Npr on driver shortage... Good info for new drivers

Only in America are poor people belittled for not being poor enough. My stat was actually for retired people over 65, and I was off. It's closer to ten percent living in poverty, and my point was that SS has made a difference in the lives of the elderly. But as to your post, many people now have cell phones, but don't have landlines. Phones are a necessity, and the major carriers have discount phones and plans for low income people. A flat screen and other appliances can be picked up for near nothing at a moving sale or thrift store. Close to half of the people in poverty do work.

 

Two issues.

One is that we are not entitled to social security that we paid into, that was settled in the early 60's by the courts.

Second phones are not something that is needed, we got along fine for centuries without a cell phone, y grandparents didn't have a phone until the late 1960's and lived in no fear not having one.

 

I'm going to say something here. I been driving 8 years, yea I know not as much as many of you but I kinda know the ropes by now and I am far removed from being a rookie. What I say may piss alot off, that's fine.

TRUCKING ISNT AS HARD AS MOST OF YOU MAKE IT SEEM. I mean my god, you drive a big vehicle and you sleep in the back. For 85+% of drivers the extent of physical labor is as simple as pulling a 5th wheel pins, extracting and retracting landing gear, opening and closing trailer doors, and checking fluids on a pre/post trip.

I worked HARD blue collar jobs before driving truck. Assembly line at a water heater plant, cooking over 200° grills, climbing on roofs and in crawl spaces under houses, trailers, and apartments installing satellite tv. All for peanuts. I may have grossed $25k at most before getting my cdl.

You drive a truck, your not doing some ungodly hard ### job. The only part of this "career" that truely sucks the life out of you is the isolation and time away from your family but the job itself is EASY. Getting paid $50k+ a year to turn a wheel, row through some gears, and back into a hole with a trailer.

 

The "driver shortage" is good for drivers. I hope it gets worse.

 

Easiest, best paying job I ever had. In the Mid West, 1200/week jobs are a dime-a-dozen.
This job is less complicated and (usually) less stressful than fast-food.

 

All of us have had a walk in life and when done right trip planned and time is generous with Dispatch, Trucking is very peaceful without any stress. Actually fun. Rocking and rolling with a load. I cannot remember all those fun trips. Been so many.

Now...

When I came out of school, I went into places like Hunts Point, Jersey City (Talk about a building that is supposed to serve truckers, gutted) and other places too dangerous for God to allow his Angels to tread.

Ive thought in terms of predator, prey and Police. As well as Sheepdog. I considered myself a sheepdog but no handgun in sight. Just a big Buck Special blade which I open carried in the holster by the wallet all over the Northeast. (It's amazing now... I can only think If I did that now I might be tossed under the jail...) It was a different time in NYC and Boston prior to roughly 1993 or so. Gulani became mayor and the old Women, Girls on this side and the men and boys on that side of times square got cleaned up quite a bit. Among many other social issues that date back to the early 1800's which was one of the foundations for a Police Force at any level. Anyone who study Law Enforcement is well aware of American Gangs and their powerful influence that finally organized and created strong Police Forces in the Crucible of battle against the Predators.

I have had many years of peaceful trucking. Enjoying the days and nights in which nothing happens and the loads are on time and the money rolled in faster than we can spend it all. Those were the good times.

That is not to say that there are a number of years in my life on the road where things were not going well and short of arrest or other serious injury like gunshot, stabbing etc there were dark times out there on the big road. Money was short for one reason or another and hunting for a better company was order of the day.

Im thankful for being able to sit here and share with you all here some of those stories, good or bad. I hope to teach a little bit to you younger people. But again, Trucking is on you. Individually. Do you have what it takes? Let's find out. And part of that is refusing loads into truly dangerous places when they are offered by dispatch.

 

You should hear this.

 

Ha, Ha, Ha, Hi ya doing my friend? Man I see you on here and brings back some good memories on here. Of all the drivers I have known on here, your the greatest bud, I remember years ago, I would come home, log on to THETRUCKERSREPORT, and read your replys, and made my day dude. GREAT TO SEE YA.