To student drivers

The thing is with new drivers they didn't have a clue it would be the way it is.They're comfort zone is home and this is a whole new ballgame to them

 

Don't see how your stress level goes up driving local.....should be the same , local , OTR , regional , piloting a semi is a stressful job on a good day. It's how you learn to handle the stress that sets you apart. By your description you are driving a soda truck/beer wagon... 10-bay ...you deliver to mom & pop stores along with grocery outlets....your only really stressful thing is finding a place to park....Don't come whining if you have nothing to whine about. All aspects of trucking are different , and have different issues , what may be right for some isn't right for others, doesn't mean that any aspect is "bad"....

 

If new drivers not necessarily "young" drivers would take a small amount of time looking into ( researching ) this industry they would quickly be able to distinguish what a really good job in trucking is. That being said this career choice has to be one of the most individualized choices around. You can usually choose to either run long distance , or regional ,, or local.....work all day , or work a night shift , haul fuel , food , or just regular freight , then you've got the specialized guys who do Haz-Mat and oversize / heavy haul , then still another facet is the off-road stuff , oil field , rock and stone pits , or mineral mines.....the list is almost endless. Many , many choices here....choices that don't always mean experience is a "must have"....lots of really good companies hire newbies , you just have to spend some time and maybe some shoe leather / gas to find those opportunities. Like you , some may have to try and re-locate for a better job , nothing wrong with doing that , just be sure you really want the type of job you're taking before you move...did I say research...

A discussion about this stuff is a very good one , it can and will help folks to make a choice or give them ideas on what venues they want to try out. Sorry for coming off so strong , but when I saw 3 years experience , all I saw was a whiner not happy with his choices , mainly because of lack of knowledge....My bad....

 

Exactly..Chinatown one of the premier posters on here , and a guy that is always trying to help folks , does long-haul tanker driving ( or did) he may be retired now like me. But if you offered him a job like the one I spent over 30 years doing , he would scream bloody murder....I delivered McDonald's restaurants working for GSF , home every night , great pay , great benefits / retirement. That goes to show you like you said....what is one drivers treasure is another one's torture.....Rookies need to know this , and listen , some of the stuff posted on here must be taken with a grain of salt too , just like sitting at the counter at a truck stop , you'll hear stories that get bigger every time they're told , just like a fisherman or a deer hunter will do...I ran a 600 mile ''Hot Load" last week in 10 hrs , thru 2 feet of snow and delivered an hour early....or the buck I shot / bass I caught was a 14 pointer / 12lber......

 

Too many new drivers get into the business overlooking the fact that OTR driving is a lifestyle, and a way of life. Life slaps them right in the face after a few months when they finally realize what it takes. I respect all truck drivers (period!)......... but OTR drivers that actually last out there are a special breed. It takes a special person to be able to handle all the frustrations that come along with the job over a long period of time. They aren't supermen, superwomen, super truckers,..........they are people who know how to keep a steady pull while cutting through all the BS. They chuckle about the BS later, instead of quitting for greener pastures.

 

Before I started otr I did months of reading and research also many long conversations with the wife about how our lives will be different