What's good about this job?

I'm just going to speak my opinion, what I am saying may or may not hold true for anyone else.
But, especially in this day and age, it seems that truck-driving is an escape for those that can't seem to be able to do much of anything else in life in terms of making them enough money to live off of. You don't get paid jack in the beginning - but I do believe for many people - it is more than they were making anywhere else, or - weren't even ABLE to make it anywhere else.
It's a great job for loners - if you don't like people looking over your shoulder all the time, this is the gig for you (unless you can't handle GPS tracking you all over the place and letting your superiors know where you are, what you are doing and how you are doing it).
Some people are totally geared for the OTR life - they love being out on the road, don't have a home and don't WANT one. Others take their spouses with them and - again - they live their lives on the road. Some of these people are truly happy with their lifestyle and profession - and frankly, some of those married teams are making darn good money in the process.
It isn't ALL bad, it just appears that in the beginning, when you are first starting, well, it really IS bad and you have to pay the price to get to the place where you can pick and choose. Even then, you still have to search out companies and do your homework to find the place you want to work versus the place you started out working because it was the only thing you could get.
I spent my life on the mission field - and when I came off of it - I had nothing more than truck driving (I was hauling loads of donated food supplies to the hungry, amongst other things) or auto mechanics to fall back on to make a living. I went through the likes of Werner, JB Hunt and a few others that were truly MISERABLE experiences before I started getting better jobs.
It isn't a glamour job, by far, it is probably one of the harder lines of employment you'll see on the scale. BUT, I remember the days of driving OTR and seeing this entire country of ours - at least the 48 mainland states - and I had a GREAT time, even alone, for the first few years anyway, just getting to see everything. Doesn't take much to entertain me in that arena : )
What I like NOW about the job is the fact that I have enough experience that I am getting paid well enough to have a house, a car, satellite, 401k, recreational finances, on and on and on. I'm at work at 5:45 am and home usually no later than 4:00pm. Because I have enough experience, I am never questioned about my load, I load my own truck and teach others how to properly load a flatbed trailer (versus them just dumping things on there and then I have to come along, unload everything, and reload it so it is safe). In fact, in our particular division, management comes to me for advice on whatever it is they want to know about the trucking industry.
They don't know how it works, they just want it TO work - and they want me and others like me to MAKE it work for them, whatever that entails and whatever it takes. If I say something needs fixed - they fix it right away. If I say a particular delivery is going to take 3 trips - they don't try to tell me I should try to dump it all on the truck at once and "figure out a way to get it there in one trip". I only say that because a couple of management figures used to talk that way - and I simply refused to do what they were demanding. I'm not going to have steel pipe and fittings falling off the side of my truck because some corporate yuckie-yuck says I should figure out how to do it in one trip.
I love going to work everyday - and I am not just a truck driver anymore. I forced myself to learn how to do counter sales, so there are many days now that I am not even driving a truck, I am there alone running the store. In my job, getting fat is not part of the equation, either. I get a lot of exercise - lifting heavy parts, walking all over the yard all day long, helping unload the truck, strapping and unstrapping, lots of different things that add up to not getting obese (not trashing those who are, I'm just happy to be in a position where that simply isn't going to happen unless I start visiting Dairy Queen 5 times a day and have a giant German Chocolate Blizzard every time).
There's something about being behind the wheel of a semi that has it's own particular feel that you just won't find in doing anything else. I don't really know how to explain it, but whatever it is, I love it. I don't much care for driving in city traffic everyday, but that's about the worst of what I encounter (which is, unfortunately - is about as bad as it gets in terms of driving a semi - unless you want to look at those guys who are driving over those frozen lakes or whatever and risking their lives to make a lot of money!).
It's a good job for the right kind of person. It definitely ISN'T for everyone, and I think a lot of people learn that the hard way.

 

I'm semi-anti-social. I don't like many people and I like them even less when they are trying to tell me what to do. (superiority complex?)

I can't stand baby-sitting knuckle-heads.

I enjoy driving and often it's all day long with nobody screwing with me.

