Any info on Old Dominion Freight

I've just scanned the posts just like you. Based on that, I too have mixed feelings, but they were overall positive enough for me to put in an app with OD. I was accepted, but haven't started yet. The best thing I can say regardless of which company you get on with:

1. Trucking isn't fair to the driver. We usually suck up the stress for everything that goes wrong...you'll see what I mean.
2. You will work extremely long hours, and the hourly rate will be downright depressing when you figure out what you went through to get that check.
3. You will be stereotyped as a #######, and automatically move to the bottom of everyone's priority list.
4. You will run the risk of being fined while you are out driving and doing your job. This can be very frustrating.
5. There are many many people who love driving trucks, but my general thought is that if someone is driving for a living, and they are past 30 years of age, chances are something went horribly wrong with their life, and they've just reached a level of acceptance that this is what they must do.
6. One of the many good things, is that with just a little experience, you can make good money, more so than most college grads will be making early in their careers. Again though, they have a life, and you won't.
7. Another good thing is that there won't be someone constantly looking over your shoulder. Likewise, you won't have to straighten out some other slacker either. You are responsible only for yourself.

No set of rules is hard and fast of course. Some people might get irate and point out how wonderful they have it in trucking. That's fine, it's all about perception. Just keep your eye on the money, or whatever you want from trucking, obey the rules, keep your nose clean, and you'll do fine wherever you go.

P.S. I think that generally OD's pay scale is slightly below the industry standard for the job that they do, yet for some reason, many people are very loyal to them. My vote is that you go for it, simply on the strength of the company, plus they hire and train new drivers. Hope this helps. And no I don't hate trucking, I'm grateful I have something to make a living with. I'm just realistic about it.

 

Gee, I am sure glad to know that somewhere in my past something went wrong, I dont quite get what your saying. Because someone chose a certain career they must have had a messed up life?

 

Originally Posted by ripcord 5. There are many many people who love driving trucks, but my general thought is that if someone is driving for a living, and they are past 30 years of age, chances are something went horribly wrong with their life, and they've just reached a level of acceptance that this is what they must do.


I took early retirement from a union trucking company in 1992. I went to school and became a computer network engineer. I just retired from that field and reaquired my class A CDL, and I am going back in to trucking. Not because I messed up my life, but I do like the trucking business

 

That's sort of my point........not many people "chose" trucking. They (myself included), chose a particular set of circumstances that led down the path to where they are now. That can be a good thing, or a bad thing. If you love trucking, and wouldn't be doing anything else if you're life depended on it, then I'm happy for you. I understand that is true for a great many drivers. Then again, the vast majority probably can't say that. I assume that's partly the reason there are so many unqualified drivers on the road anymore, or people who just don't care about the profession. I'm not trying to run anybody down because I wouldn't do that. This is just an observation on my part from what I've seen. How many people bickering back and forth on the CB in the parking lots and on the roads sound like a computer engineer?.....or anything other than a ####### for that matter? If a few people post on here and prove me wrong, then that just proves I'm wrong in their particular circumstances. For me personally, trucking was a "fallback" career, and I'm very lucky I have it, nevertheless, I'm a realist when it comes to dealing with my surroundings. This is what I see.

 

I've seen plenty of drivers who were plenty talented enough to be doing something else for a living. One thing I've noticed though, is that nobody wants to pay #### anymore as far as non-trucking jobs. I could be doing plenty of other things, but they all want you to be degreed, perfect background, exact matching experience, and precisely 1/8" toenails, and then they want to pay you $10 an hour!!! WTF?

 

Very often, the people who spend a lot of time gabbing
in lots tend to be the lowest common denominator of truck drivers.
You don't tend to hear many intellectuals on the CB because
they are probably listening to the XM or books on CD.
Unless you run a linear ( which I don't) that you can switch
on it is very difficult to have a decent conversation on the CB
especially in a lot.