I'm worried I can't do this job

I put in a year otr then looked for a reagonal job. Now i pull tankers out 5-5.5 days then home for a reset. I get paid by the hr and i usually have less than 3hrs left on my 70 when i get there. I make twice what i was when i pulled van. I work 13.5-14hrs every day and that leaves 10hrs to eat and sleep. Im out here to make money, not to sit in a truck stop. Everone is different and requires different things. There are local jobs that only work you 10hrs a day. Bottom line is the more you work the more you make.

 

I'm sure your family would prefer not to see you in a casket, or in a jail cell. You're going to have to make some compromises and sacrifices........ As in don't live a 60+k a year lifestyle when you only make 30k a year.

 

i ran flatbed for a couple of years and always put in a good week and a 34 hr restart on the weekend.it worked out perfect for me because i would do my laundry and slept in on sundays and was at my destination by 6am on monday with a fresh 70 ready to do it all over again. flatbed is less stressfull for me, strapping or chaining and tarping is a good stress reliever. sitting in a truck waiting to load or unload at 2am or so and babysitting a refer and worrying about appointment time is gonna burn you out quicker than tieing and tarping down a load. i ran OTR and i only did 1 or 2 loads a week sometimes 3. if its cold out ,you just dress warmer

 

What did you expect when you got into this? And I have always said if I am not going to be home I might as well be working. I would make a bet that I could count the number of "restarts" on one hand and have fingers left over that I have done in the last 12 years.

 

Your body will get used to it.
If you're solo, you at least get to sleep in a still truck.
I love driving with my husband, but man.. some highways are hard to sleep thru

When the road starts to make you drowsy or 15 large liquid totes are trying to rock you
to sleep, pull over. Jog for a minute. Do some jumping jacks. Get your heart and lungs pumping.
If that isnt enough, you need a nap.
Load planners can call to reschedule appointments. Its better than the load not making it at all
because you dozed off and rolled over

 

"bottom line is the more you work the more you make" I guess I come from another time altogether...You don't have to work 65 to 70 hrs a week to earn a decent living in trucking....just not so. There are factions of this industry that pay very , very well , and you don't have to kill your self , or spend months away from home to do it. Granted some guys love the "freedom" of the road , and what it offers..and my hat is off to them. But that sort of deal is not the only one out here.

You can run trash trucks , gravel/sand trucks , Haz-Mat , beverage/beer trucks , LTL , food service , containers , fuel hauling.... all kinds of ways to make trucking your career....some pay better than others..some require a more hands-on approach (food service/beverage companies or flat-bedding) , but they all give you the one thing that OTR does not....more home time. Its a give and take world we live and a man must find his niche...I heard once "if you can find a career that you love and can make a living doing it, then you'll never "work" a day in your life" some of the most accurate words ever spoken.

 

Welcome to trucking even the local jobs can be brutal with 14-17 hour shifts and 11 pm or midnight start times. That can wreck havoc on your body. It's almost better to be OTR as at least your bed is two feet behind you. Is this job you're training for local or OTR?

 

There are TWO kinds of drivers out there: one kind tells horror stories, the other tell war stories. What's the difference between a horror story and a war story?

Horror story: did you watch the weather? They're calling for a monster storm in this area in two days. I am going to take shelter now! The sky is falling! Nostradamus said it would be like this! Run to the hills! DOT is working hard in Louisiana! Be very afraid. It snowed a half an inch...I am staying in the truckstop. This load isn't worth my life.

War story: drove through a powerful storm last night. I was on the phone with the old lady, couldn't let her know, didn't want her to worry. Finally drove out of it, was so glad to see clear skies. Man DOT was working hard in Lousiana. Got level one, passed with flying colors.

See the difference?

Trucking is work. You shouldn't ever be afraid of work. And avoid the horror stories...feeds the negativity.

 

The economy is picking up, and freight is running and increasing now which is great news, since it means more jobs for people and especially for new people wanting to get into trucking. But this doesn't mean you should have to work beyond your limit or run yourself to death or be illegal or all that nonsense. Just pace yourself and relax and be legal and everything and you will be fine. If you are working at a company that is FORCING you to run illegal, well you need to get the hell out of there as quick as possible or sooner.

 

I know this is easy to say, but don't worry. If this is something you really wanted to do - go do it. Like the other guys said, document everything and make sure you stay legal. Keep yourself healthy by eating well. If you are good with your schedule, when you get to a stop - go take a brisk walk ... that will help you stay energized. If you can, take time to keep a little journal and jot down what you learned that day (good and/or bad). Not saying this won't be hard work, but nothing "worth it" comes easy in life.

Take it day by day. Try not to look too far ahead (while knowing you may have a long term goal in mind) ... that can sabatoge your mindset. It's like going up a hill on a bike or running when you ain't that fit. You should look forward but down - not at the top of the hill. Or, if you have a HUGE mess to clean up - take it in little spaces, not look at the whole thing going,,, OMG, I'll never get this done!! Same concept you are dealing with now.

When I was at school, the first time I got behind the wheel of a full rig, I was really scared! Wasn't sure I could do it ... then pulled out and never looked back!