The pay is fantastic !!!

On the rare occasion I get nailed by a shipper/receiver, I've had enough of a break between idiots I can deal with it versus being trapped in an office with the moron all day long 5 days a week.

I'm not stuck anywhere long enough for "office politics" to drive me postal.

The pay is fantastic !!! (yeah I know but its worth mentioning again)

Some guys whine alot about the pay... true it could always be better... making $2 a mile??? ok... would you do it for $3??? heck yeah....

fact is, as in life, You are in competion for the job. If people would do it for less money, they would hire them. you're getting paid what the job requires to keep someone doing it. If you can't be happy, spend less or go elsewhere.

I like driving, so to me, WAHHHHH HOOOOOOO!!!! I'd seriously do my job for half of what I'm paid.

 

Its in your blood to drive a truck.. It's the same thing that brings people back to the industry after leaving do to all the crap that is involved, They just can't stop thinking about rolling down the road in a big truck.

?????????????

I have no clue what you are talking about here? perhaps the pay is fantastic to you but for 99% of the rest of us it pretty much sucks..
a few post on this site here break it down and shows you that you are making less then $9hr how is that is FANTASTIC????????


I as a driver have had many jobs where my low was on the average of $600-700 per week and my high the average $1300-1600 per week yes that is net (bring home) even at $1300-1600 the pay was not "FANTASTIC" cause I was putting in well over 100+ hours per week to do so.. The pay in this industry to say at the least SUCKS for the hours you have to put in and be away from family and friends, having no real life but trucking and working all the time..

You should rephrase your comment to "the pay to me is fantastic" cause most would not agree with that statement..

 

Well, I could start off by saying I'm too lazy to work and too scared to steal. But that wouldn't be the truth. I've set chokers in the northwest woods,chased landing and even done some rigging slinging. I've had my share of work. I decided on a little easier line of work. Like a dummy, the boss asked me if I wanted to drive his log truck. I said O.k. he said theirs the truck, you know where the landing is ,go to work! That was the beginning, been at it in one form or another ever since. Would I change it? Not a chance!!!! Nor would I go back and do some parts of it over again. Ihad to go thru all of this to get where I am today. Will I stick it out? Until I can't pass the physical anymore I'm here for the duration. I've met some really wonderful people over the years, also some real jerks. but that too is life. Everyone have a great day and be safe!!!!!!

 

I started driving trucks after 21 years in the military. Most of my driving career has been OTR. Truth is, the first year or so sucked. Getting used to all the regs, laws, cops with attitudes at the scales, 4-wheelers, long hours, too little sleep, bad food, pissed off dispatchers, pissed off dock workers and well...you get the picture.

After a couple of years, I had met so many good people on my travels, made so many friends and seen so many things that 99% of people never see, that it dawned on me one day that I actually like the road.

Any job, whether its military, civil service, corporate, private business or whatever has its good side and bad side. Not one newbie driver I've ever seen post on most of these threads would be happier or more content working at some crap 9 to 5 job in an office, or landscaping, or in a restaurant, or wherever.

Fact is, driving is a tough job. It's not a job for sissies or whimps. In the old days, it would be called mans work (no offense intended ladies). And yes, there are many, many women out here doing the same job, the same work and putting up with the same BS as the rest of us. And most are great drivers. After all, if they can put up with us, they can put up with the road.

It's what you make of it, just like any other career. Find a good carrier, learn how to respect your dispatcher (just like you had to respect a butthead sargeant in the service), learn how to respect all the laws, rules and regs (just like in the service), come to expect that you'll have both easy days and really tough days (just like any other job).

Most of these guys out here who perpetually moan, groan, whine and wimper about how tough the job is will eventually quit, land some minimum wage job doing something they also moan, groan, whine and wimper about and will continue doing that, job after job.

Bottom line is, its not about the job, its about your attitude and frankly, how 'tough' you are.

