Has Trucking Changed You?

The trucking industry has been good to my Family and myself. I choose to be in this business when I was young, very young.
Have experienced my up's and downs, there is so much to learn in this industry, much has been discussed in the previous threads posted by the Drivers before me. Many things have changed in the industry, not always for the better although some things have gotten better. I'm soon starting my 50th yr driving and operating a heavy vehicle, would I do it again if I could?
Knowing now what I didn't know in the beginning, probably. I made mistakes in this business, made some enemy's I could have avoided looking back.
At times I left good paying jobs with good working conditions because I wanted it MY WAY. Those are some of my regrets. is some of the things I would change if I could. On a positive note, I have met some really smart people in this industry who had my back when I didn't know it, those are good memories. I have respect for these professionals today. I believe the one thing I have learned in this industry would be respect for the Women and Men who steered me in the right direction when I was faltering.

 

Before you start trucking, take a ride to Tombstone AZ to have a beer in front of the OK Corral. No interstates. No big chain restaurants. There’s a Harley t’shirt shop across the street. I don’t usually buy Harley tees, but had to get one from Tombstone.

@Dennixx , any other recommendations?

 

If your a loner then you'll be more of a loner then before, probably put on some weight. Your wife says she's ok with you going OTR but once your gone for a few weeks she may change her mind. OTR can be hard on a marriage. Riding around with a trainer will be the hardest part. But it's a good feeling when you get your own truck and head out on your first load from say fontana to Cheyenne or Denver. Love the open road!

 

I or should I say we, travel the back roads exclusively. We like old bars and restaurants, maybe county or territorial museums, historic sites like forts and penitentiaries. Anything of historical significance that doesn't attract the selfie crowd. When riding we like to keep it flexible to allow a few off the beaten path forays.
Last year nonwithstanding we have ridden every year to places like a small blues fest in W Virginia or Bents Fort in Colorado, not so much as a destination but something interesting during a ride.
As far as the shirts go I gotta admit those are what I call souvenirs for me.
Dealer, bar, restaurant or oddity shirts are the only things I collect. Heck I still have and wear shirts from the 70s..lol
In August we'll run down thru Iowa and Nebraska to visit Fort Crawford then up to the Black Hills to look at property.
Nothing I enjoy more than a motorcycle road trip, which may seem weird since my whole life has been driving.

A couple of shirts.
The wife takes care of the laundry..

Cool site
Roadside America - Guide to Uniquely Odd Tourist Attractions

Food
Roadfood: Discover Authentic Regional Dishes & Restaurants

 

No appreciation in this business. Sorry.

As soon as my son finishes college next December, I'm seriously thinking of taking a $30,000 a year pay cut, and go back to cutting meat.

 

I have no children that I am aware of! If I did I would have the same opinion about trucking my father did. I don't want my children driving a truck. I much rather they learn a trade of some kind OR join a profession. Still, I want them to be able to truck and do it well as a backup. When I got out of the USAF I was driving soon afterward. Back then it was generally easy and the FMCSA did not even exist back then. If the same environment existed then that is in place today I would have gone back to school and become one of those bloodsucker Attorneys. I took the LSAT exam in 1980.

 

@hidden1 Hope I can get a gig of four-days on three-days off. That would be perfect.



That's gonna be difficult to find in food grade tanker. Maybe if you can find a local mom-n-pop outfit, but most of those have gone out of business or swallowed up by the big players.

Definitely an achievable schedule for fuel hauling, though.

Also, there are plenty of food grade regional jobs. That's what I do, the longest I've ever been out is 12 days.

If you want to go tanker, do it right from the get go, never mind that "paying your dues" bs with a crap mega otr.

So many people are content to stay home and collect their government check, that people who actually want to show up and work are a hot commodity.

Trucking is almost coming full circle back to the situation in the mid 1990s: If you can fog a mirror and can see out of at least one eye, you got the job.

I get sour about trucking sometimes, but, to quote a member of the TTR Forum:

"Of all the jobs I'm qualified to do, trucking sucks the least."..........

 

It's what YOU make of it...

Has this job changed me? After 20 years absolutely. In some ways it's been positive, other ways not so much.

I appreciate time at home with my family MUCH more, even though I only run local and get home every afternoon. I'm fortunate in that I do what I enjoy and get to see my kids grow up. I'm much more patient than I was just 5 years ago (could be old age).

I've become much more cynical, but more optimistic in the last few years. Again maybe old age.

I've gained a few pounds, nothing too bad though. Lost some hair and even have some grey ones. When I started I looked all of 16 when in fact I was 20. That held until I hit 30 or so. Now at the age of 39, people think I'm older than I am. I blame that on not paying attention to what I ate in my younger days.

All in all, it's been a good ride so far. I make a comfortable living. Definitely some things I'd do differently though.

But, it's what YOU make of it. I read some of the comments and it really makes me wonder why, if it was or is so bad, why continue driving? Yeah, I have bad days- we all do. But I've learned that it's just a moment in time, and it will pass. Got a shipper or receiver that's a jerk? So what! You only have to deal with them for a little bit. Are you gonna let some loser that's having a bad day ruin yours? Traffic backed up and you're frustrated? Guess what? Everyone around you is in the same situation. And it will pass eventually. And those pesky cars that keep bugging you? Who cares! They'll soon disappear.

My biggest thing I hate is the other truck drivers. Usually the other steering wheel holders are the ones that get under my skin. Camping out in the left lane doing under the speed limit, flying through construction zones only to be passed on the other end. But, I'll usually only deal with those clowns for a short time. So why get upset?

Again, it's what YOU make of it.

 

Yes it changed me. I can’t drive anything other than a big truck now. When I’m home, I pretty much ride shotgun usually