NEW TRUCKERS* USA - White collar workers find new gigs in big rigs

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

Seattle,WASH,USA -KING 5 News, by JANE MCCARTHY -July 28, 2009: -- A lot of unemployed workers are turning their job loss into an opportunity... 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... 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... Several companies say most of the openings right now are for long-haul drivers... (Photo from KING - Loran Sawyer used to be a yacht broker, until the economy sunk his yacht-selling career) - SEE VIDEO