The Old days are dying and the New drivers only smell like they have.

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Muleskinner, Mar 25, 2008.

  1. Raezzor

    Raezzor Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

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    Hah, too true. It isn't hard to find pics of places folks have abandoned after they couldn't pay rent. Disgusting. My dad used to rent out the place we had in a small town near where we live now. The tenants busted the furnace, then split. We had to go in and clean the place up. I was 7 years old at the time, and even at that young age, I felt creeped out cleaning it up. On top of all the filth, we found empty syringes, and even a a pistol.

    Now, I'm not the cleanest guy in the world, but even I have standards. Makes me wonder how people can live with all the filth they do. *shivers*
     
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  3. killroy

    killroy Light Load Member

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    Well I read the first few posts in this thread then skipped to the last page.
    I am old school and I agree with everything in the first post.
    I stay to myself, eat alone, and I hate driving around the New Breed of drivers out here. Back in the day you knew you could trust the guy in the trucks around you as a true professional. Not so any more. I don't know if the clown in the truck I am about to pass will swerve into my lane are not. Talking on the phone, messing with the laptop, watching a movie, or any of a hundreds other things besides paying attention to what the hell he or she is doing. 90% of the so called drivers don't flash you over, and if you flash for them they don't say thanks.
    When I walk into a truck stop I'm one of the ones looking around an just shaking my head. Guy's there was a saying if you can smell your co-driver and don't have one. You have a major problem. Hell I pull a flatbed in the deep south. After I tie down a load until I can get a shower ( the same day ) try using wet ones to clean up and put on a clean shirt.
    And thats all I have to say about that.
     
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  4. jakebrake12

    jakebrake12 Road Train Member

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    Hey man, just so you know, we're not all that way. During my short stint as an OTR driver I treated myself with respect, maintained a professional appearance - good jeans, clean shirt, and good boots as a flatbed driver, treated customers with respect, treated drivers with respect, treated property with respect, treated my company and their equipment with respect, and treated the public with respect regardless of what they dished out at me. I found LTL about 6 years ago - hard to believe it has been that long. I still carry those same things with me. I ran P&D in an area that is very confusing if you don't know it and am always willing to help another driver who is not familiar. I run line-haul now and have stopped to give a driver precise directions and draw a map. By no means am I an old timer but I swear I have the same frustrations you guy's do. I'll always give a wave and a flash back over to all those Pa largecars.
     
  5. KO1927

    KO1927 Medium Load Member

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    I guess I'll throw in my two cents here, as someone who may end up entering this industry. I'll be a rookie, if I do, but hopefully far from the "New Breed."

    Now, before anyone starts thinking that I've got impressive credentials; I do not have a CDL, I am not nor have ever been employed as a truck driver. My truck is a show toy, and being an antique is exempt from commercial rules.

    Some of you may be wondering, how and why a 22 year old kid with no CDL has such a machine in his garage. The answer is that my father was one of these old school truckers, and I inherited my truck from him. When I say old school, this is what I mean: he started driving in the late 1940's, in the early 1950's, his name went on the door, he ran the eastern seaboard with a 36" bunk ("window" entry at that), he could maneuver that truck, and later a longer one (he upgraded to a 66" bunk) with a 48' trailer, in Boston to make deliveries, he trucked well over a million miles without a preventable wreck, and most importantly, he taught me many lessons.

    Some of these, as they relate to trucking and this topic, are:

    The truck will be washed every week, as long as the temperature is above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. He would wash his truck and trailer in a thunderstorm if need be.

    Delivery times will be met.

    Personal hygiene, and a professional appearance are very important. His uniform behind the wheel, at the shipper/receiver, and while performing maintenance was jeans, work boots, and a tucked-in button front, collared shirt. He was a fan of the western shirts. When I was a child, I referred to these as "Trucking Shirts." When a set of clothes became stained/ripped, they were used in the garage during maintenance. As far as I know, he wore sneakers once, while recovering from athlete's foot in the mid 1980's. Shorts are to be worn when swimming, hence the name "swimming trunks."

