How do you define what a trucker is?

I hope I'm not a party pooper and killed the thread!

 

I would think that anyone who drives a truck is a trucker regarless of the type or size of truck or type of cargo.

An over-the-road driver is no more a trucker than someone who works locally hauling gravel, I've done both over the years. Some people have the attitude that "real" truckers only drive long haul, but I think that is a bunch of B.S. I've hauled everything from tri-axle dumps locally to 32 wheels locally and across country with all kinds of different cargo, I don't think I am any more of a trucker than someone who has only driven a truck locally around town. We are all doing the same job, delivering goods by truck. We are all truckers.

I hear this term "professional driver" being used so often anymore, having a class a licence and a few months of experience doesn't make someone professional. I see many drivers driving in an unprofessional way. I think someone who takes pride in being better than the average driver and takes safety seriously and takes pride in doing a job well and doesn't forget about courtesy on the road and has proven that they are good safe drivers deserves to be called "professional".

 

In my mind, anyone with a Class A license and drives a CMV requiring that license is a professional truck driver. Also, someone with a class B license will likely be driving the same type of truck, just with fewer axles.

And I think anyone can be a professional driver, if they are paid to drive the vehicle, per Webster, regardless of the type of license.

In this complex world, there are more types of trucks than Carter has pills.

 

truck·er

[truhk-er]
-noun

1. a person who drives a truck; truckdriver.

2. a person whose business is trucking goods.

 

Myself think of the ole-timers from days gone by as "TruckDrivers". I mean real TruckDrivers... The days when trucks didn't have airride cab or seats, didn't have power steering, or A.C. Didn't have HOS rules to worry about, didn't have govenors or qualcomms. Back when Cab-Overs were the kings of the road and you had that dog-house to contend with...LOL I think of my dad, may he rest in peace. The days when the CB was not just a squak box but a "must-have" box. No cell phones, crappier food than today and the days when a driver would go out of his/her way to help another driver, no questions asked. That my friends is My definition of a "TruckDriver".

 

You must be talking about driving prior to 1936. HOS have been around since then.

 

A trucker is someone who owns and operates his own truck as a business, which is why you cannot call him a truck driver, because he does more than just drive and you can't call him just a truck owner, because he does more than just own the truck.

So basically a trucker is an "owner/operator".

 

Rest Areas, Truck Stops, and a sleepers...that sounds like a fancy resort to me. Seriously, if you think that is roughing it, you best stay away from the oilfield! This fuel hauler often has to sleep in a day cab far away from your resort stops...sometimes two guys sleeping in one day cab. I can't count how many times I've had to take a dump in the bushes during 100+ degree days either or refuel tractors and Frac pumps during sand storms. And the only food and water you have for days is what you brought with you. Once you rig up, you can't leave the site until you run out of diesel, the job is done or the company man releases you. It's like Man vs Wild when ever I go to work. And forget about those fancy CBs, TVs, cell phones as well. Half the time I'm stuck in areas with zero signal miles away from anything resembling civilization. So I may not be a REAL trucker by OTR deffenitions, but I love my job and don't need resort stops to achieve my work duties.

 

Trucker: Self-motivated, self-starter - does not play well with others.

My brother and I discuss this topic often - I'm home maybe 20 days out of a year, and he's home every night. I'm a trucker. He's a truck driver. We accomplish the same thing, but on a different scale. He hits 10-30 docks a day and has several different trailers, and drives 300-400 miles a week. I drive 700 miles a day, hit maybe two docks a week, and can have the same trailer for weeks at a time.

I think it's more about lifestyle than job

 

Please tell me what you gross per week for those conditions?