I have been reading the posts on this forum for several months now and am halfway through training with SWIFT and have finally figured out what the perfect trucking job is.

First and foremost, recruiters LIE, I have never listened to any of them in any profession I have been in. Second, if it sounds to good to be true it is!

Now for the components of the perfect job. (this is compiled from all the complaining and bi***** I have read on the forums)

1. at least 50 cpm
2. home by friday at 5 pm and leave again at 8 am on
Monday, EVERY WEEK END OFF
3. 3000 or more miles a week
4. 100% NO Touch, better yet just drop it in the yard,
we should not have to back up to the dock
5. NO WAITING for a load, actually there should be
someone at the shipper or receiver with a hot cup of
coffee waiting for us with our trailer.
6. No runs less than 1000 miles
7. All stops at at least 3 star Truck Stops
8. Company pays for EVERYTHING, scales, tolls,
showers, and we get all the points on our cards (we
don't have to worry about lumper fees because we
never load or unload)
9. No worry about detention pay or layover pay because
we are always hooked and ready to roll, but just in
case our brand new truck breaks down or needs
maintanence, we will be put in a 4 star hotel and get
are regular pay.
10. No Working Holidays
11. A dispatcher that is polite, honest, and accomidating
and sends us presents and cards on our birthday
and christmas

I hope I have not left out anything, but I am sure there are several things I missed.

If you don't have all of these benefits and you want them keep looking and if you don't want to live with the real life of OTR trucking then CHANGE your job.

As a newbie in this field I have done a lot of research and talked to alot of people. I am pretty sure I know what to expect and dont have "pie in the sky" expectations. I just want to do my job and be paid what I agreed to (not what I was promised) and would like to hear GOOD advise and suggestions to make my job easier and safer.

So I will keep reading the forums and seek out those that are safe, good, and happy drivers.

__________________
Mr. Green Jeans

Nice! Where to I sign up?

It's funny because it's true.

Man, this is the trucking industry. You're never going to get 100% of everything you want. There are folks who think you can--I call 'em "Princess Drivers." No matter how good things are, they'll find a reason to get pissed off and quit.

Those of us who've been around awhile don't expect everything handed to us. We just want the opportunity to make decent money, see the house once in awhile, and be treated like human beings.

Now where's that lumper with my Starbucks?

__________________
No load is worth your life. Or anyone else's.

RON PAUL IN 2008!!

LOL!

It's like anything else. When you are looking for opinions on things, you have to realize a couple things.

99% of people will complain about something if they don't like it.
Less than 10% will make an effort to talk good about something.

In the trucking industry, it just gets even more compounded because the industry is filled with a bunch of very angry people that didn't know what they were getting into, as well as some that have been around it for a long time and are angry at how it has changed.

You won't find a large percentage of the people who are happy out commenting about it. As long as they are happy with their company, they will remain relatively quiet. Once their dispatcher pisses them off though, look out because they will be seeking out places to raise hell about it.

Don't be silly now.... I want cash in my b-day card.

I could go for a personal masseuse/secretary while on the road as well.

"Pricess Drivers"...too funny. What you say seems true though. I think most of the people on these boards want everything given to them on silver platter. Almost like they truly believe the trucking industry "owes" them something. They freely make the decision to enter the trucking industry, and then whine and complain when their rose colored glasses turn clear. It's always someone elses fault. I don't think I've read one post where a driver openly said he screwed up and got fired. Nope, always the company's fault...lol. What I don't understand is why they whine and complain but remain in the business. If they're sooooooo miserable why don't get out and do something that will make them happy?

I'm a real man... man enough to admit that I am a pretty, pretty princess. Don't get me wrong, I don't pluck my eyebrows or get manicures. I do, however, require my comforts. I can't sleep just anywhere; minimum requirement, I must have my own pillows. I have a princess's nose, very delicate; intolerable smells will not be... well... tolerated. I do not drink swill. My coffee must be just so; ie. made by me at, precisely, when I get up and again at 5 pm. I eat like a human, no truck stop roller dog at 65 MPH; I require a plate and a napkin. I'll take a paper plate and a paper towel. I don't require filet mignon but it must be a civil affair.

I shave my head but not my mustache, I work with wood, I have thousands of dollars worth of power tools and I make passes at women in public places. I am, without qualification, a real man and I take no shame in admitting that I am a pretty, pretty princess. If you want to drink truck stop swill, go without a shower for five days, pee in a Gatorade bottle so as to get in an extra twenty miles for the day, knock yourself out. I don't judge you. You better make real sure you don't judge me either.

We actually do have a maseuse but at the office, not a traveling one unfortunaly... Guess I have to complain about that.

I get a kick out of the guys who exect the trucks to be ABSOLUTELY perfect, in every possible way. I'm sorry but in 12 years I have never driven a truck that I couldn't find some problem with. And chances are if it doesn't effect the road worthyness or safety f the driver it isn't going to get fixed for awhile.

Other than that You are pretty smart for a swift driver!!

Oh and one thing you probably havn't learned yet is that you will never please everyone.
Arguing with a truck driver is like wrestling a greased pig....evetually you realize the pig likes it