OTR: A Day in the Life?

Experienced drivers can you describe in detail a typical day in the life of driving a truck? A week would be better but one day is fine. I'm trying to get a feel for what OTR is really like. I've never been out for any length of time in a truck.

 

Go out side and sit in your car,..Turn it off...Yous can't idle a truck for a/c anymore,...Now sit in your car for a few hours,..This will simulate waiting for a shipper or receiver,...Now do you still want to drive otr??

 

^^^ LOL sad but true.

 

On the flip side, he could cut a small hole in a deep freeze door. Then get inside with a snorkel sticking through the hole, for air obviously.

Take a blanket, and sit there for up to 10 hours. "Sleep break"

You have about the same amount of room, and the temps are about the same as up state NY in winter.

Now if local is your thing.

Drive around the block for an hour or two...stopping every 20 feet for 1-3 minutes, while maintaining 20 lbs of pressure with the left foot on the floor board.

Borrow a buds pick up truck, hook a 8x10 trailer too it. Then build an 98 inch by 122 inch frame with 2x4's with nails sticking up. Back in and out of that all afternoon. And bring your buddies trailer home that evening, with no flats.

 

get up, hopefully I am parked where there is running water and indoor plumbing, so I can use the facilities, not have to drive to them. Get a cup full of ice for a cold drink after doing my thing, and get going. Every other day, or maybe more time permitting, I get to take a quick shower.

Drive for the next 10-11 hours, with some quick bathroom breaks thrown in, and maybe a quick lunch break.

Fuel as needed, at least once a day because of our stupid 90 gallon tanks and the very limited fuel network.

Deal with either the most mind numbing and boring driving (Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona, Texas.....) or nailbiting excitement like LA or Chicago, or even NYC.

About 13 or so hours after I started I hope to find a parking spot that is easily enough accessible without pulling my hair out, park it, maybe eat, go to bed to start it all again.

On the days I have to load or unload my day gets often even longer, since they apparently think at my work that I should be able to do that in 30 mins, and still do a 600 mile day in my jetliner.

All in all, I have some decent days, and sometimes some VERY long days. I am ready to go to bed when my day is done more often than not. Dinner gets skipped, because I want to sleep more than eat.

It is so lonely out here at times you want to just talk to anyone. It sucks to see life go past you through the windshield of your truck. The pay ain't bad, but I wonder if it is worth it?

Good luck to you.

 

Man you guys are depressing. Why not just find another job if it sucks so bad?

 

I appreciate the replies, everybody.

What about portable heaters and air conditioners?

What made you decide to become a trucker?

Is it safe to drive around to different cities and areas about which you know nothing?

Have you ever been stranded?

Has anybody ever died or become hospitalized from frostbite or hypothermia?


Dance: The only "snorkel" I'm going to have in my truck is a pu-ssy snorkel with two legs, wrapped around my head.

 

Too bad I am so "depressing". I drive because I can make enough money to pay the bills. My husband died, and my income got cut in half, but I still make enough driving a truck to cover them.

Where I live are no jobs paying better than 8 or maybe 9 dollars an hour. Not enough for the bills I have.

You trucking groupies think that this is a paid vacation, see the sights, have some fun while you get paid for it.

That may happen at times, but the reality is, that you have super long days, what other job do you "get" to work 14 hours? I would love a job with 8 hour days and only 5 days a week of work.

I have been gone from my house for 3 weeks with maybe one day off in there. It is tiring, often mind numbing and boring work. I am too tired to see the sights, too tired to eat, to tired to shower all too often. Working 12 to 14 hours is just too long when you do it day in and day out.

I am trying to work out a plan to get out of this, but so far no luck.

When we do say like it is, we get the disbelief from some of you wannabees. Think what you want, but trucking is not glamorous, it is hard work with often little play.

 

Sabine, sorry to come off like some know it all. I don't know much about trucking outside of what I read.

I just see two types of drivers here. Ones that hate it and ones that love it. You're one of the ones that hates it obviously. I hope you find something you like to do outside of trucking, because you are obviously miserable. But I don't think this is restricted to trucking, any industry has people that are miserable. For instance, I myself want out of my own industry, but any newbie would gladly take my job. I'm burned out, and it seems you are too. Only difference is our line of work. Want to trade?

I do appreciate your frankness. That is one thing I like about this board, you guys don't sugar coat it.

 

I feel ya panda, I have been doing tech support for the last 6/7 years and its mind numbing too, just resetting passwords, people yelling at me, confined to my cube, having stat's and calls monitored. Im just burned out too. Im not sure if driving will be the answer, but it may be a nice change for me. If not guess ill do something else. LOL