Advice? Don't become a trucker.

I Agree with you!

 

Not entirely true. Find the wrong company and you'll see what I mean. The company I am at now has more paperwork than I normally take care of at other companies I have worked for, you do all kind's of extra's they want you to do and don't get paid for it. Not to long ago they asked why I wasn't on the dock counting and pulping freight. They have been good about shorting my check on an average of 250 miles a week depending on how many I get because I sit so much. They cheated me out of home time after I put in for it two week's in advance and my FM said "gotcha down" then a week after when I got back over this way from Washington, they told me they didn't show anything for home time. Moved a few local load's from the yard from Del Monte in Dallas, never got paid for it, had to sit with a load for a week(5 day's) in W. Memphis, AR. while broke and they only gave me $150 then sat 3 more day's waiting for another load.

So you might want to reconsider what your saying. I can go on for day's about the BS where I am and yes I am looking for something else to better myself so I'm still here just buying some time. I see your not a driver yet so if you haven't done it for yourself then you wouldn't know. No pun intended but I find your statement to be wrong because it's not alway's being able to enjoy the fruit's of your labor because you can work your ### off and only end up with rotten fruit because of the bug's (company) that screwed the crop.

 

Who is it you drive for?

 

Where will you and your mom go on vacation?

 

Alot of good advice above!!!!!! This is a good honest thread,Take Heed, because the info is valuable.

 

I still love driving over any desk, warehouse or shop type job. Yes there is good and bad companys out there. and yes they always tell you what you want to hear. Thats why you hear of guy moving around in the trucking field. Then you also have the guys that move around because they get caned.
Good luck to all coming into trucking. It will be what you make of it.

 

Well, this much I can tell you; when you get over the 20 yr mark you will have a stock of the best (and most ridiculous) trucking stories.... but nobody but another trucker will believe most of them. Once you get to my area (38 yrs) you quit telling em cause even other truckers won't believe some of them.

Seriously tho, you "youngsters" have a rough future ahead of you. With "do gooder" gooberments and trucking being swallowed up and run by mega corporations the fututre of trucking as we know it is looking pretty dim.

Best advice I can give anyone who is serious about making a long-term career outa this trade is work your way into a "niche" or "specialized" field like heavy/oversize hauling, running a "Uke" or anything that cannot be easily duplicated by some other form of transport. General Freight (van or even flatbed) is heading for a big dump one of these days.

 

Yes this may be true but i hope i never see it that way.

 

I resent that statement completely. People change careers many times over a lifetime. I worked my rear off at a warehouse. I gradually moved up the ladder,worked hard,put in lots of free hours per week and eventually became the assistant manager of a large department. After 12 years I was let go. It was a great job but the lack of a college education is what finally did me in. So I figure I would get a job where hard work and not your resume would pay off. Trucking is no way a perfect job but don't be trash talking because you lack an education as well and can only drive a truck because nobody else will hire you.

 

Trucking-It sucks. What SHOULD be a laid back job has become like a nightmare. The OTR companies ALL suck. They ALL do. Last one I worked for was Averitt. I felt like a DOG being constantly kicked. Sneaky? That dispatcher was the sneakiest, most arm twisting, and vindictive person I ever worked for. Not ONE good word in 16 months. The BEST one I worked for, and I liked that job, was a local driver, like a porter here in Kansas City. I been doin' this for 20 years. Started out for Swift pulling High Cube doubles for .19 a mile, all over California and the West coast. I pulled everthing but Tanks. Lemme tell ya- it SUCKS. The worst ones were produce and reefers. I'd run all night, and the company would rent my back out as a lumper. Thank God, that has seemed to cease nowadays. Averitt still did this, and paid NOTHING for unloading in many cases, such as their Petco loads.

All that highway safety gets translated into.. "blame the driver". You had BETTER not be late. Nope. No one gives hoot about safety. No one gives a hoot about your health, much less your happiness.

If your psyche is like a.."I must sacrifice".. "I must suffer".. then trucking is for YOU. If you can do this.. CONSTANTLY..week after week, with only a few hours at home..then trucking is for you.

Forget that "Professional Driver".. FORGET IT. It's like the little plastic Jesus they give a soldier about to charge into a hail of bullets. Forget that.. "D.O.T. is protecting me".. FORGET IT.

They will do anything to move a load. They will tell you anything. They will hold a load home as a carrot, to twist your arm into doing them a favor, when actually, getting home..getting you home to the house for a while.. is that a "favor"?