There's a lot about this job I like. Foremost, the people I meet. I've stood beside my truck many hundreds of times in a truck stop talking to other drivers. They've been from every state of the union and from all over Canada. They've all got a joke or a funny story to tell. They'll tell you their life history in less than 2 minutes. A couple months later, you'll see them again in some truck stop, say hello and swap some more jokes.

Once you learn what the tough parts of the job are and come to realize that they're simply a part of the job you'll always just have to accept, then they quit being tough and just become 'normal'. Just like in the military, for you Vets out there.

For me, I like the people, the independence and the many experiences of 'the road' itself. Semper Fi!

 

I need a grand a month to live... everything else is gravy or savings.
I got a nice house, a/c, food in my belly, and am not interested in keeping up with the jones'.

Meaning I'm satisfied. I don't need "more".

I don't know what you do with your money but if you don't have enough there are only two realistic choices.

Do something that pays you enough or else change your lifestyle so that what you do provides enough.

Life is way short... I wouldn't be doing anything I didn't enjoy.

Just about any job is a third of your life and many are half or more... I like driving... it coincidentally pays a heck of alot more than the grand a month I need to survive.

Hence to me and for me, the pay is fantastic.

600 X 52 = $31,200 (low end) 1500 X 52 = $78,000 (high end)

Dude, if you ain't happy with that money, for holding a wheel, (which I love btw) you should'a stayed in school.

btw the average cashier earns $15,600 annually. Many of those are happy people, so maybe it isn't about the money at all ??? It isn't for me... anyways...

 

First I am not trying to start a battle..

Second, I did stay in school and have a few certifications and degree in electronics. Foreign contracting and FREE TRADE pretty much forced me out..

Third I think you are missing the point.. Your comment was not about your specific lifestyle needs but generalizing the pay in the industry was """FANTASTIC""", in all actuality the pay in the industry is very poor for the risk/hours/time away from the home and family that is demanded from the industry..

Further I did not mention my needs to "live" but stated that the pay for the hours put in is far from "FANTASTIC".

I will delete this part out about "holding the wheel" but simply say there is much more to the job then just holding a wheel, and many more hours spent other then just holding a wheel..



By the way

The average cashier does not work a full time job but works as a part time cashier.. So, when quoting $15,600 you should include all the facts.. The Average pay for a "full time" cashier would be around 19K-20K not including overtime...



Don't worry, people like yourself that don't stand up to low wages and falling wages is why our country is becoming like it is. perfectly content with just getting by and not building a decent retirement fund and having something to pass onto your kids.. You will get you wish soon enough once the Mexican trucks are in full motion hauling fright in America. Pay will not go up at all but actually will decline..

 

Man you sure seem to be Forum Rambo!!!! How do you know that this person doesn't care about wages? All they said was they only need so much and after that it's all gravy. To our knowledge the rest might very well be going in to investments. Or maybe to putting a kid thru college. So maybe this person isn't greedy, There is more to life than money or what money can buy!

 

I am not a "forum rambo", simply don't want somone leading sombody to believe that "as a hole". the industry pay is "FANTASTIC".

Okay??? poster said

"""fact is, as in life, You are in competition for the job. If people would do it for less money, they would hire them. you're getting paid what the job requires to keep someone doing it. If you can't be happy, spend less or go elsewhere."""

""""Some guys whine a lot about the pay... """

That answers that

That is what he said in his there second post. Again the point was not about this persons specific need, but a comment that was referring to the industry as a hole pay was "FANTASTIC", when it could not be farther from the truth.

The poster then posted personal needs on second post.. All I was saying was they simply should say "FOR """ME""" the pay is fantastic and leave"" would be a more truthful statement and would not lead someone to believe they are going to make "FANTASTIC" money as a truck driver...

Exactly my point...

My kids are way more important then money.. Although it takes money to support them.. This would go back to the "FANTASTIC" statement that generalizes the industry and not a personal experience. 100+ hours a week and away from the kids 2-3-4 weeks at a time is truthfully not worth $1500 a week """TO ME"""... No generalization in my comment and would not lead sombody to believe it may not be worth it to them.. See my point yet?

(Althought i did that 100+ a week over a year)