How were the 'Good ol Days' different

Well... alot of the "good ol days" was when we were young and crazy.

Back when, most of the truckers came from a different background. Most of us had some kind of mechanical knowlege and could find our way around the much simpler non-electronic equipment.

I've seen engines, trans and rearends rebuilt on the side of the road. Lots of drivers/ OO's could quote you off part numbers for bearings and stuff. "Road Service" didn't much exist and calling in a wrecker was a last resort.

Yes, we did consider ourselves more "elite" back then because of stuff like this. Being a Trucker meant you were way more self-sufficient "out there".

In a way I do place some of the blame on electronics; they taught the youngsters to just "throw it away" at the first sign of trouble.

 

Heck, my sister can do that and she is not even a trucker.









She sells bearings for a living.

 

Had my CDL A for 10 years now, my Dad taught me to drive on one of our company trucks.

Thinking back I don't know how he used to do it, but he would take myself and my brother on overnight trips when we were 2 and 4 years old, lol. We'd be in the bunk of a cabover playing games and such, no way I'd dream of taking my kids on overnight trips these days!

 

And back in the day if you drove the truck is because you wanted to drive the truck. Not they closed my plant, I can't bend enough nails to make a living etc. etc. you enjoyed what you did. Respect is earned not given. Drivers out here today most look like they should be at the beach caring a sixpack and caring a lawn chair and then complain they get no respect. If you want to get respect act like a professional and look like one. 30 some years in this business and I still enjoy it. It just kills me when I see these Billy big rigors tailgating cars driving over the speed limit wearing flip-flops and then ##### they get no respect. Just my two cents.

 

Say what you mean now, don't candy coat it. How you been?

 

My Pappap used to take me up to the overpass on his road in Everett, PA. and I would pump my arm up and down for every semi on the Turnpike for hours(til my arm was sore). He did OTR in the 50's and 60's. I was 6 in 1979 and I watched BJ and the Bear, had THE Radio Shack 8 track of Truck songs and knew that being a trucker was what I was going to be when I grew up. Life changes dreams and then one day, you remember what you really wanted to be. Then all the crap you've been through is worse than all the crap you'll go through and you want to be a trucker again. Someone wiser than I once said,"The only thing that stays the same is everything changes." But who doesn't love a good dose of nostalgia once in a while?
Big Wheels rollin' Movin' ON.

 

Shoot, had that happen just a couple of weeks ago. A pick up comes up beside me, moving kind of slow, and when I look down, there's this little girl, 3 or 4 years old, just a pumpin her arm away. I give her a toot on the horn and she was practically dancing in her car seat with joy. She gives me a big grin and a thumbs up. As the pick up pulls away, the daddy looks back at me and smiles and also gives me a thumbs up. One simple little gesture, made 2 people very happy. Hell, had me smiling for the next 8 hrs at how happy that little girl was!!!!