it’s nice to have no one over your shoulder,” he said. “The best thing about driving is the adventure. I see a lot of crazy things. Cool stuff I ain’t never seen before.”

With a wife and three kids at home, Josh was nervous initially about spending so many nights away and wasn’t sure if he could adapt to the trucker lifestyle. He learned quickly that the days and weeks do fly by and with so many avenues to stay in touch, he never really feels that far away.

“With Facetime and everything, it’s like I’m home,” he said. “It’s really not a big difference. It wasn’t a bad adjustment.”

And just to make sure his daddy doesn’t get too lonely out there, Josh’s youngest son always sends his father with an action figure to keep him company (“Mecha Godzilla” served as co-pilot on a recent mission).

In addition to a favorable schedule that gets him home twice a week, Josh is bringing home more than twice what he did as a factory worker.

“My wife loves the checks,” he said. 

As far as his advice to prospective drivers, Josh encourages anyone with an interest to give it a shot.

“If you want to learn how to drive a truck, go through DTI. They’ll give you great benefits, great support, and everything you need to get on the road properly.”