5/6 attrition rate for trainee drivers?

monkeypuncher · May 9, 2012

PowerOfSolitude said: ↑

And it's primarily the lifestyle that attracts me. Separation? There is no more enticing word to me than separation--from society, from mating games with all their inherent deception and contradiction, from petty gossip, from the need to make compromises regarding how I spend even a moment of my free time, from human reproduction and everything associated with it. (Unless you count the overcrowding of roads, which admittedly may turn out to be no small thing.) I will need to work on my ability to ignore screaming billboards, though. That'll make for an interesting exercise in discipline.

Delays? No problem--I'll read during them, or write, or listen to audiobooks, or just think. Time well spent.

I don't foresee low pay being a problem, considering I'm a minimalist in the extreme and intend to live on the road full time. Just how low does pay have to be for a happily solitary person with no house, apartment, car, or dependent family and little need for entertainment other than books to feel the pinch?

Frustration? With, say, terrible drivers? Okay, I'll admit it: that one might get me. But at least I'll have the pleasure of seeing my misanthropy frequently validated.

Bad food? Vitamin-packed protein bars and shakes are my friends.

I'm sure you're right--the job isn't for everyone. But the more I look into it, the more I get the sense I might be exactly the kind of person it is for.
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This would be the perfect career for you.

dancnoone · May 9, 2012

Newtrucker83 said: ↑

This is also true for husband that were drafted into the military "unwillingly" for centuries. While the wife and kids were home alone.

At least with trucking you can see them once a month vs. once a year or maybe never again!
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Daniel Boone's wife remarried (his brother) when he stayed gone too long. They had given him up for dead.

I'm not seeing many of the die hard truckers staying away THAT long. LOL

dancnoone · May 9, 2012

monkeypuncher said: ↑

This would be the perfect career for you.
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Some people need it.

Case in point--me.

As you can probably tell from some of my post. I don't play well with others.

If I know I'm right. I don't back down. I may walk away to avoid a physical confrontation. But you'll know exactly what I think when I do. And I won't give a rats ### what you think about me.

And that doesn't sit well in the majority of jobs.

I do make it a point to apologize if I'm wrong. But that's not enough for some people. And I don't grovel, ever.

PowerOfSolitude · May 9, 2012

danc694u said: ↑

Some people need it.

Case in point--me.

As you can probably tell from some of my post. I don't play well with others.

If I know I'm right. I don't back down. I may walk away to avoid a physical confrontation. But you'll know exactly what I think when I do. And I won't give a rats ### what you think about me.

And that doesn't sit well in the majority of jobs.

I do make it a point to apologize if I'm wrong. But that's not enough for some people. And I don't grovel, ever.
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I once told a former boss, who had intimated that he saw little or nothing wrong with dumping a dog in the desert, that I think abandoning a dog to die in the wild should merit the death penalty. I added that I'd be honored to shoot such a person myself, and stared between his eyes as if I might put a bullet there by looking. He trembled visibly--with both anger and fear, I suspect. I didn't lose my job, and in fact never heard anything more about it, but I certainly curried no favor with him.

One reason I don't want to be responsible for a family is that it would effectively eliminate my ability to make stands in this way. I don't blame people with children for gritting their teeth and smiling to keep their kids from starving, but neither will I ever allow myself to wake up in their sorry position.

I don't go out of my way to find confrontation--my attitude is mostly one of silent indifference, live-and-let-die--but the world seems so well populated by heartless and spineless individuals with big mouths that it's impossible to completely avoid being faced with the occasional dilemma: do I remain silent and give the illusion that I support this person, or do I stand up and take a risk? I don't want to be a hero; I just want to keep my balls and my self-respect. The inside of a truck seems like a pretty good place to do that.

-MadMax- · May 9, 2012

Exactly.

I've told my wife some things, even on this new job, that has happened. And she said "how do you keep your cool???" And I say, see this house? Our kids, cars, phones, bills, etc - want em paid? I eat dirt.

Onetruckpony · May 10, 2012

Dealing with it IS part of the job..
Keeping control of your vehicle makes you a pro vs a wheel holder.
Slowing in heavy traffic, avoiding hard braking, adjusting to conditions..all part of it man.

Newtrucker83 · May 10, 2012

RickG said: ↑

Yup , there ya go . Get enough people like you with no responsibility willing to just earn enough to pay your cell phone bill and BFI's will keep cutting rates and paying lower wages . Eventually their drivers will barely be able to afford cell phones after putting drivers trying to support families out of work.
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Actually if you know anything about me you will know that I do not work for low rates. I'm still in school and refuse to accept low rates, because I know I'm good at any and everything I put my efforts into. I have goals and two of those goals is to save enough money to buy a brand new car and years later a brand new house and avoid taking out loans for either! Why would I accept .26 with swift or .30 with transam when prime is willing to pay me .40 right out of school! No low rates for me buddy!

American-Trucker · May 10, 2012

Newtrucker83 said: ↑

Actually if you know anything about me you will know that I do not work for low rates. I'm still in school and refuse to accept low rates, because I know I'm good at any and everything I put my efforts into. I have goals and two of those goals is to save enough money to buy a brand new car and years later a brand new house and avoid taking out loans for either! Why would I accept .26 with swift or .30 with transam when prime is willing to pay me .40 right out of school! No low rates for me buddy!
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Boy you got alot to learn....

American Trucker

Cranky Yankee · May 10, 2012

gee i thought he was just smarter then me ty AT of course at 59 i have owned 35 cars and 6 houses so today i just appreciate having a job cause i didnt 3 months ago

dancnoone · May 11, 2012

transam pete said: ↑

gee i thought he was just smarter then me ty AT of course at 59 i have owned 35 cars and 6 houses so today i just appreciate having a job cause i didnt 3 months ago
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Being without a job, will humble a man very quickly.

How quickly a man turns a page to start a new career/life. Is usually an indicator of his character.

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