One Part Of Trucking I Dont Understand ....

The negativity is part of the work, many of us are part of a culture who see things differently based on our experience and it is something that has been around for decades. We have never been respected, even in the 30's it was a job that was considered like anything else on the level of labor.

If you want to start with a good career and profession, learn how to listen first, then ask questions but most important learn how to filter out the BS.

You did the same thing others have done, asking us to comment but then putting a limit on what we can or want to say with your last sentence.

There is a problem with the license mills in this industry and the carriers who created them, we are all hurt by the turnover rates and the poor/marginal drivers who can't even check the oil on the truck. I have a lot of pictures of things I've seen in truck stops through the years, almost all of them were made by license mill drivers.

Many times we need clearer regulations, simpler common sense education but lack all of it because it is like a race to get as many drivers into seats to do a job when they need more time and more resources just to learn how to deal with problems while driving.

On the economic end of things, too many drivers allow for a depressed rate - hence a low wage. Many make good money but not what could be made. Too many accept what they get and not demand better because they feel this is just a job and if they fail, they will find another one.

take it like you want, driving is just a small part of the work being done. We work in a very dangerous profession, more dangerous than cops or firemen and our lives and health are directly effected by those on the road with us and those on the dock. Too many times our biggest danger are our fellow truckers who are marginal drivers to begin with, too many of them are out there and need to go.

I started this adventure in 1979, I started with a guy who was a trucker for decades. He said one thing to me that I live by, it isn't about driving - driving is really easy - but it is about knowing what to do and how to react when you have a bad situation.

 

And that's the gospel truth.

 

Great initial post & great responses already. I'd like to throw in one more aspect of this negative change that you see.
This negative change is happening, not only in trucking, but in everything around us, mostly over the past 40 years, with higher downward rate in the past 15 years. Everything is "not what it used to be". But it does seem to be at a more concentrated level in the trucking industry. Even look at the way most motorists (ie. 4-wheelers) drive to work. Now it seems to be a death race, driving 20mph over the limit, cutting in/out of lanes, with total disregard for others. I passed thru mid-size to major cities, where it never used to be that way 20 years ago. Everything flowed at a steady pace. But not now. Everything has moved from "being considerate of others" to a rat's race "me, me, me" world.

What I am getting at is two words. Harder economy and greed. They affect trucking (and everything else) greatly because this turns businesses into prioritizing only one thing... money. Devaluing their current employee (the truck driver) is the end result, and easier because unlike other professions/occupations, "everyone" can drive. The market always has a steady flow of new drivers coming in, as well as other experienced drivers looking to depart their company for better pay & treatment.
Greed has shifted thought processes from keeping a valued employee and paying him fairly... to being "just a number" and no problem to let the employee walk, as he/she can be replaced by a cheaper driver (skill/safety doesn't matter as much, either).

Your mileage may vary, some companies still value good drivers. But I think most have succumbed to the greed factor in the past 20 year downward economy, and prioritize dollars over any good employee/driver relationship. Look at all the megacarriers as a prime example.

 

Well said, DirtyBob.... I one could easily substitute any industry in the original thread, and the stories would be similar if not identical. There's no doubt that certain industries have certain stigmas/stereotypes associated with them. During the peak of my trucking career, I was working 6am-3pm, driving a modern, company provided/maintained vehicle, full benefits, and a nice paycheque. My friends and family thought I was nuts - told me I was selling myself short. The only reason I left the trucking industry, was because I was laid-off, and then accepted into a gov. program that retrains people for other careers. It worked for me. But since, I've kept my foot in, by maintaining my license and even accepting part time jobs that are just one short run per week.

Bottom line, as you point out, most dwell on the negative, and fail to actively recognize the good things!

To JPearson - follow your gut/heart. If you're cut out for it, and you enjoy it, it will work for you. You'll have good days, and bad days, as you would in ANY OTHER JOB!

Safe travels....

Rich

 

JP, the good days in trucking really are good whether driving local or long haul. Helps that you come from a family already in trucking, that's a big plus. One of my first 'real' experiences in trucking was running a dump truck around Estes Park, CO for a construction outfit while camped in the National Park, then moved my '46 Chevy van to a gas station. The owner would show up and bang on the side of my 'Keystone-Cops'-looking 7:50x20 tire van and I'd go clean up for work in the bathroom.

Good memories... we blasted homesites out of mountain sides with jack hammers that drilled holes for dynamite. "Fire in the... !!"

 

It all about choices. Do you want to drive a new Pete and make little money or herd an old Freightshaker and pull down serious cash. Be gone for months at a time running down Interstates or drive within 200 miles of home on Goat trails in the Mud/Snow. There are no perfect jobs or at least I haven't found one yet. So the one thing you do have no matter what job you take is your SKILLS. This will get you through any job anywhere and anytime. Be the best #### driver you can . Down the road it will serve you well and give YOU more opportunities. Good luck you have the right mindset.

 

Trucking is a very flexible and inconsistent profession.What I mean by flexible is you could get a great load and you may have to swap it out with another driver to get him home.Trucking is always full of changes and you have to be ready for that..Inconsistant is the miles.You never know what you receive for miles from one day to the next and a lot depends on where you're at.One week you could have a #####en check and the next week its an embarrassing check.I would say OTR drivers take the abuse the most.APUS,not every company has them.Whatever company you start with,plz do your homework.Make sure you think this is the right company for you.It is best to talk to drivers with that company long before listening to the recruiter.Go to trk stops ask drivers.Only they know the real deal not some recruiter that has a rehearsed speech.

 

But are you only looking at it from the driver's point of view or an O/O point of view?