Could this be a problem??

Rideandrepair · Apr 27, 2025

Knightcrawler said: ↑

My experience was a little different.

I had been driving farm trucks since I was tall enough to reach the clutch (8-9 years old) and army trucks after for a few years (and dad used to bring me to work with him when he worked on weekends). My father was a driver his whole life. Only worked at 1 company his entire life. He would have shot me if I got my CDL while he was alive. He died when I was 25.

I went to a vo tech. 9 month course. VA paid for school and paid me to go to school. I was making more going to school than I would have made actually driving, so I stayed the whole 9 months. I had my CDL after 3 weeks. The next 8 months was actually driving around town and sometimes a food bank run around the upper midwest (running food from farms to food banks). And backing up. LOTS of backing up. Competition rodeo style backing up.

The vast majority of students left after they got their CDLs, but I actually stayed. Glad I did, frankly. Back when I started driving (early 80s), people understood the (unwritten) rules of the road. We helped each other. We looked out for each other (generally). Smoky and the Bandit days. Us against them. Most of the new drivers coming in to the life had at least SOME experience with it. A relative was a driver, or they grew up driving farm trucks. Something along them lines.

Then, Im thinking somewhere around 2000 that all changed. Probably because trains were used less and less, but the demand for drivers skyrocketed. They started cranking out drivers like cattle going into a slaughterhouse. They didnt understand fully the traditions or those "unwritten" rules. And when the demand for drivers exceeded the number of Americans that were willing to do it, the "imports" started. And they had no idea what so ever the traditions that we had in the old days. And the general public attitude toward trucks in general have been declining since. Once "Knights of the hi-way" we are looked at as the world would be better off if we didnt exist (they have no idea how much they really depend on us).

With the "driver shortage" (and make no mistake, there really IS a driver shortage - speaking in terms of quality drivers) more and more of our loads started moving by rail again. It IS more efficient, IF the loads do not have to be somewhere by a certain date and/or are not perishable. Right now, today, because of all the "imports" rates are in the tank. Supply and demand. If someone is willing to take $1 a mile, why pay $3?

This is turning into an off-topic rant, so I will leave it here.
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Good analogy. NAFTA created a lot more warehouses and Trucking around 2000. I did local straight Trucks from 85-92. Local semi till 95. OTR till 2024. Now back local. It was a lot of fun till around 2000. Since then it’s been mediocre. Probably just me. Still I can’t see how a new Driver will last long with the way it is now. Most freedom is gone. Making common sense decisions on your own, reading a map is not even needed. Just do what you’re told, follow the rules, all the while being monitored by technology. Not very fun.

okiedokie · Apr 27, 2025

When I started driving trucks there was no power steering,a/c,autos and few hoods. Truck school was OJT.

Knightcrawler · Apr 27, 2025

okiedokie said: ↑

When I started driving trucks there was no power steering,a/c,autos and few hoods. Truck school was OJT.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I miss not having manual steering. I preferred it. Kept me from over-steering...

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