What is an OTR Driver?

That partially sums it up......
Running the 5 in Cali the CB is pretty much all in Spanish....The image of the trucker being the modern version of the American Cowboy is almost over......

Every time I go into Wallyworld to get groceries....I park, idle-down and Shut Down.....Just about every time, I get a "thank you" for not idling from the RVers camping out in the lot.....


Maybe we ought to return our roots as "Knights of the Road" instead of playing around the game rooms of the T/A........

 

I haven't done OTR (as of yet start with Swift in just over a week though) but the theory I have as to what an OTR driver is, is this.... A moderatly paid, well traveled, clean cut (for the most part) sober homeless person...

In reality.. it is someone that is making alot of personal sacrifices,"life", family,friends and hobbies to do a job that is definately needed but not many would care to do just like being a paramedic, firefighter or Law Enforcement. About the only job that I can think of that makes more of a sacrifice for even less appreciation would be those that sacrifice everything to be in the military.

 

July4th weekend, I was sitting in the TA in Laredo. Sat at the bar, flirted with the waitress and struck up a conversation with the guys sitting there. Drivers would walk in and hear the laughter and they would belly up to the bar to join the fun. There were about 12-14 drivers there. The interesting thing about this is except for 2, all were either flatbedders or tankeryankers. The guys on the back row of the Fishhook were barbecuing and sharing adult beverages. The week before another set of drivers invited me over for burgers off the grill at the back of the lot at the Houston J.

Was at the TA in Morris, IL and hung out with some Landstar heavyhaulers. Turned some wrenches and went inside to tell blonde jokes to the blonde waitress. Someone starts talking about politics and I will start an argument over pro wrestling. Wrestling almost always wins out over politics.

I always have a good time.

 

Old Tired Reject ............ yep that's me.

 

Naw, if I come up on a slowdown and have my CB off, I just turn it up and wait for someone else to ask.

 

OTR now stands for Over The Region! Long haul is all but gone for solo drivers with few exceptions.

 

I call myself a nomad or a gypsy. I was one of those kids who walked to the overpass near home and sat on the edge jealously watching the traffic go by. I'd walk or bike in one direction, as far as I could go, then be exhausted trying to get home because I'd gone too far. I bought my first four-wheeler when I was 26 and I went out for a drive on the weekend and ended up in Erie, PA. I decided it was a nice little city and moved up there. People would ask me "why Erie?" and I told them because that was where the freeway ran out (I was on I79). Sitting still has just never been my style.

Now, as for the solitary part of it, that's also just me. I'm a friendly sort, but I'm not going to be the one who starts the conversation (usually). The CB stays off now because I've never heard a conversation on the CB that was worth listening to. I'd rather listen to NPR, thank you.

[on a side note, I really wonder what it must be like to have a child in the truck. One of the first things a kid in a truck wants to do is play with the CB, but if I were a parent, I certainly wouldn't want my child to hear what's being said on the CB nowadays. Trucker parents, you have my sympathy.]

I'll hang out with other truckers if they are worth hanging out with. That's the bottom line. If the conversation does not interest me, I will not waste my time. I'd rather settle into the bunk with a good book than listen to boring talk. However, I've met truckers who hold my attention for hours. There are some really fascinating people out here. I love a good storyteller. I met a former bullhauler once that had me laughing so hard time just flew by. But when I meet a driver who just wants to whine about low miles, or low pay, or tell me 50 times how pretty he thinks I am, I just roll my eyes, wish him a good day, and leave. If you want my attention, say something I haven't heard before. Works every time.

You can call me a loner or a cowgirl if you want to. That's not really much different from nomad and gypsy.

And I'm still Over The Road, even though I'm solo. I just get around the country 500 miles at a time

 

Roamer, wanderer, nomad, vagabond, call me what you will!

 

Wow.... I didnt know some truckers get that lonely....

 

Unfortunately nowadays if you are on the side of the road helping somone with you flashers on and triangles out and a drunk driver runs into your trlr. More than likely he will find a lawyer that will sue you for him being stupid and win. Sad day.