Wonder why older drivers are Bitter???

Maybe some. Not all. Of course with a narrow mind I could point at old truckers taking bennies to finish the turnaround and say you were all speed freaks that killed families. Of course, I would be wrong.

 

Well I been here since 94 thats not nearly long as some of the old timers but since Then I have seen alot
Changed.
1.Use to be able to get 2-3 trucks to pull over and HELP if you broke down.
2.Get on the cb and ask for bear reports or if the chicken house is open and all you get is a bunch
of bs.
3.Try to get directions you better have a sweet 16 in the bunk otherwise soon as you key up
you will get stepped on just until you give up then it will get quiet again.
4. And my personal pet peve what is it with piss bottles? when did it start to have gallon of piss in the truck
Doesnt that stink? I mean we all get stuck in traffic and pee in a bottle well ladies.... nm lol but when you get somewhere throw it out.
IN a TRASH can not in a parking lot why do you think walmart is breaking down on us its not there job to clean piss
and ......... number 2 bags from parking lots.
5. why does everyone now park in the fuel island for 30 minutes are more at a time if you going todo that park if your that
lazy get a new line of work.
6.I think schools have become overrun to many of them not teaching anything much.I think most of the wrecks now days
Are due to this throw someone in school then in a trainer for 2-3 weeks run team with him to burnhours but not teach
then wonder why he runs over someone in a month.
They teach you to be a driver well part driver.but no one teaches you to be a trucker a trucker will help someone not because they pay him but because he can.
Truckers will help when he can on directions etc truckers are like dinosars becoming not heard of much anymore.
When is the last time some of you pulled over to help someone change a tire or call a tow truck?
End Rant to much time sitting let the bashing start!

 

"The Trucker's Lament"

Trucking as a respected profession is all but over. The increased demand for drivers around 2000 by the big, national co.s and the ppl that 'showed up' for those abundant jobs are a different breed than the truckers of old.

The former society of responsible, drug-free, pride-in-their-work drivers has been replaced with $$$ is the main focus, do what it takes to get it, and screw everyone else along the way.....sad, but true

 

As I see it one of the problems in trucking these days is that most new drivers are coming out of driving schools. I learned by doing, started in 1969 driving a single axle dump truck for a local company and moved up through the years as my experience grew. I am old school thinker in this regard. My step son is almost 20 and he has been asking me about learning to drive. If he does get into trucking I know he will most likely do it the way everyone is these days and go to driving school. I have been encouraging him to do it the old fashioned way and get a job for a local company and learn over time. I think a driver learns much more and develops greater skills that way. I taught my nephew almost 15 years ago by having him ride with me and drive with me once he got his permit to drive as a learner. After a month he got his class A/cdl and I know he is a better driver for learning that way.

 

Well said Skutt. I was pretty much trained the same way. Started out driving a small wrecker that my boss taught me how to operate. A few years later I went on to driving single, then tandem axle dumps. Did that for a few years and decided that big rigs were the only way.

A close friend of mine that had many years under his belt took me in to train. We spent months on the road together. He taught me everything from shifting to the road slang used at the time. He was a true pro and expected the same out of me.

When we would delive he would ask the consignee if he need the dock anytime soon. I knew what was coming, he would have me pull out and back in at least one more time. He didn't have to teach me manners or how to be polite as I was raised to be a gentleman. Just because I'm a trucker didn't change any of that.

I witnessed a large company trainer trying to teach a newby how to back in at a truckstop the other day. I would advise that company to get a trainer that actually knows how to backup. The way he had the guy setup would never work. I watched this for about an hour while I cleaned my windows and a few other chores, shook my head and moved on.

I see lots of big company trainers that I think could use some training themselves.

Yes, It ain't what it used to be but I still love it.

 

I went through one of the training schools, and so did my hubby, but we are both more 'old school' drivers because my father is a retired driver. Even though my dad didn't actually teach either of us to drive, we learned other things through him that don't get taught in the schools.

 

I agree.

My trainer was a semi-retired driver of 35 yrs with weeks of stories as we drove the roads.

I learned more by watching him and picking his brain than actually driving during that time...

 

I didn't say all, now did I? I said many, if not most. I see you are one of those with attitude toward the veteran drivers.

 

I have been at this for 15 years and yes it has changed and changed for the bad. The biggest reason and this is my opinion, is people getting into this industry are getting into it for all the wrong reasons. They jump into this for the money, (yea what money) or for the freedom (ha ha ha) and to not have someone telling them what to do or hanging over there shoulder all day or just for the reason that it is a job and it pays the bills. Then the next thing you have is the driver that is out there not following the rules, running over the speed limit, or being in the wrong lane for trucks, or blocking the fuel lane or clogging up the truck stop by parking in the no parking or blocking the lanes, all because "aint no one gonna tell me where to park or how to drive". This is an industry with a ton of rules and regulations, both from companies and from the government, if you are one to have trouble letting someone tell you what to do, when to do it and how to do it, and a company telling you how to drive, and how to dress, when to go home and how long you are gonna stay home then you had beter think twice before choosing this career, thats just all there is to it. People pick this line of work and after a few weeks or months they realize that that this is really how it is and they start jumping around and running down the road yelling about how I am a grown man and I will not let someone tell me what to do and how to do it AND how to drive my truck or what I can do with my truck. That is what I have gathered from knowing what kind of B/S is asked of us from companies and DOT and the government and the complaining nthat follows of drivers who dont want to follow these rules. As I said this is just my opinion that I have gathered from drivers complaing about all the stupid rules, grow up and accept it, no matter what you do in life there will always be someone telling you what to do and how to do it. I am now ready to receive, let it rip.

 

Not at all. I just don't like general statements that are not backed with the face to face interactions to back them up. I personally feel veteran drivers are the best resource newer drivers have to better themselves.