How many miles/months/years till you knew OTR was right or wrong for you?

Let me add that I'm pretty sure I starting showing symptoms of diabetes or prediabetes the last few months. That's what really told me enough was enough. My symptoms have disappeared since I started excercising again.

Another thing that made me leave was the inconsiderate attitude and behaviors of new drivers, and steering wheel holders that have done this for years. A lot of it was at the truck stop and some of it out on the road and at shippers and receivers. Guess it was all the little things that add up and get my blood boiling. Like the drivers that run 57 MPH down the middle lane of I-294 around Chicago, even in light traffic. It was usually a convoy of the bottom feeder outfits like Werner, Schneider, Swift, JB, etc, though I even saw owner ops doing it from time to time. Newsflash, i don't care if you're doing the speed limit, if you aint keeping up with the flow of traffic, you are a ROAD HAZARD and your place of duty is the far right lane. There are exits usually only 4-5 miles apart on this road, and their is NO EXCUSE to just hold the steering wheel and stay in the middle lane for 40 miles no matter what.

New drivers can claim an excuse sometimes due to ignorance, but there were sooooo many times I would have loved to have had a beat down party on those 380 lb sweatpants wearing smelly ignoramuses that only care about themselves.

And yeah winter looks like its going to be a real pain this year, I won't miss that at all.

 

but there were sooooo many times I would have loved to have had a beat down party on those 380 lb sweatpants wearing smelly ignoramuses that only care about themselves.

So I am not alone in feeling the same way.


For me I knew it from the start , I liked the travel and getting to see the country , after awhile the long haul oTR got to me and I looked around for a niche , found it with LANDSTAR and then went on my own. Still do a few long hauls a year but am quite happy with my regional / locval stuff , have younger guys working for me and its fun being the OLD guy and teacher at times.

 

I think the "statistics" are a bit skewed any more. There has been quite a dramatic change in just the "make up" of the individual going into trucking. These days, the employment services offices are sending an extremely high percentage of people to the truck schools as a first step to employment..."occupational change"...most of these are only doing it to satisfy a requirement to extend unemployment checks, knowing full well they shouldn't be in this industry at all. This fact alone will dramatically change the "success rate" figures in our industry.

When I was "training"...it always surprised me at how many "macho man hanging onto mama's apron strings" types were coming into the industry.

 

Trucking is not for everyone !
That said trucking is not a job you can just show up to and get paid .
You have WORK at trucking.
That is the main thing people don't realize when they get into trucking.
They think they will be tourist just paid to see the sites and have fun.
Trucking is not a 9-5 job it is so much more that you never know all there is to know in this job.
Nothing is given to you in trucking you have earn everything you get in this job just like in life.
That is why there are so many quitters in the field nobody wants to have to earn it they want it handed to them!!!
O.K. I feel better after that little rant !!!
Have a nice day !

 

All so very true , yet SO MANY blame the lifestyle they do not want and problems that plaque them on everybody in transportation except themselves.

 

Nah...it's all Bush's fault...no matter what anybody says! ROFLMAO

 

Yeah Right

Have 1 GENIUS on another thread blaming a BROKER for back charging him $150.00 for being late on a load and whining that he has a maintenance schedule.

Asked what the 2 have to do with each other , got a very long 1 sentence reply whining about everything else involved to be a trucker but nothing explaining or in response to my ?.

 

been driving 31 yrs now, over 17 of them as an o/o. i drove otr as a company driver for yrs then a couple yrs local company driver then got my own and put it on with a guy pulling local delivering gas and it has worked out fine. home every night and just bought my 4th new truck and making good a living as the company boys. but i knew right away was going to be fine since i knew how the business worked since i knew the rates of the loads because i was paid percentage as a company driver. just take care of the truck and get on with a reliable company even though i took a chance with a new company. remember, that truck check is not all yours. the truck has to have its peice of it put aside every week. such as truck payments, insurance, Ifta, plates, put aside maintenance money and do not borrow money for fuel. you will have to pay health and own retirement unless you are on with a really good company.

 

oh as far as going to orientation seems to be correct. my instructor at the time was talking about being a driver from start to finish.

but i too can tell of a time i went to orientation with another student form ,my school. (his name was "Mel") he never made it through orientation as he was (back then) constantly on the phone to his new bride (they got married maybe 1 month before he graduated). now mind you, there were NO cell phones. we were bussed from Etters, PA to "the Fort" and that's Fort Wayne, In.so everytime the bus stopped for a "pee break" he'd be on the pay phone. one time, the bus driver took off, Mel had to run to catch us.....

he was ejected from orientation as he would leave the classroom, call his wife, then come back into the classroom, and be bugging ME about what took place....i yelled out, "F" OFF.....well the man running the orientation was P.O'd about this guy anyways and he got ejected........

before he left he said to me, "thanks, i thought we were buddies, from the same school and all" (or words to that effect), i said, buh-bye.....

i ain't about to be NO ONE's friend when they are disruptive, leave the classroom, disturb me and want help.....screw 'em.......

 

AAAHHHH yes, the orientation buddies! Usually lasts the duration of the class, if they make it through it. I have made many of 8 hour "best friends"!