Back over the road

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Phoenix_rides_again, Apr 14, 2025.

  1. Phoenix_rides_again

    Phoenix_rides_again Light Load Member

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    Aug 7, 2020
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    So I gave up over the road driving in 2008 went back to college and got a degree electronic engineering technology. Worked five years in a railroad signaling five years in Industrial maintenance. Did a little bit of work locally hauling Flyash and Hauling grain. I just went back over the road three weeks ago.

    back in 2008 you could hit a truckstop as late as 8 o’clock at night and still find a parking spot now if you wanna go to the truckstop, you have to stop by 4 PM. That’s ridiculous, but I’ve always been more comfortable and rest areas anyway, and cook in my truck. I’ve not put a CB in my new truck yet. I’m going to this next week but from what I’ve seen about the quality of the drivers nowadays is ridiculously low. People seem to be more busy on their phone than they are driving. And what is up with these drivers that run 4or5 GPS’s get a Rand McNally atlas. Yes, when you get into the local area as a GPS can be nice as long as it only routes you on truck routes. But double check everything before you take. The route is gonna suggest use your brain before you follow the computer. They’re also seems to be a huge lack of respect amongst truck drivers nowadays. On YouTube channel is like bonehead truckers some of what they put on their. I agree with but some of it is people just need help. They’re new.

    How do we bring back a culture of truck drivers that are willing to help each other be respectful to each other and just be decent human beings. There’s no wonder society looks down upon a truck driver’s nowadays where it Once it was a job that was looked up upon.

    And nasty fox quit throwing your piss bottles all over the #### place quit littering in every parking lot. It’s no wonder nobody wants us in their parking lot.
     
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  3. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Until the FMCSA and states strictly enforce English-speaking CDLs and a few other techniques to strip out the flip-flop gang the industry is going to remain and the race to the bottom will continue. The flip-flop gang can feel like the richest man in Anywhereistan while making minimum-wage in the the USA. Even if freight rates are cut in half, they will still attract a lot of foreign truck wreckers.

    I almost always ran a CB in my truck but now maybe 10% of drivers have a CB. They are very useful when you accidentally are near someone else with a CB. But, most foreign and domestic drivers are screwing with their phones so CBs are hardly ever used.
     
  4. Walk Among Us

    Walk Among Us Light Load Member

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    I-35 Corridor
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    The closer to California you get, the worse it is. I did a scientific study to figure that out.
     
  5. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    Burnsville, MN
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    I had one when I first started. But drivers became too rude, crude and socially unacceptable so I finally trashed it.
     
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  6. Cdemars316

    Cdemars316 Medium Load Member

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    I don't know I always have my cb on but on my normal MN ND stuff very seldom hear anyone else on it, maybe when you go by the p-lot on the highway you might here someone. As far as drivers being rude and crude, it isn't nothing when you are on a gaming server with a bunch of kids on it, we used to just sit and laugh at the kids on COD all night long. The one time a radio will help you out is in inclement weather, hearing about what's up ahead of you.

    As far as quality of driver, well we are hopefully at the bottom of this, I can't see it getting much worse but I have said that in the past and look where we are at now
     
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  7. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    I've been hearing people claim "it can't get any worse" for the last 50 years. I don't expect there is a floor to the decline. People don't just wake up and reverse everything. Every decline becomes "the new normal" about a year or two after it was the last decline.
     
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  8. GreenPete359

    GreenPete359 Road Train Member

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    Oct 21, 2017
    Driving my recliner
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    Things rarely if ever get better
     
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  9. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Apr 26, 2013
    Gettin' down westbound
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    "Hey northbound gotta brake check at the 35 mile, gonna want the right lane"

    20 seconds later

    "Anybody know what's going on up here? Whys traffic stopped?! Whys nobody got their radio on?! Buncha window lickers!"

    That's about the extent of cb convos i hear anymore
     
  10. motocross25

    motocross25 Road Train Member

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    Nailed it.
     
  11. runningman0661

    runningman0661 Road Train Member

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    Clover, South Carolina
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    Welcome back to the nightmare that is the current trucking industry. I’ve been out here over 30 years, and if I could walk away tomorrow I would.

    Unfortunately only two companies locally pay a living wage, so until I can get on with one of those two companies I’m stuck living in the cesspool that is OTR trucking
     
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