Why does everyone complain about being a truck driver yet...

I think that some drivers just like to complain. No job is perfect. I think that most of the complainers have not been in the business for 10-20 years. Some move from job to job and never seem to be happy anywhere they go.

 

A driver with a clean mvr and work history can usually find a good job. Until they find a way to teleport freight from one location to another, drivers should have a secure future. Products need to get from one point to another. The training period is very short for the income potential. You need to go into this with your eyes open. You will usually be away from home from 2-3 weeks once you get through your training and then home a couple of days before heading out again. If you can't stand being away from home then you should find another career path than trucking. Every job has it's pros and cons. You need to understand both sides before spending thousands of dollars on training. It can be rewarding and you can earn an above average income within a very short time. Some people get into this industry with many misconceptions about the lifestyle of being away from home. It can be demanding, but for many, you can see things driving that you might not otherwise see. Don't pay too much attention to the whiners and complainers. They would probably be unhappy no matter what they did for a living. Some people are only happy when they are unhappy.

 

Guys, it's a "safety valve" sort of thing most of the time..... blowing off steam. You're on the road alone much of the time, surrounded by people who should not be licenced to walk let alone drive; often in the worst kind of road conditions. Your wife is phoning you 'cause she's fighting with her mother/your mother/your kids/the neighbor's kids/the neighbor's dog/her girlfriens/her ex boyfriend/your best bud and now you're not allowed to talk to them ever again. The washer is out, the dryer is out, the dishwasher is out and ewww she had to hand wash a cup. She just loaned your perfectly restored musclecar and 500 bucks to her 14 yr old sister/brother so they could go to this out of town cool party last week and they're going to jail as soon as they get out of the hospital...... and it's ALL YOUR FAULT cause you aren't there..... and btw she needs more money for the three times a week "girl's night out".

Oh, and dispatch just promised a shipper/reciever that sure you can do that 1000 mile run by tomorrow morning and you've only got 8 hours left. You can do that cantcha bud. We'd sure appreciate it.

So sometimes ya just gotta AAAAAAARRRGGGGHHHH I HATE MY JOB!!!!!!!

 

Too True...... Been there, done that, and there's a few I could add to the list

 

You will find after your on the road for a while, it is not just the time investment each day.......its the fact that you lose complete control of your off time as well. Working from home like you do now, you have freedom to go and do what you want to do after your day of programing or what ever........with trucking you will stay right with that truck where ever you are.

 

If you want to learn about the trucking life, read these books. They're all available at Amazon. You can get mine as a paperback or eBook. Trucking isn't 9-to-5; that's one of the reasons I liked it. I did 9-to-5. Never again.

"Truck Stop" by Bryan Di Salvatore and Marc F. Wise
"Pedal To The Metal" by Lawrence Ouellet
"Sweatshops On Wheels" by Michael Belzer
"In The Driver's Seat -- Interstate Trucking, a Journey" by ... me.

 

I remember when I first started driving - I never thought it would be a vacation kind of thing. But I had visions of occasionally being able to have a few hours to stop somewhere and look around, experience the local side of a distant town, take in majestic views, etc. What a naive vision that was.

I saw some majestic views, but only through the windshield and with glances since I was mostly watching the road and other vehicles. Most of my "local side" of towns was a shipper, receiver or fuel stop. And when I did stop for a "few hours" it was usually about 10 hours - 10 hours to eat, shower, maybe do some laundry, unwind and get some sleep because I was drained and had a full day of miles coming up.

It wasn't bad, mind you. I knew before starting that I was coming to drive - so there are no complaints. My only point is that a notion of having time/opportunity to "experience" anything that isn't directly related to driving that truck is probably not going to happen when you start out with one of the mega-companies (license mills).

 

Once you get your routine down, you shouldn't have much problem staying awake. If you do, then you need to find another line of work.

NOW THEN, as to those aches and pains. . .

You are only 31 according to your profile, so you shouldn't have any aches and pains, unless you get hurt some way. But just wait a few years! Whether trucking or not, you're gonna have 'em.

Best way to avoid or prolong them from coming is to take care of yourself. Eat right and exercise. Don't let yourself become a fat slob, (like a lot of us, myself included.)

Make sure that you take the time EVERY DAY to do some exercises and to walk. Yes, you DO have the time to do it. MAKE the time to do it.

Good luck to you, and welcome to the forum!

Oh and as far as folks complaining, the old saying, "the troops aren't happy unless they are beetching," is right on!