why trucking

There are many of us who do not live in the condition you describe. In fact, there are many of us who make substantially more than our white collar counterparts at the same company. For whatever reason, as an OTR driver, I was able to afford showers, get plenty of rest, eat well, and even wash the truck all out of my own pocket. Now, I'm able to afford a premium SUV, a fast sedan, and a real nice place to live all with cash while being home every day to enjoy it all. During my time time as an OTR driver, I grew to detest what the old hands would call the "new breed". Again, for whatever reason, these seemed to be the broke slobs you're describing. I have a great amount of empathy for true O/O's that have fallen on tough times but you seem to be describing some clown with three baby mama's who thought he'd get rich driving a truck. No real man would allow his family, or himself for that matter, to reach the state you describe.

The only part I agree with is being away from loved ones. That affects everyone no matter how savvy you are.

 

Hey, I'm new to this site.... And I have posted very little... but as far as to WHAT makes someone choice this or why they would even consider it I think I can say something about this.
I currently I'm 23yrs old I have no children, I'm not married and I have always moved around my entire life, I tend to be able to accommodate fairly well and fairly easy to just about anything because of this, I have a job that's a 9-5 job working with the state... and to be completely honest with you I HATE IT! No other words to describe it, some people are just not meant to sit behind a desk... taking crap over a phone (people yelling at you all day long) and be happy with that. I for one am not, I think and mind you I could be wrong since I haven't started that if your flexible and you work hard you can get far in this business... for that matter that applies to all businesses, but I for one am not meant to sit at a desk being completely unhappy for the rest of my life, trucking is a way of life, you have to be able to adopt well and run with it ( or drive with it I guess lol)
Also think about this for a second when you have the opportunity, in order to get ANYTHING in life you have to work for it, nobody is going to give it to you wrapped up in a pretty red box with a white bow on it, it doesn't happen, that reality, if you want anything in life you have to work for it and be proud of what you do, may that be sitting at a desk receiving call like I am now, or at a shopping center bagging peoples groceries, or driving a truck around the country bringing whatever items that place needs.. you should always be proud of what you do and try your #### best at whatever you do, and also be happy with what you do, find something in your life that feels well to YOU.
Although being a truck driver to you may seem like a far fetch thing and as if it pointless to do it, that is not the case for most people in this business, there proud of what they do and proud of what they can achieve, I guess what I'm trying to say is... everyone is happy doing different things... and some jobs are just better for some, while some other jobs may not be the case for them....

Wow... I just sounded like my dad... that is scary >.> lol ^.^

 

It's seems you do not like truck driving. Trucking is not for everybody. Are you OTR? If you are, and are gone from home for weeks at a time, maybe you should try a local position when you have enough experience.
If you don't like local driving either, then driving isn't for you. Find something else that stimulates your being.

 

I'd be curious what changed from when you posted this.

What prompts people to get into it? Lots of reasons, many of them the wrong ones I imagine. For me it was just something I always wanted to do, and I think a lot of people do it for the same reason. Fortunately for me I found out that I actually did want to do it, whereas many find out it's not what they thought it would be.

I don't go without meals or sleep anymore than when I worked a 'regular' job. Showers, I miss the occasional one but never go without one when I feel I need it. There's time I wish I was at home for a family event or wish I had a little more time to get some stuff done around the house but otherwise I have no complaints.

I've never worked any place where the company's bottom line wasn't a major priority and don't think I would want to. Fortunately for me, the company I'm with seems to realize the importance the driver has on their bottom line.

 

Usually its because they have a felony conviction and can't get hired by anyone but the big sweatshops on wheels transport companies.

The ones without felonies are either stupid or crazy.

And all of y'all are busting the real truckers (the O/O's) wages down because you want to play trucker getting paid 12 cents per mile hauling $2.00 a mile freight in some Wall Street investor financed stripped down fleet truck.

 

Wow, butthurt?

I don't have a felony, pretty sure I'm sane, and prolly have a higher IQ then 90% of the members on this board (not trying to boast, just stating a statistical probability, given the standard distribution of IQs in a given population.) I wouldn't drive company for anything less then .34 cpm.

The reasons I like trucking are simple. The freedom (very little interaction with management, which is a good thing, imo,) getting to drive all over the place (I love travelling, no matter the vehicle,) and the fellowship (although, that hasn't been as great as I had expected when I started.)

Also, it was a way to make decent money without having to spend a few years in college, or getting some crap certificate. 3 weeks, get your CDL, and get driving (or training, as the case may be.)

And then there was the pride of knowing I could successfully handle an 80,000+ lb weapon of mass destruction.

Hmm, on second thought, I just might be crazy.

 

I can tell you that there is nothing that that makes me feel more alive than when I have come a hairsbreath from death,which is what all truckdrivers go through. We can be as defensive a driver as possible but no one knows whether or not the guy next to us did their pretrip,or if a couch is gonna fall off the #### pickup in front of us carrying enough furniture to fill a 3 bedroom house. At the end of the day,after all the BS at shippers,after crawling through Chicago,after jockeying for half an hour to get into the last spot in the TA in North Bend,Wa.,after I pull that brake and I know I made it another day...#### it feels freakin' good to be alive! Gimme a box to sleep in any day..I wake up happy to be alive!

 

Jim Bob, I will drink th next beer in your honor.

 

Emigrant Pass is on I-80,between Battle Mountain and Carlin NV. There is a highway maintenace yd on one side of the highway. On the other is a copse of trees where the emigrants would stop and rest and water their animals at the spring. The emigrants were people who for whatever their personal reasons head west,in search of gold,silver...a better life,for sure. Gravelly Ford and the Maiden's Grave are also off in the hills,but to find them you have to go through some gates,which ya better close afterwards,or if its not BLM land you have to ask the rancher for permission to enter his property. At one time you could stand where the Owl Casino in Battle Mountain now stands and if you looked towards the Humboldt river all you would see is a cloud of alkali dust kicked up from the beasts and the wagons and the hearty souls pushing on towards who knows what. By the time the survivors got to the west coast the big mining companies were working to take control of all the gold..greed is as old as Methusala. But anyway,these people travelled about 20 miles PER DAY! No air conditioning,no ice,no cell phone service,LOL. Yeah,I know they never had it any better so how could they miss it...but they didn't have to leave the safety of the cities,either. I think certain people have that spirit in them and they simply cannot be confined to a mundane life,however secure.
Some people thrive on the struggles out on the road. I'm not saying that all truck drivers are like that. Heck I know we're supposed to be making money,I also know I ain't getting rich out here either,but where else can I live and work and feel a tiny bit of the freedom those hearty souls felt. In the end,no matter what we do we all wind up being worm food anyway,and that's my 2 freakin' cents...again!