Is trucking worth it, given it's one of the most dangerous jobs in USA?

Well it's like in shop class, the most dangerous guy is the one who's not just a little scared of the table saw or router anymore, that's the way I look at it anyway.

 

I really enjoy driving a truck , beats working any day of the week.

 

Trucks are not missiles. They are 40 ton or even more... (My record is theoratically around 160000 and on BOL close to 145000 several times, with 110 to 135000 being common in certain freighting) juggernauts capable of killing so many.

You think they are super irresponsible etc. I say the opposite today. There will always be a percentage who are stupid and unprofessional or outlaw. I should know because many years ago I was one of these until I got better. In those days you did get a 40 ton truck to 135 or so and some were even faster out west when there was room for them to get up and run. At 135 in a semi, you are using your eyes to look almost a mile ahead. By the time you move your steering wheel to make small changes you have already run out a football field. SO anything or anyone getting close enough in my way at that speed will simply die. Along with me. Truck tires in the USA are rated usually for 85 mph. At 135. well.. they held together and did not blow which is why Im still here. Why I am not arrested or in jail I don't know. Maryland for example arrests at 95+ mandatory. And I have once had a stack of tickets exceeding 70 in a 55. The Courts made sure to take care of my little problem then.

Today even one 70 in a 55 is enough to make you unhireable. So it's a complete and total opposite from those days long ago.

I grew up near the Amtrack Corridor as a kid. Lesson One. Do not get a certain distance from the tracks ever. When they come on at 125 under juice, you will NEVER hear your death approaching until they are there.

These days they run up to 150 now.

HOWEVER.

Forgetting about me and my stupid stories of the really dumb things Ive done, I point you to thinking about immigrants or those who are not trained properly. They cannot speed because everything is computer governed. Everything in a big truck is for the benefit of a management intent on micromanaging them. And sometimes firing them for the smallest of offenses. A percentage of today's truckers, some of whom are younger do not possess enough "Critical Thinking Skills" which is a group of skills provided by experience or more usually by a very good trainer over a period of time. They get themselves and big rigs into situations that are generate many you tube videos to have the people point fingers, insult and make stupid jokes against these idiot drivers. There is a famous bridge in you tube. Marked, laser protected, huge signs in bright LED digital glory proclaiming 11 foot 8 inches.

Here they come in a #### 13.6 vehicle. Smash.

Makes me sick. What a waste. They know better. Or don't. I sound like I sit in judgement. Sort of. Again it does not excuse some of the things Ive managed to do in my time long ago and it should be way better to be professional, have a good trainer and get into doing this work very well. I celebrate a professional trucker going down the highway with a say. A flatbed load secured and wrapped nicely with love and care like a christmas present and everything stowed perfectly. BEAUTIFUL. I don;t care that he's doing 75 in my state with us (It's legal when the signs begin to show 75, but currently some areas only 70 and 65 in rural roads) I'll be the first to say awesome.

But there is a percentage of brain loss or brain drain these days and it will get worse because training is not what it is supposed to be anymore. I won't get into details here because the word count on this post is approaching max.

I leave you with one final thought. I have not killed anyone. Or been killed myself. HOWEVER... I can tell you without reservation and with total conviction that I have had to save my own live 7 times. My spouse twice (Once not related to trucking and one that will never see the internet) and many strangers along the way when they found themselves in my way when I am in a loaded or empty semi. One in Ohio south of stoneyridge about summer of 1994 roughly was a group of 7 teenagers in a yellow Buick Lesabre convertable laughing and drinking in MY LEFT LANE AGAINST ME HEAD ON. I had steel on my covered wagon as number two. Here he comes past my number one who instantly warned me on radio and the next 4 behind me. Being a deaf man I barely got his warning and instantly got out of the left lane these kids passed my trailer axles as I had to horse or swing them harder out of their way while changing lanes still it was over that fast.

To this day I am very angry with these dimwits. Always will be. Same with a pair of kids in Arlington off the I-35 flyover to 30 west S ramp where i had to make room when the forced the black mazda convertable past me and my trailer. I should have held my lane which is only one lane up there and cut their heads off with trailer. Serves them right. But no, I gave them a chance by heading my rig towards that wall. They middle fingered me. Dumbkofts.

I for one do not enjoy the view 100 plus feet over Dallas at night on a friday with all that wall in front of me at 50 and loaded. It's not something natural and nothing can train you for that.

Im even more angry with these two idiots. They say you should forgive and forget. THAT is a big job in some cases. Im still working on it.

Killing? SURE. It will happen. Not everyone gets to survive. Ive lost a few along the way, when God pulls them across the river. You cannot do anything when it's time for these people under the smashed and burning wreckage. If they are lucky they don't suffer like that one woman partally ejected from a pickup's back window on the interstate in Illionis one day in storm winds. The winds rock the upside down truck sawing her almost through her stomach to the spine with every gust as she cried in pain. Her husband was about 200 feet in the grass, he was being given CPR which I don't think was successful I believed he was already dead when I assessed him for it. But the Law and EMT's began to show up and work on him. Who the hell knows.

That's enough for this morning. There is a whole lot more where that came from.

 

@x1Heavy

Slow down man. You're going to fill up the server's hard drive and we'll all end up stuck on high center.

 

Sure thing. Will do. LUNCH! See you all later!

 

You will always have cars being stupid. I have had so many. Worse than that you will have what I call insurance scammers intentionally braking to ZERO in front of my rig at 70 mph. They WANT me to smash into them for a big time payout money. Ive managed to get around over a dozen of these in my life time with a 18 wheeler.

IF that is not the tops of cars being stupid or worse willfully committing suicide with me in my truck behind them? I don't know what is.

 

I really did not see the most dangerous occupation on the list...

Being with my ex..

Constant danger of broken cojones
24/7

 

The answer to your question is no.