Been on the road for 7 days now. I think I am going crazy.

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by yuban, Oct 1, 2014.

  1. yuban

    yuban Medium Load Member

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    Between 2 Doors
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    I ain^t used to this #### ya know?! I am climbing the sleeper walls. If I don^t get a back haul towards the home 20 soon. I may (GASP) have to be out 2 weekends in a row. Sometimes trucking just plain sucks...
     
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  3. moraramis

    moraramis Light Load Member

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    You aren't going crazy you're just homesick. If you find yourself driving around in a bunny suit with a mallet in one hand then you've officially lost it. Though riding around with a blow-up doll in the jump seat with a picture of Jessica Simpson's face taped to it might be considered crazy, depending on the state.
     
  4. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Not to worry, yuban, the company has you right where they want you. BTW, I heard one of your other drivers delivered a load 15 miles from your house.:biggrin_2559:
     
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  5. 8thnote

    8thnote Road Train Member

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    I get emails all the time (unsolicited. I don't know how they got my email address) from large trucking companies. They are all, for the most part, training companies but they advertise "new opportunities for experienced drivers". One term that is common in all of them, regardless of the company, is the word "hometime". I have a real problem with this term. If a company proclaims that they offer "great hometime" or "reliable hometime", that should make anyone immediately disregard anything else that they say. This term "hometime", to me, implies that getting time off is a privilege that is bestowed upon a driver by their benevolent employer. At my job, I am off every weekend as a matter of course. Just like any normal person is entitled to. It's not up for debate, it is never called into question, there are never "no loads going that direction". Too many drivers are conditioned to believe that it is okay to allow companies to grant them "hometime" at the convenience of the company. This is a major contributing factor to the high turnover rate at these mega carriers. Time off from work is NOT a privilege. Don't work for anyone that says you will get "reliable hometime", because you will rarely see your home.
     
  6. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    high plains colorado
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    Hi 8thnote, that's so true. I heard Roehl is notorious for that. They promise 7 on, 7 off, but have heard stories of drivers being asked to take the 7 off no where near their home, so most keep on trucking. Remember, if you are OTR, you are sitting in your new home, and have no business thinking about your real home.
     
  7. Stormdriven

    Stormdriven Medium Load Member

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    south, central, US.
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    The OP is likely correct. That a company feels the need to use that in advertising, is something of a confession that "the problem exists".

    Once upon a time. I worked for a large carrier. A company policy once existed, that gave the same priority to a Drivers home-date as a delivery appointment. The Driver actually had the option of refusing a load if it interfered with scheduled hometime.

    Not anymore.
     
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  8. Criminey Jade

    Criminey Jade Road Train Member

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    Not Colorado Anymore
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    7 days and you're feeling crazy? Try being out nonstop from early June to this past weekend.
     
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  9. 8thnote

    8thnote Road Train Member

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    I would have quit about mid-June if they refused to give me my time off
     
  10. Criminey Jade

    Criminey Jade Road Train Member

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    I and the company are still discussing that, but for different reasons.
     
  11. Richter

    Richter Road Train Member

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    Philadelphia Pa
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    may of us our out for months at a time. Maybe OTR isn't for you.
     
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