It’s getting too crowded

I don't even wanna think what it'll be like when I get that old, only 27.

Happy retirement sir

 

I blame elogs.
Used to everyone was working, unloading 2-5 hours, DH 250 miles, reload, tarp, drive half the night, get a 3-4 hour nap, and work again.
Now you gotta park for a 30, then for the full 10.
Or 8/2, but still gotta be parked where we....
Some was running all day/night

 

I love my retirement. after a whole lifetime of driving. I am grateful that I retired in decent health and a life time of watching my pennies. Enjoy a stress free retirement @Diantane, it's kind of nice sitting on the back porch smoking my pipe and sippin on some bourbon. I never realized how stressful life was until I retired.

 

retired also.

company called ,again, PLEASE come back, one week/ month, 1 day/week???!!!

couldn't talk myself into it.

I get by on my SS, ($1500/month), don't need much else.

I get in the car and feel like the dog, "wanna go for a ride"?!!!lol

and then I see the stupid crap peeps do and, nope ain't gettin' back out there.

 

It's threads like this, that show we are in trouble. 1st, congrats, you made it longer than I did, and to be clear, it's always been busy. It's the lack of cooperation that is the real issue. It's easy to forget what it was like in the 70's, when we started, but it was no day at the beach. It was a challenging job, why we got into it in the 1st place, something that has gone out of the job today, and most old timers don't want any part of the future of trucking. 2nd, in retirement, it's not what you make, it's what you spend. I have no problem wearing some dead guys new loafer shoes, I got at the thrift store for $4 bucks. We're in trouble because there must be some ratio, like 1 new driver suppose to take the place of 5 old timers that threw in the towel. A recipe for disaster, but that's behind us now, the younguns are going to see this society come to a screeching halt, and they won't know why. 2 words for all this chaos,,,,,cell phone.

 

I’m lookin forward to hanging up the keys for good. Tired of the stress or crazy lifestyle, whatever you want to call it. I’ve had enough. I no longer thrive on it.
A lot has changed, and so have I.

 

Who would have thought all this new technology would be here. So different, much better in many ways. GPS being the best, along with cell phones, internet. But Tracking devices, and Driver facing cameras, especially , are taking it a bit too far. I would never allow myself to be subject to a driver facing camera. It shouldn’t be allowed. No Driver should agree to it. There should be an uproar against them. Where do you draw the line on Scrutiny? At what point will Drivers take advantage of their power? Never, just keep putting up with abuse. It’s a sad situation, to see such lost opportunities for Drivers conditions to improve. Nows the time to make progress on issues and pay. I doubt there will be a better time than now, for years to come. Instead of demanding things. Drivers still just wait for whatever others decide, and comply.

 

You know the 30 counts on duty now so if you show 30 min loading, that works.

Also if you run split, since both rest periods actually pause the clock its not all that bad to take a nap as needed.

As for op. Theres 1.5x more people in the usa than there were in 1977 (110million more) add lack of resiliency in favor of just in time, yep tons more trucks (and cars) on the road.

Cant say the past few generations have done well at modeling good behavior for their kids. Quite a bit too much me first. Add cell phones and instant gratification, tadaa we have the world you built.

 

I'll tell you why, years ago it was a way of life, either you swam or sank like a stone. Today, it's just a job, with people that are out of options, and hop in an air conditioned, automatic trans, rolling apartment, it really is a different job. Making a delivery in a tattered truck, made you feel like you actually accomplished something, especially if it broke down, there was nobody to call, you were on your own, and the boss almost EXPECTED you to make it, it's why you were hired in the 1st place. Today, that's not the case.
As far as a leader, it's what has long been lacking in our profession. We have no voice. Years ago, "outlaws" like me, ruled the roost, we took matters in our own hands. You'll be behind bars doing that today. I'm with you, a driver facing camera is the ultimate in mistrust, but, like the "automatic bricklayer", it's part of our world now and will never go back. You won't find many old timers that would agree to that, I certainly wouldn't. Years ago, the boss trusted us with their rigs, and we were honest with them, and I had great relationships with most of my bosses, just for that reason. Like I say, the cell phone. For the 1st time, a boss could actually check up on you, and as far as I'm concerned, was the beginning of the end for me.