what happened to brotherhood

I can understand that viewpoint, though I personally believe it's a bit over-cautious.

But I revisited this thread not to reply to this post, but to just add a few feelings I've experienced over the last week or so.

I've been off-line for about 4 days. Haven't felt like getting on-line, that's all. And this industry....or more accurately, many of the drivers IN it....are absolutely souring my opinions on everything from trucking to the new coach of the LA Lakers.

And I hate it.

But I have flat-out HAD IT with the whole lot of drivers that do things that most of us couldn't even fathom a decade (or less) ago. They've all been mentioned here...
Parking on the fuel island...or even behind the fuel island...and leaving your truck to go take care of "urgent business", while others wait, also burning their 14s, waiting on your slug-### to come out of the truckstop.
Dumping every imaginable human waste product whenever and wherever the need is in your own personal sorry little life.
Wearing your #### pink pig PJs into the truckstop because "they're comfortable". (Sunday, 11/11, OKC Love's).
Pulling off the shoulder of the highway and back into traffic at 12 miles an hour because you...no, didn't break down....you just had to pee, and it was too ###### inconvenient to find a suitable place or, heaven forbid, at least an on- or off-ramp. Gotta save those 15 seconds, doncha know....
Parking cattywampus in the truckstop...or, parking in what is for you a very convenient place...near the door, not requiring much walking. Even though the truckstop is HALF EMPTY! Learn to back, shlub.
Rolling through truckstops at 25 mph.
Sitting in your truck while another driver struggles with tandem pins or other mechanical difficulty that you could very easily help with (yes, there are exceptions...)
etc
etc
etc....

And the list goes on.

I've just had it. I would exit the road today if I could. However, the way my life is structured right now simply mandates an OTR lifestyle and job for another two to three years. But it genuinely pains me to see what this industry is fast becoming when compared to just eight years ago, when I left it for a time after a divorce. It actually depresses me. But sadly, it's not just trucking. It's society in general, IMHO. And I hate having this attitude, but after almost 52 years on this planet, I've got no other conclusion to draw, and the inkwell is dry anyway.

So, to those of you who try to do your best job on a daily basis....who help a driver out...who don't contribute to the "shlub" image that is overtaking us as a group...I just want to say "Thank you". Some of us DO notice. Including the young lady at the Pilot the other morning.

I came in for a shower. Kiosk was down, so I had to go to the fuel desk. She welcomed me, and simply said "Shower?".
"What gave it away....my disheveled look and unshaven face?" I playfully asked her.
"No", she replied. "The bag. And you still look better than 3/4 of the drivers that come in here!"

Made my flippin' day!

It's not much, but it's more than that driver who speaks almost zero English who almost ran you down in the parking lot of the Pilot last week will ever give you.

Please be safe out there.

 

excellent post..

 

48Packard,
I've felt the same way about society as a whole but something new is coming down the pike - and I'm glad to see it.
For seasonal work I took a job at a warehouse and didn't expect much from the "kids" because they are usually the worst. Color me surprised when each one has been very polite, helpful and in general brought up the way we were...while most are late teens give them a couple of years to hit the industry and things will start to change again. They don't like disrespect either, will help anyone out, have their heads screwed on straight and work their butts off for what is minimum wage eager to take any additional shifts to help make up for it. They don't gripe, moan or cry about it and are self policing if someone does.

I can only hope they start to show the change in the industry but its going to be a couple of years which is about the time you'll be off the road, hopefully you will check in from time to time and see if the same gripes are still being posted.

Stay safe out there.

 

Complicated topic..Although I am old in dog years (and human) I have not been doing this Trucking thing for long.Still my oldest brother has been doing this since 1976,and I have heard the stories. Do I believe em all? No chance..About as much as I believe "Happy Days" and "American Graffiti" are a correct portrayal of the 1950's.

I have no doubt there is a ring of truth to the trucking tales;as stated many today are driving Big Trucks out of necessity rather than a Love for It. But everyone being one big family back then and helping each other...Get serious..

No doubt there are many truck driver's out here today who should not be,still I have noticed when a serious storm or other tragedy is upon us,there are plenty out there willing to help.

When I first started this I didn't know Jack..And if not for the kindness of strangers I would not have lasted out here long. Instead of comparing different era's and always looking for the negative,try finding some positive. I guarantee you will find some and remember it starts with you.

In summary I believe there still is a "brotherhood" in Trucking although definitely not it was in the 70's..But tell me-what is? Baseball,football,medicine,phones,etc.? Everything changes..As I am reminded everyday when I see my reflection.

 

A few hours after I posted the above I bounced to Winston,OR for a load of lumber. I went to the Loves in town and scaled it to find it was 2100lbs over gross.

I went back of course to have em take a bundle off and as I was tarping,one ol' boy asked if I wanted any help as it was getting dark and there are no lights in the mill's staging area. I declined as I have my own way of doing things,but if that ain't brotherhood I have no idea what the word means.

Maybe it's a "flatbed thang."

 

yeah i think it is fore sure a flat bed thing or atleast way more common with us

 

I am fairly new in this industry, started almost 5 yrs ago and I can only imagine how truck drivers used to be in the 80's or 70's in this country... But what I see nowadays are many young male drivers, racing on the road, always in a hurry, cutting each other, with no concern for safety, no courtesy... I am an immigrant but I see foreigners that can't read or speak English well and can't or have no interest in communicating with other drivers. They come from a different culture, they have different habits and will not integrate. I see all kinds of folks, males and females, from all ages, all walks of life driving trucks nowadays and many do it for money purposes only. This is just another job for them, not a way of life, many hate it and would love to do something else if they could. More drivers, more competition... And now, with electronic logs, we are becoming automated workers... less freedom, less fun, more stress...

 

It gets back to what I've been saying for a long time.....

In a good economy most of these people wouldn't be out here..

 

Let's hope you are right, then when the economy rebounds there will be more freight, and fewer drivers, which means higher wages that is if something doesn't short circuit supply and demand like lots of people taking cheap loads when they don't have to.

 

Fewer drivers==DRIVER SHORTAGE!!

Too many drivers=DRIVER SHORTAGE!!

It's rike Godzirra....you can't escape it!!

I'm convinced that the only way for there to NOT be a "driver shortage" is for every driver to be over six feet tall.