Does trucking really ruin your life at home?

Brother , Life is a sacrifice. You know it whenever you start anything new. It's one thing for another. I just hope your paycheck is good. Just try stay positive and think why you got into trucking in the first place. Opportunity is out there. So make the best out of what you have and drive safe.

 

OTR is an interesting choice for a career, I mean its truly more of a lifestyle than a job, but so many take it on because they don't feel there's anywhere else to turn for work. I agree with the poster above who said it truly depends on which company you work for...a bad one really makes a huge difference in your happiness.

For everyone there's a time to go... its still some years off for me, though I see a transition to open deck from reefer in my future. Living on the road away from family and friends is always hard, whether its jet setting around the world or living in a truck and when you feel its no longer right for you definitely get out! Do what's right for you and good luck!

 

Can't speak for tanker but with open deck its extremely rare to be treated poorly by a shipper or reciever. I have more problems with jackwad drivers at truck stops than i do with any shipper or reciever.

 

I've done van, reefer, flatbed, tanker, and will say tanker or flatbed is best as far as customers; 100% better. The worst customers with flatbed is union steel companies; bunch of jerks that would fit right in at grocery warehouses.
Never had any problems at all with tanker customers.

 

Even those union steel mills ain't that bad. Yes it can take forever to get loaded, but they don't talk to you like your some homeless bum that walked in asking for spare change. I've been yanking flats around for 25 years and chances are I've been at most union mills. And while i strongly dislike going to them, i have never been treated in a disrespectful manner at one.

 

yes it does.

Went through a bad time in 2007-2008 and decided to try OTR with TMC in 2008. hardly any family. ran 46 states. had severe PTSD the whole time. it was fun seeing the country but TMC wasn't very supportive and coming from my family's small trucking company it was a bad fit. went to Cheeseman in 2010.

3 grandparents died while on the road, dog died while on the road, ex fiance committed suicide while on the road, I hated her but it was still stressful since she was part of the chain of events that led to the PTSD in the first place. Cheeseman got me home for every funeral I chose to attend, got me home to propose to my wife, got my home for my wedding and honeymoon, got me home 2 days early for the birth of my son. they have been supportive. I will forever think highly of their dispatchers for that. they have some great people and great customers and it did make a huge difference. at the end of the day, I still can't sleep at a truckstop. even one or two nights in a truck is too much.

after 9 years of being denied the basic human right to a clean shower and healthy food, I think it's a good time to get out. my last physical the same doctor wanted to give me a pedometer because she assumed I'm like the rest of the 250lb guys who sit 70 hours a week and sit on the couch at home. I own a $2000 mountain bike and ride expert level trails at home, usually twice a month if I can find that much time. some days I forget I even have a son. my wife has known me for 7 years and never known me to be happy. I have about 2 weeks left OTR and already feel better. food tastes better. I sleep better at home.

adding insult to injury I have a degree in psychology and have been fully aware of everything that's been happening the past 9 years and powerless to do anything about it.

I am not here to complain, I am a man and can handle this and made the best decision for the future of my family and my own physical and mental health.

 

Trucking is something bigger than you are, The Nation eats, fuels and buys stuff you put on your 5th wheel. Without you we are not these United States. Such as it is.

Use Skype or Phone to call home daily. Staying in touch keeps you posted on what's what.

I once ran chain west from Florida and pipe east from texas on 10 one winter as a experiment. It was a 6 month deployment so to speak with a daily delivery regardless of the weather which was usually rain. It worked out well. But when I got home to Maryland that spring, I did not know my own family. They basically evolved without me.

That's ok. Long story short, It's nice that there is or was a family but at the rate they are dropping dead to be buried *Shrugs. I already had decided due to trucking I would not procreate children with anyone. Now it's not a problem. My Siblings have houses full of kids in their time and now their kids are going to have houses full of kids. IN happy homes unlike ours growing up. So thus life goes on.

It's not all bad. We are your family now out here on the big road. And some are not the best I would think.

Friends? When something like Cancer comes along, you will learn which two friends out of 100 who will stay friends, the rest will run for the hills.

 

I have pulled Van, Reefer and Flatbed/StepDeck. Out of the 3, I will never ever pull Reefer again and the Flatbed industry is awesome when it comes to respect from shippers and receivers. The camaraderie is great as well, compared to the other 2, it is down right amazing. Give it a shot...

 

My God what a bunch of snow flakes. Driving a truck doesn't screw a person's head up or cause ptsd. Anyone that says trucking screwed up their life needs to look I the mirror and accept that the only thing that screwed up their life was themselves. As for showers and healthy meals, the only thing preventing that is a drivers bad decisions. Trip plan so you can get a shower and instead of ordering a big Mac and large fries order a #### salad on occasion. Swing through Wal-Mart and buy fresh fruits and veggies. Eat a granola bar instead of a chocolate bar. Drink water instead of a 12 pack of mountain dew every day.
Its not that #### hard.

 

Yep. I'd rather have to get the 8 ft tarps out on every single load and have to roll them up I knee deep mud than ever see another cold storage facility.