    Also, I want it noted that I have not confused my father's record with my own, or expect to gain credibility through his. This information is for background purposes, with the goal of contrasting the methods of different generations.

    I plan that if I enter the trucking industry, I will conduct myself and my craft in a manner that would make him proud.
     
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  6. SweetSouthernRide

    SweetSouthernRide Medium Load Member

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    :biggrin_2559::biggrin_2559::biggrin_2559:
    It's not gonna be the shiniest cleanest place anyways, but hell it's all about courtesy.
    The sinks were installed for washing hands... the showers put in for washes arses....
    :biggrin_2554:simple, very simple...
     
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  7. Stump

    Stump Heavy Load Member

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    I saw a 'old school' guy the other day smash a cement pole at the fuel pumps in Nevada. He had a pretty Pete with more lights then a airport on it. I guess his work boots and protective jeans and work shirt did not help him. It was a tight area, but i made it with my shoes and shorts on. My dad drove for almost 40 years and wore shoes and shorts when driving, if he had to load or unload, he would throw on jeans and boots if needed. He never had a wreak or hurt himself. I guess we should ask if the F.M.C.A. can make it a law to wear protective gear, mabey we can wear helmets to protect us from 'new school' guys like me. Sounds like some people here should trade the truck in for a vacation.:biggrin_2555:
     
  8. 359kool

    359kool Light Load Member

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    My truck is a show toy.. Then left it hanging.. WTF..:biggrin_2554:
    What about your show toy ?????.. Please.. By all means.. Either spell it out.. or go dream up the part thats interesting..





    Unless you got a pic for proof.. No doubt about it.. Total BS..
    You "short wearing steering wheel fondlers" are gonna have to wet dream a better story than this one here if you're gonna get Mule's attention.. :biggrin_25523:
     
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  9. brsims

    brsims Road Train Member

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    I ain't no old school driver, either. Just a rookie, check the experience. But I have always tried to model myself after the old schoolers still out here on the road. And let me tell you what, the proudest moment I've had to date was a tight parking maneuver at a Pilot. Did a bit of back and forth to get the truck into the spot, and a little wiggling around to get centered and squared away. Looked over to my right, and saw an "Old School" driver in a big red company truck (don't remember the company name) who was proudly wearing 2 million mile safe driving badges on his shirt and on his truck give me the high sign for a job well done. At that moment, I thought I might have FINALLY started learning how to handle this ol' big rig. I bought that guy a cup of coffee, and spent the next two hours picking his brain on hints and tips on how to make it in this industry. Dusty, where ever you are, clean roads and clear skys, big guy! Keep on rolling.
     
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  10. KO1927

    KO1927 Medium Load Member

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    May 19, 2009
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  11. Stump

    Stump Heavy Load Member

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    The fact you people judge someone by what they wear, tells me everything. I could care less what someone wears when they drive or do this job, as long as they drive safe and we all get home safe, thats all that should matter. I learned how to drive by my father, who drove for almost 40 years. He always told me i would meet old farts that just want something to complain about, but the way you dress, what are you guys, a bunch of women. Your telling me i should wear pants when its a 115 outside, this is just stupid. My father is one of the nice guys in this line of work. He would see a new driver from a company like Swift, or whoever, and they needed help, he would help them all the time. But the clowns in this thread would rather play the "Iam to cool, i wear pants and boots, i work for a cool company" then give someone a hand. You should think about what you say before you talk.

    I see it all the time out here, The old timer shakeing his head rather then helping. Iam not saying all of them, but idots are young and old. Heres something, i give respect to those who give it back. What it all comes down to is, we are all humans, young, old, black, white, Humanity. Not ive been driveing longer so iam a better person then you, grow up old timers.:biggrin_2553:
     
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