Questions from a trucker who took a break for a while

Shoot man. I see everyone do that regardless of ethnicity. Folks just don't have any trucker decorum. It's not taught anymore. That's part of training in my mind. I certainly had that taught to me in training.

 

Is losing?

Has lost it a long time ago.

Maybe around 1990.

 

I think it’s an ongoing process. It’s anybody’s guess if there is a bottom.

 

So without the cattle prods, you can’t be at the top of your game?

 

Didn't say that.

 

Hardly any of the new drivers can park a trailer anywhere but the fuel island. It was not like that 10 years ago and before. The FIRST "illegal" parking spots to fill up at the truck stop are along the entrance/exit making it one-way in and out. It was not like that 10+ years ago. Pouring P on the ground at the truck stop and fuel island is now commonplace, not a rarity and not overnight. It wasn't like that 10+ years ago. Each of these behaviors happened some, but the drivers doing them were too ashamed to do them like they are requirements, like in recent years. These things are the new normal, in addition to blocking the left most lane for trucks for hours because there might be a merging car in the next few hours. There is lots of evidence the industry is going downhill, but it's only slightly worse than yesterday, etc., etc., etc.. Spend even a short time away from the industry and the first thing you will notice when you return is the rapid decline form the last time you were in it every day.

 

I'm sure we could debate how long or when the decline started in the industry but truth is it isn't going to change a thing. The bad behaviors are here to stay I'm afraid..me first mentality.

If you see a change from 10+ yrs ago just think what is was like 40 or 50+ years ago.
I NEVER saw any of the behaviors back then I see now.
I never did anything I didn't see the older drivers do. Good habits are developed early.
I wanted to emulate the professional drivers I saw.
The one's I looked up to, the guys I saw changing a car tire on the side of the road, sometimes in a suit.
The comraderee of a truckers only lounge or cafe. Guys barbecuing out back and having a brew.

All you had to learn by was word of mouth or the CB and you didn't want to get razzed for being a dumbas*

We didn't have trainers back then..
But somebody taught you, most likely a friend or a family member or maybe a coworker. Or could be you just got an opportunity and learned by doing.

Those days are past but I sure as hell wouldn't need to be told not to dump trash or park on a scale etc even if I was starting today.

 

Talked with a DOT person a few months ago. Yes it's true, foreign drivers are the ones causing many of the accidents these days, and many of the pileups in the winter, it's a fact. This particular officer had to use a phone translator while working an accident..the at fault driver couldn't speak English. I have only been doing this 7 years and definitely see a major increase in foreigners since I started.amy are being recruited from outside the country You can't blame them but for goodness sakes this has gotten rediculous ..

 

It ain't just foreign drivers. It's drivers of all ethnicities. See, the convenient thing to do is blame non-native drivers. That one DOT officer can't account for every single accident in all of USA. I just think it's lazy thinking to blame immigrants for crashes and the so-called "decline of the trucking industry." Many of you have been saying the industry has been on the decline for many years now, and it's only been recently that there's been in influx of immigrants. It still doesn't outweigh the amount of American drivers, and therefore it will always be more American drivers involved in accidents.

 

Overheard on TTR or the CB, I forget: "go easy on him driver, he's only been in a motor vehicle twice before today and one of those times he was fleeing in the trunk of a taxi."