I think I want to be a TRUCK DRIVER!?!?

basically it means the entire fleet is comprised of these:http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/detail.aspx?ohid=1326055&guid=4244CDDAEC7C444FAEEB8E7E2464ED46

 

WHOA.......!!!

someone has complimented me..................i can't take the stress.

someone help me........!!! help me......!!!!

 

I was a Chef for 14 years and know what the restuarant life can be like. Those kitchens can get hot and humid. So I hear you there. And the crazy customers. You could cook a steak to jerky tough and still not well done enough.

But as for trucking it has it's days, no diffrent then the restuarants. Crazy drivers and warehouse personel. and long hours.

Yet some places do have local runs where your home every night and weekend. Just have to look. It can be a good career change. I enjoy it, despite the hard days at times, and this is coming from a guy who's dream is to go to the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and train and open his own restuarant. Cooking is a passion to me but so is trucking.

You just need to weigh the Pros and Cons. I did it for better pay, to support my family. Couldn't do that as a Chef in the small town I now live in, could in the large city, but crime got to me. I also realized trucking can be an awarding job not just in the pocket book but else where. I have millions of people that depend on the goods I deliver, and me being reliable. Plus a friend got me on with my company.
Yes my friend restuarant life aint easy, I know. But like I said neither is trucking, or office work, or fire fighting, or medical work, etc. they all have there ups and downs. Need to weigh everything in before comming over to driving. It aint for everyone.

What ever your choice is, good luck.

 

I guess my question for the experienced OTR and Regional truckers would be this:

What ARE the benefits of making a career change and climbing behind the wheel of a big rig these days? With the pending litigation regarding the possible privatization of the interstate system as well as various other laws that our government is thinking about enforcing on this industry, why would anyone want to make this career change?
I work in an emergency department at a local trauma center, so I know all about stress. There is nothing more stressful in the world than having the paramedics bring in a 4 month old child who stopped breathing or was injured in a car crash and it's up to us to work a miracle and bring this child back to life.
However, I used to drive big rigs and my last driving job was a heavy duty towing and recovery specialist for a local towing company. I was critically injured when a driveshaft literally exploded on a truck I was getting ready to tow. The injuries I sustained in that freak mishap took me out of the workforce for over 2 years. During that time my CDL expired and due to my injuries I couldn't renew the license. Now I have to start all over if I want to get back into this career and I'm weighing the pluses and minuses to see if it's something I really want to get back into. And, even though I wasn't an OTR driver most of the time in my wrecker, I still was out there on the shoulders of the interstates with you drivers fixing your rigs or hooking them up to my truck to get them to a repair shop so you guys could get back to making a living, so I know about the hours and headaches involved in the job.
I guess basically what I'm asking is, we seem to hear all the negative things about truck driving, what can y'all say here to show us potential drivers the positive sides of this profession? I'd sure like to know right about now...

 

well first, forget about the privatization of the highways.....so what....?? they will most likely be toll roads if they ain't already, so why ask about that...??? you pay a toll and go....simple, ain't it.....??

as for any other 'laws", again, so what....?? if its going to happen, it'll happen, you learn to live with those new laws, whether or not they pertain to driving or garbage pick-up and recycling..... you just do as the law says....right....??

some of the "positives" are that you will be doing your best to abide by any laws the fantastic law makers in your home state and D.C. wish to bestow upon us.

"positives" are that you will be on the road, miles away from home when something important happens at home, and you ain't there.

"positives" are that you will be spending money on the road to eat, drink (soft drinks), buy supplies, etc.

"positives" are that you will drive many hours/miles and not be able to find a place to bed down for your 10 hour break, so you will have to drive just a bit more till you can.

"positives" are that you will be wasting much time each week that you'll never get paid for, waiting for either the shipper or reciever to take care of your load.

"positives" are that you might be late sometime getting to a place, and they make you go back the next day for them to take care of your load.

"positives" are that when you have to go back the next day, your dispatcher will chew you out a "new one" because you screwed up.......

yep, i'm "positive" all those things will happen.............

negatives....??

i haven't got a negative thought in my mind...........never did.............

and that, i'm POSITIVE of...........

 

Hmm, didn't we already pay for them already with our taxes?:smt102

 

yeah..............and will continue to pay for them long into the next millenium..................

as long as states cannot balance thier budgets, toll roads is an issue that'll always come up.

 

We already own them, now the states are going to sell them? So in theory taxes should go down now that the states are not burdened with infrastructure upkeep?

Sorry to hijack the thread. I will leave it at that.

 

MNHillyBilly,

Unfortunately taxpayers are going to get the shaft regardless. If you would like a prime example of what is occurring browse this site. It tells the story of what is happening here in Texas and other states.

www.corridorwatch.org