White collar workers find new gigs in big rigs

SEATTLE - A lot of unemployed workers are turning their job loss into an opportunity.

For some, that means trying a career they'd never dreamed of - driving a truck.

Truck driving schools across the country are reporting an increase in enrollment. At Bates Technical College in Tacoma, they have just added an extra class and still have a waiting list that's longer than ever. Some of their current students include former bankers and Microsoft employees.

Loran Sawyer is just about to graduate from bates technical college commercial truck driving program.

"Gosh, I didn't think I was going to be doing this at 56 years-old, but it's going to be good for me," he said.

It's light years away from Loran's last career.

"My last career was a yacht broker at Lake Union in Seattle," said Sawyer.

Then the economy sunk his yacht-selling career. It's a similar story for other aspiring truck drivers.

"I was in management security at the night clubs here in the south end (Tacoma)," said truck driving student Matt Craig. "Obviously the economy shut the clubs down, no business. I looked in the newspaper, saw there were a lot of jobs in the truck driving industry."

Bates Technical College truck driving instructor Dan French says while the economy has also whittled away the number of truck driving jobs, his students are finding work. In the last few months, he's even seen an upswing.

"I think we're picking up quicker than everybody else," said French.

Several companies say most of the openings right now are for long-haul drivers.

Sawyer says that's OK with him.

"I'm looking forward to it. You're your own boss, you're on the open road driving a big rig and to me that just sounds like a lot of fun," he said.