Are you Insane?

I average 500 miles per night. Rare is the day that more than 11 hours pass from the time I walk out my door until I walk back in.

 

Coming from someone who usually uses the full 14 hours in a day... Yes. It can be extremely wearing.

And by use, I mean I am either driving, or on duty for a great majority of the clock. I'm not twiddling my thumbs at a truck stop shooting the bull.

I enjoy it as long as I'm able to get some time to rest. 10 hours doesn't always cut it. ...but boy watch out if I'm tired. I can become one of the most cynical, mean-spirited and angry SOB's you'll ever meet.

 

For 80k+ per year?

Piece of cake.

 

In other words, you're a Dr Vilhiem, Mr HeWho combo ? . Hmm ? .... Well, I always wondered who I was like when I had enough rest, thanks for answerin' that for me, V.

 

Oh hell... For 80k+ a year? I would make that #### work...

I'll probably scrape 40k this year I think... But I gotta cut my teeth somewhere!

You're welcome!

 

They have...but still want you out seven days and one day off...

 

@G.Anthony Where do I get one of those?

 

Well look at it this way if you worked a "regular 9-5 job" you would deal with said jerk every single day probably all day long. So there is some benefits to being a trucker in this regard.

 

I like coming home everyday after work to my king size bed and taking a hot shower personally. I like having my 2 days a week off and being able to chill on my sectional in my living room in front of my 60 inch smart tv if don't feel like doing anything else. I really appreciate getting about 80 hours of PTO a year on top of my 2 weeks vacation. I love the fact if I get sick I can call off work and go see my doctor instead of being sick over the road which sucks. I've had food poisoning twice from fast food at truck stops and I really don't miss that at all and no longer eat fast food. Hell if you occasionally every few months have a just a day that is completely fubar in every sense of the word you can just call off the next day...yeah that can you in trouble if you do it all the time but every couple of months doing it you'll be fine if you just literally need a day off due to stress or something just comes up where you need a day all of a sudden.

I also enjoy the fact I'll make over 60k this year and could still make 70k this year if I wanted to work longer hours. I also enjoy the fact I have a gold's gym membership I can actually use to get in shape. I also just bought a squat stand from rogue fitness so I can workout at home as well in case I can't make it to the gym (ie blizzard during winter time) or if I just prefer working out at home. Considering how many truck drivers are severely out of shape and the health problems that come with being extremely obese I consider the ability to get in several good weightlifting workouts a week to be something you can't really put a price on being a trucker. So to answer your question yeah I'm sticking to local permanently and I'm never going over the road again. As far as what pays the most as far as truck driving jobs it's being a truck driver for someone like KBR driving trucks in convoys in warzones like Iraq when we were still there. That paid between 200 and 300k a year with the first 100k being tax free with you only paying social security on that money. Since I've already been to the sandbox before I took a pass on it.