Bad trucking

Your definition of Veteran Diriver ???

6 months,

10 years ??

 

1. All jobs have good and bad, depends a whole lot on your outllook and things.

2. Over the years, we "verteran drivers" have seen alot of "newbies" and "wannabe's" come and go. Too often they come in all starry-eyed from some recruiter's BS and leave all sad and disappointed when reality hits em in the face. Just maybe if they knew ahead about some of the pitfalls they could've gotten past the "bump in the road" and gone on to become fine drivers.

So when we post "horror stories" we're giving you a heads up so that you won't be "deer in the headlights" when something goes awry. What you do with that warning is up to you.

If you need all "gooey sweetness" go work for Ben and Jerries cause you need more maturity before you tackle Mistress Road.

 

Hmmmm where to start ??

Let me set this straight for you. The term "professional" driver is a term used by "the industry".

In the REAL world. The term "Professional Driver" is relegated to people who make only left hand turns at speeds in excess of 150 mph.

In the REAL world, truck drivers are considered "Unskilled Labor".

Since the "Real world" makes it so obvious that truck driving is a bottom feeder job.

Why would you expect us to help you shoot yourself in the foot?

Everything you read within this forum, has a degree of truth in it somewhere. Does that make us members of the insane asylum? Maybe.

But there is also a degree of freedom with this job, that no other job offers.

That is why I do this job. Not the money, although that was my original reason.

 

Most happy, successful drivers aren't spending all day on the internet talking about truck driving. I think a lot of your info you are getting are guys out of work playing on the computer all day! Not to mention in general more people like to ##### and complain then help and be positive! Can't say I'm perfect, I have my days but I try to stay positive.

The other part of it too is that these guys are under a lot of stress and at the end of the day sometimes like to vent.

 

Intro to trucking 101 is just that. An intro to all the hoops that a noob like me just jumped through to graduate from a CDL mill. Even though the two and a half months transpired rather quickley it was an expensive and at times a huge hassle. I do have the folowing endorsements on my liscence now and it does look reallly cool:

• T - Double/Triple Trailers Endorsement (Knowledge Test only)
  N - Tank Vehicle Endorsement (Knowledge Test only)
  H - Hazardous Materials Endorsement (Knowledge Test only)

• 
  

While at school I got a TWIC card, already had a passport, and went through the process to apply for the Trusted Traveler Program.

I just had my interview at Whirlpool & in the next few weeks should have a FAST card as well.

With all this being said, I have spent at least 175 hours from start to finish getting the training, edorsements, fingerprints, and extras. The money that has been spent totals right around $ 6.200.00 and includes tuition, gas, tolls, food, shoes, gloves, and what ever else i needed to get me where i am now.

For me the reality of where I am now is that if it takes this much BS to get into the profession how much crap am I going to have to put up with once employed. I have read just about every thread about bad trucking companies and am sure that there are still surprises out there.

The truckers report has helped me to see trucking for it really is and make an honest and educated timeline for my family and I as far as getting my "experience" and there after starting a local driving position.

To me the whole beginning process has been rewarding but it did take a lot of hard work to get there. Because I am very optimistic my future in the trucking industry does seem good but it won't be easy.

 

Those who stay will be champions =) Naw, truckers just love to complain. It's just not for everyone. And unfortunately the only way a lot of people get a handle on that is by giving it a shot and realizing that it isn't for them. I have thought that before in my career, and even took some time away from it. If it weren't for me then I guess it wouldn't have kept calling my name. Now I'm back and I'm glad I am. I went through the newbie hard knocks though and managed to gain enough experience that when I came back I did it on my own terms.

 

Ah, you have discovered why we call her Mistress Road. She'll teach you and mould you and then push you away. But her memory keeps calling.... and once you come back you are hers forever.

Or sumpin' like that.

 

It would be interesting to see how many veterans are out the compared to how many get trained and don't last more than a few months .
People are leaving to go to orientation every week to take the places of people that went to orientation a few months ago then didn't make it . Use a little logic here . People are going to orientation every week . Are carriers getting new contracts and buying that many trucks every week ? No , same amount of trucks , same amount of loads , just new temporary victims .
Would it be better for someone to be turned away by us before spending thousands of dollars or for them to be booted by a training company after investing time and money ?

 

Honestly, I was one of the ones almost turned away..but I thought it would be a great life experience. So here I am...on the road ..and loving it! Being newly divorced..my options are un limited now...I hope to be one of the vetran drivers in the future.