Do you really enjoy trucking?

I grew up around trucks my whole life. I was able to take day trips with my dad and some of his drivers back in the 60's and early 70's. I remember telling the old man that one day I was going to drive one of those things. He told me that whatever I chose to do he would be behind me 100% but that his only requirement was that I go and get a college degree. I did. and in 1978 with my college degree in my hand I started working full time at the family produce business in Hunts Point Market. After 2 years I was driving a truck delivering produce throughout the big city. I eventually decided to go OTR in '81 and have enjoyed every minute of the last 30 years. I would not have wanted anything different. I have always been a company driver, started a retail car business that I was very successful at, sold that to the biggest Chevy dealer in Palm beach county and continued driving even while running my business. I truly love what I do and if I had to go back to my youth I would follow the same path that has gotten me to where I'm at today.

 

I am fortunate enough to have a job that I absolutely love and it offers very good wages and benifits...i am the only driver at our terminal that is on a road bid the rest of our drivers run on the local bid board...most of my coworkers think I have mental issues due to having senoirity to run local with weekends off and could also be working dayshft but I love what Im doing I want to run the road and also I enjoy starting my week at 1201am monday morn and finish around 200pm on friday...the point Im trying to make is you have to go into trucking because you love trucking If you go into it for others reasons you are prob going to hate it...I look at alot of my coworkers that are here for the money and union bennies they are miserable ,grouchy and hate everything about their job except money and bennies....If I was a miserable as they are Id quit...money is good but if you hate what your doing its not worth it...so If you want to be a trucker for any other reason than the love of it you are messing with a volitile mixture ...it can be a great way of life if you have what it takes to do it ...I have had many jobs since I started in 89 many bad and only a couple good...but I dont regret any of them...

 

yep to every above post lol
and let me add that trucking is an adventure not just a job LOL

 

Why do ya think I don't do that any more?
I started driveing many years ago and then came back to it recently and NEVER been happier! It's true that in the past I made more money BUT I had to work hard for it, with driveing I still can't believe I get paid so much for doing so LITTLE!I never should have left truckin. Put me down as glad to be back!!

 

I enjoy it the most when I have the open road, little traffic, and flat.
New drivers face a lot of challenges.-City traffic, challenges of turning around when you get lost, weather, super truckers who blow by you at dangerous construction sites, mountain driving, etc. There is a big learning curve to become a competent driver.

 

I LOVE OTR.....I LOVE THE LIFESTYLE.... but i miss my kids while im out there. so for now i am back at home running my photography biz until they get a lil older and can handle me being gone. doesnt stop me from running a truck on weekends or here and there tho lol...just not months on end.

 

Well said, I'll add this....

If you're gonna buy one of these things, You'd better love them because you're gonna be spending a lot of time with them.
You're gonna be under them a lot, checking and servicing and repairing and tinkering and cleaning and polishing and all of the other things that you do when you own and take pride in something.

If you want to be successful, You'll do all of that and more.

If you're thinking of buying a truck because:

You don't want to be governed

You don't want to run the northeast

You want to be able to tell your dispatcher where to "stick it"

You want a shiny, fast chromed out truck

You want to be go home all the time

Good luck with that because you're more than likely gonna fail!

In my opinion you buy a truck because trucking is what you are as opposed to just being what you do.

I have loved this industry since the first time I got behind the wheel and I'll love it till they shovel dirt over me.

 

Second generation truck driver, learned to drive riding with papa in his old white-frieghtliner, she was ugly as sin, to say she was uncomfortable would be the understatement of the century, and she needed paint badly. but she was daddies pride and joy and we loved her dearly... what I wouldnt give to have just one more ride in that old truck... After hauling containers around for a couple years, I met a girl. We settled down, I got a "real" job. and was miserable for the next 20 years. 8 years or so ago I started driving again, working for a local contractor driving a 10 wheel dump. Stuck with that till the last kid left the nest, and been back out here on the road ever since. Do I enjoy trucking? Trucking is the only job I've ever really felt at home doing, Trucking is where I feel Im supposed to be, I wont give it up again till they take my license away, or pry my cold dead fingers from around the wheel

 

yes when i die i want to go out nice and peaceful in my sleep--just like my grandad did----not kicking and screaming like all his passengers