New Driver Help?

It's not like that majority of the time. You'll be surprised at the educated and knowledgeable truckers you'll meet on the road. Many are on this forum and from all walks of life.
Lack of a formal education doesn't mean someone is less aware of the situation and how to handle it. Many truckers also have high degrees and for some of those, the more laid back lifestyle of a trucker is their preference.
When you go to an office at a receiver/shipper/trucking company/truck stop, you can set the tone and actions of others from your own demeanor and how you carry yourself.
Either that Stevens guy is just ignorant or something triggered him to talk that way in front of the group.

 

It's all about money, that's why they call it work. I drove #### trucks my whole career but made between 80k-120k over the years to do so. I just recently got a nice truck but it's a cascadia so most guys would still say #### truck. The places that spout off about brand new equipment are usually the guys that don't pay. I know a guy here in Tampa that runs w900s he picks up at the auction because guys will work for peanuts to have one. It's all about what's important to you and what you need to make to live the life you want to live. Is a truck important? Then you will be able to find plenty of companies that will keep you in a sweet new truck. Is pay and benefits most important? Probably gonna end up in a older truck. There are exceptions to the rule but that's generally what I have found over the years.

 

That's what I was getting at; the white collar workers. They don't know who they're dealing with much of the time when they interact with drivers.