Make sure wannabe truckers this is what you really want.

Can you see America? Yea some of it. Depends on what you do while driving a truck. General reefer, dry van, some flatbeds? Not so much. Major interstates coast to cost even less. Once ya been coast to coast a half a dozen time, to every major city by pass, it all begins to look the same. Going through Dallas for the first time kind a cool. Being stuck in the mix master 1000 times it really looses it charm. Same with every city. Off the normal freight gives you more of a chance to see America. I've have some really good experience in Trucking. Been to the Top of the World Wind Farm in WY. Thousands of feet up on a flatten hill top. Nothing to see but emptiness for miles. Every wake up in the middle of nowhere miles and miles from the nearest town, nothing but Texas scrub brush , you and complete darkness. Wondering what the hell was that noise just then? Spend a week waiting to unload on a hill top in PA in a National Conservation Area your only way into town was the mercy of an escort once a day or so? Spent the morning at some port watching the ships come in and out while you enjoy a cup of coffee on a brisk fall day. Every been out in the Texas/ OK bad lands nothing but dirt roads. Getting caught there in a flash snow storm. Started to load in the dusk and by time your loaded its pitch black and the hill is now covered in 3 inches of snow. Going up about half way and not making it before your truck looses traction. Knowing now your got two choices. Back down and the only thing you can see is your taillights. Or sit there until the next morning. Back down, try to make it, start over hitting fourth gear, truck completely reved up and screaming. One fish tail, two fish tails, hard right, tap the breaks enough to make the turn, come out all most in a power jack knife. A foot or so from the edger and a 50 foot slide to the bottom. Oh you know its there cause you've seen it. Not tonight its too dark you can't see it. Its feel alone. And you make it to the top and a flat spot to get out, breath a sigh of relief. Enjoy the quiet. For the next five minutes or so. Knowing its not over cause its 4 more miles to the paved road. Still ya think you got it cause most of its flat. Doing it over and over again until its just another day on the job and the sad realization its a pain in the ### and not a big deal any longer. So yea its possible to see a lot I guess.

 

I run 1000% at night, but yet I AM a tourist. Problem though, it's so darned dark?

I can't see anything!

 

I never believed 90% of the BS other drivers have/had told me over the years. As for the remaining 10%, I think THAT's ALL BS AS WELL!

So let me tell you guys about the time, I saved this gal from a big monkey climbing an Ivory Tower in InstanBULL!

 

I miss Charles Kuralt on Sunday mornings..

 

I felt more like a part-time tourist with a full-time+ job, but I tried to optimize the tourist part.

I rarely had a layover, but my companies understood I wasn't sitting in the truck for 48 hours for 50 bucks. No load/no problem, I'll call Enterprise and we can talk tomorrow, or the day after. Sure I'm losing money, but not nearly as much as the company with ~$100K of asset producing less than nothing.

 

I really wanted to be born the sole heir of the Rothschilds, and have good looks like a movie star or model. Since I got none of those things I've learned to live with making do with what I can get. If theres more bread then it makes the sandwich filler look smaller.

 

Being able to create a story out of common everyday events that some call BS and others drool over is a true talent and has been going on since the beginning of time....

 

What I would like to know, is how someone is supposed to make sure trucking is what they want, BEFORE they try it? Sure, you can do all of your "due diligence," before committing to it, but the reality is, that no matter what you read or are told, until you actually experience it for yourself, you aren't going to know. Of course, doing the "due diligence," should tell a lot of people that it is NOT what they want. That is much easier than finding out if it is for you or not.

 

I had driven cross country a few times, and knew I could hold a steering wheel for 10 hours. IF you get into it because you think you're going to be seeing all the sights and doing all the touresty stuff, you've got something else coming.. There are definitely sites to see and cool experiences to have, but probably not going to get the chance to camp in yellowstone or check out the night life in Miami as a company driver.