Doesn't at Least ONE Trucker Enjoy Their Career? Stop Whining!

Sic 'im Nana!!!

 

Thank you, Thank you very much! *In my best ELVIS voice*

I'll be here all weekend...2 shows a night!

 

I use to love my job. I use to love my fleet, my fleet manager, my driver manager, the trip planners, the mechanics on our fleet.

Then I got MAD!

 

"A Day in the Life" by Oldnewbiegonnabe

Got to the receiver at 0600 for an 0700 live unload. Good for me! Bad for me....the headknockerreceiverguy wants a 6-digit confirmation number before he'll give me a door. Back to the truck and the QualCom. Call an 800 number and get a 6-digit number. Go back to see the headknockerreceiverguy and Yippee!!!...he likes my 6-digit number. Says, "Come back in 15 minutes and I'll give you a door". Okey dokey!
Go back in 15 minutes and Voila!, he "doored" me.
Spent the next 15 minutes entertaining the parking lot with the worst possible backing job I've done since I've been out here. Finally, bump and wait patiently for the thunderous commotion going on in the trailer to cease. Finally, when all is calm and it's safe to climb out, I go back to see the headknockerreceiverguy and get my "beentheredonethat" copy of my bills.
Now time to deadhead to shipper for next load. I get to the city where the shipper is, have some time to kill before load appt, so find a nice spot (illegal, but nice) to kill about 10 hrs before load appt.
Several hours into this break I get a QC msg that tells me the load has been cancelled by the shipper. Well, pooh, perhaps a whine is in order!
Naaaah, I'll put a hold on the whine for later.
Well, "later" comes and I get a msg telling me to go pick up a load about 3 hours away, BUT, don't pick it up until 0700 tomorrow. So, I'm thinking now that I've got lots of time to kill, BUT, I've probably worn out my welcome at this particular illegal spot. Perhaps, I surmise, there's an equally nice illegal spot on down the road.
Oh, I failed to mentioned, the load I'm going to get has about 250 paid miles on it and, the best part, I have 2 DAYS to get it there. Can I meet this challenge and prevail......probably!
Here's where the lemonade comes in! What lemonade, you ask? Well, here's the deal. I picked up some lemons early this morning from the headknockerreceiverguy, got a couple more from the thanksbutnothanksshipperfolks and to top it off, got a few more from the QualCom along with the 250 paid mile, 2 freakin' days to deliver dispatch.

Now, I have a choice. I can take these lemons and eat them raw, screw my mouth/lips all out of proportion, and get a stomach ache or, I can make lemonade....much better for this ol' suthern boy!

I don't know how the lemonade's gonna turn out exactly but you can bet your ### I'm not going to waste those lemons. I CHOOSE to have a couple of good days before I deliver this load. That just makes sense to me!
Cheers,
Oldnew....

 

I used to love trucking. Now I'm wondering why the hell did I get into it.
People think it's an easy life. It's not there is so much responsability that is passed onto a driver and with todays pay it's not worth it. The biggest problem is the Shippers and Receivers.

 

I actually owned one of those old Corn-binders back in 1983. 318 Detroit (GM's way of converting fuel to noise), 13 speed and a Hendrickson suspension. No power steering, no A/C, Dayton wheels.

Rode like a tank. It was cold, noisy and was next to impossible to keep on the road with an empty trailer and 5" of snow on the ground.

I don't miss that truck. At all.

Back on topic.

What's the difference between a truck driver and a puppy?

A puppy will stop whining in about 3 weeks.

 

I take it that reading the forums has burst your bubble about your grand new adventure? Consider it a favor. The only way to get started for most people who want in it who shouldn't be is to get the big company training and they get it back from you and sometimes don't even bust out any KY. The only way for this industry to be fixed is to crash and start over and thank goodness the economy may take care of that but those of us who have invested a lot in it will suffer too for no good reason other than greed. The payscale for the job falls into unskilled labor. If that sounds like a dream I say go for it.

 

"They" (If referring to gays) make as much as anyone else, but if 'they' refer to male hairdressers and the like, they do tend to make good money, more than female ones for sure. better tipping, even for the metrosexual males that do it. ^.^

 

I have yet to figure out where everyone gets the idea that this job is an adventure. It's a 70 hour work week and you're going to do it in less than 7 days, no one really will give you the time of a day at the shipper or receiver. You really need to experience from this side of the windshield.

Lazy....uh far from it don't have a chance to be lazy. Now we are getting into the winter months where we have the drivers that aren't going anywhere because it's snowing and they might have to hang chains. Or they just don't feel like crawling out of the bunk....get real you are under load and alot of drivers don't understand what that means. Yeah, there are going to be times when you're sick but not because you just don't feel like driving today...up too late last night, etc.

Am I whining....uh no, I like my job, I like the company I keep in the truck....that would be my partner and all her quirks. Been doing it since dirt, I was out here when we stop and help each other....not anymore. Back when a truckstop was just that TRUCKSTOP catered to the TRUCK DRIVERS not the general public. A lot has changed over the years and not all for the good....if we could keep the government out of our lives on the person who thinks we should only drive 10 hours a day because they cut us off and cause a horrific accident. I still don't understand to this day why John Q Public thinks he can work all day go home, load the car with luggage, kids and everything else under the sun...get out on the highway and drive for 8 hours and thinks he is safe. No one has yet explained that to me......wait that is a whole different ball of wax.

I like my job, I'm not ready to retire and park it forever. I still get a laugh at some of the dumb stuff that goes on.

But this isn't an adventure....it's a living.....it's a job....it's called WORK not play.

 

OMG....have you and my partner been spending time together in the parking lots? She had a horrific time at AmeriCold the other night, she finally told me I hope the insurance is paid....in case you hear crunch I just chewed up the Peterbilt next to us. This is from someone who can run backwards probably as good as going forwards.