Cudos, and my feelings.

I used to be one of those guys that "GOTTA GO GOTTA GO" too. Cant do that anymore. The bigger the load, the more time it takes to do anything (load, unload, park, fuel, whatever). When its time to drive, I am going for maximum miles in a day... but I am not in a hurry. Used to run over 200000 miles a year. Now I am around 90000. Used to be on the bigroad mostly, now its mostly two lane.

Shippers and receivers are all different when you are not in a hurry. It may take 3-4 days just to load. They may have engineers, machinist, DOT cops there along with the safetymen, riggers, the crane operator(s), along with you the driver and your civilian pilot cars. Most are worried about Smokey writing a ticket. Smokey may be part of my crew! He's there to help me do my job.

So, you learn to be patient. In our line of work, you wont get far without patience. Theres always problems that arise. The first thing the shipper says to you, the driver is, "Driver, we are having some difficulties. I really appreciate your patience in this." Sometimes they even invite you to dinner. In return, I have bought dinner for my pilot cars and Smokey.

 

Thank You Sir, Smiling thru the tears. Yea, we do that. The marvel of sitting in a worn out MACK garbage truck so long ago. The thunder of the diesel, not sure of where I was going to go. The pride of knowing I was making a difference. We feed, and clothe this land. We are there thru disaster and parades. We bring comfort when we have very little. Were Truckers, we ask for so little, yet give so much. I use a Freighliner now. 190" custom sleeper. But everytime I sit down, in that leather Captains seat, I still feel the pride of a young man learning, wanting to be a Truck driver. I wish you the world Sir.