Driving a Stretched Peterbilt

If you actually go watch his videos he’s been driving a couple years and I imagine he gained quite a few miles in those days given how large the state of Texas is. And really age has zero to do with experience. Someone coming in to the industry as a second career is a better driver simply because of age? Give me a break. Someone driving their own truck that they rebuilt themselves will likely be a more cautious driver regardless of age because they put the sweat in to get where they are.

Second thought, maybe don’t watch his videos because then we’d all have to hear how he doesn’t deserve his pickup or Corvette because he’s only 21 and didn’t earn them.

 

I watched a few of his videos and it seems like his father is in the industry and has taught this young man well. In my opinion for his age he has more experience than many of the “drivers” on the road today. None of us were born with 30 years of experience driving a rig. He clearly is proud of his rig and what he has done to make it better. Pride is definitely a good thing to have in something we make a living with. I will gladly share the road with this kid over some of the others on the road.

 

There is just as many guys out here with 30 years of experience , that are just as bad of drivers as the rookies. In fact, probably more. The guys that know everything there is to know about everything and they been doing it 30 years and never had a problem... plenty of those types in the flatbed world.. you will see them on the side of the road with a load of structural thru their cab because they never had a problem in 30 years of doing it the way do... the day you stop learning in this industry is the day your death slip will be signed off on...
The old timers sometimes wonder why the young generation don't want to get into the trades . It's because they are constantly belittled by bitter old men who think they are better then any generation to come after them.

 

The boss at the flatbed company I drove for preferred to hire people with no flatbed experience so he could show them how he wanted things done instead of dealing with people who had bad habits that couldn’t be corrected.

 

Jealousy makes a guy not see things for what they are.

 

Beat me to it

 

Ok, this will be my last post on here, and you might not like it. Hit the ignore button, read it, don't read it, I don't really care.

I've seen many FedEx trucks at the front of pileups. Last I knew they didn't just hire anyone with a pulse. And interestingly enough, in my small corner of the world, ALL of the accidents we had recently where I work, were all 'old timers'. One is 62, the other is 60, and the youngest, 43 with 24 years behind the wheel, all had crashes in the last 2 years. The worst offender was the 62 year old. Took a 30 mph corner at 65, launched the truck, trailer and 26 tons of cement powder up an embankment and 30 yards into a cornfield, where he came to rest on his side. Fortunately he walked away with a bruised ego.

Age has nothing to do with having pride in what you do. As someone else alluded to, the 18 year old that WANTS to do something, has a much better chance of success than a 60 year old looking for a paycheck because his office job got shipped overseas. Or the 'been there, done that' types that think they know it all and everyone should kiss their ring.

You said you started out in what some would call junk. Well, back in your day, it might've been considered decent. And to some people, and R model Mack might be a dream truck ( happens to be my personal favorite) But as time matches on, so does change. What you might call luxury now, in five or ten years will be obsolete.

But to hate on someone who poured his sweat , and maybe a few tears, into something you think only a seasoned veteran should be entitled to, is unfortunately the mentality that makes the younger generation despise those that are older. And that's true in more ways than one.

I get it. You worked hard, drove stuff I'd probably not know how to even start. No power steering and no A/C. Probably even an air starter or two. But does that make you a better driver, or a bitter one?

 

Geez, back when I started, no "mega" would even LOOK at your application unless you were at least 23.....