quick observation

I gave up my couch, literally. OTR for me is absolutely like freedom compared to an office job the realistically required 80+ hours a week (including working from home, travel, etc.). Now when I'm on a long haul I can plan the day the way I want to (within HOS limits).

I've heard this cry of, "But it's boring!" from many folks that try trucking, my own trainer/mentor included. To that I would say that you might have a lack of imagination. If I'm driving through the Panhandle of Texas, for example, I'm thinking about the history of the area, especially how the Comanches kicked hiney right up until the Texas Rangers mastered the art of shooting from horseback. I look at the topography, flora, and fauna and I'm just amazed that hundreds or thousands of years ago humans were able to survive and thrive in this area... especially before horses were introduced (or reintroduced) to the North American continent.

I also hunt and fish, and so when I'm traveling anywhere I'm always looking out for animals, streams, lakes, etc. A couple days ago I saw two pronghorn antelope chasing a fawn around in circles.... only to see that the "baby" was really a coyote, probably trying to get to the fawn that was hidden in the grass. Quite a sight to see antelope at full speed cutting and turning to stop that coyote from getting to the fawn.

There's nothing boring for an active mind.

 

Awe,you poor thing....I feel so bad for you. You are right it is tough sometimes.But if you have set goals or priorities,keep focused and do what you have to do.Whether its finding another career ( depending on your age) ,or manipulating the system to work FOR YOU!

Give it a few months and see how you progress. You're driving skills WILL improve but your pay probably won't,BUT once you've mastered the "skills" you have the cards in your hands. And at that point YOU have the control to "find" a better way. In this industry it's the" niche" you find that makes it better....Assuming you protect your cdl at all costs,i.e. no tickets,no accidents,no violations.

If you just like trucks and are young enough,go to a tech school and become a diesel tech,good pay,home every night! From what I see and read,they are in more demand than we are.

Good luck and best wishes

 

I don't get it... I really don't.

I'd suggest taking a hard and close look at the world around you... not just your end of it, all of it, and then let us know how tough things really are.

Strike that... it wouldn't make any difference.

I'm getting grumpy, I know... but, somethings just don't rub off.

 

You sound like a Lady trucker are you? Most of the questions you asked is of no concern to a male truck driver because we were born Naturally STUPID..and we like that a lot it give us a chance to think we are free when we R NOT... It makes us feel macho because we are the only ones in the cab and we drive a bigger vehicle than the rest of the crowd so we get to scare the piss out of the 4 Wheelers and we think that is FUN...But most of all when some one try to help us do things right we chew his/her hide Because we R.......??? STUPID.... Back to your questions. You can do this

"It is a tough lifestyle, I don't know how some people do it" Yes you can just take it easy and don't listen to none sense from your dispatcher or a fellow truck driver that thinks he/she knows something immediately after his/her first load get everything you need done @ the truck stop early morning hours before HOMER wakes up and trash the place.
Learn as you earn If it's lunch time or sleep time get there Before HOMER shows up some of these low life's are amazing when it come to waiting for some one to park they act like they have to jump out of the parking lot as if it was going to sink.

Backing takes some serious skills, Stay cool on your stool and give it a little time and don't be shy if you can't see where your trailer is going just ask an old man driver you know a dude that is not likely to assume that you r looking for a date just because you need help backing up or another female driver that doesn't grow a mustache unless you r in to that.

Are those $30 food cookers at Pilot/TA/Loves any good? NO...JUST More junk in the truck
If you are a careful person you can go to walmart camping section and get your little stove and skillet just remember not to go shopping as if you were at Home you are in a truck & when you wana move out of that truck you don't want to have a U haul to move you out
If your truck has an APU then forget all that and get you a microwave

I think I would prefer a Peterbilt over a freightliner, Volvo, and international. Don't be a chicken Hauler get a truck that works best for your travel needs APU, short wheel base easier to back up and maneuver.etc.etc.

How do u eat healthy? Is $70 a week for food overspending? I eat lotsa Green ( salads but try to add more to it like sweet peas carrots avocado's etc.) Fiber Beans and canned beets is my favorite but it is not every ones favorite.and once a week I'll find me a Captain D's I don't like cooking sea food in the truck
Is $70 a week for food overspending?.. Not really if you shop right
if you have a fridge and you have your salads you can buy a few chicken strips (tenders) and make sandwiches for a week also you can make chicken salads, tuna salads etc.etc.

Driving on highways are so boring. Not really turn on your CB once in a while you will be surprised how funny HOMER ..can be or just listen to radio shows just remember to turn it off when you enter the truck stop your "AM FM"

think I prefer driving in the west better. The east coast roads are not for trucks. Don't say that to your dispatcher or you will end up on the east cost all the time

Do office people type in typos on the Qualcomm on purpose? No not on purpose I think they are just a bunch inbred kind of breed they went to school for all these years just to help a trucker with out any degrees do his/her job so you have to forgive their ignorance and just let it slide.


MISS HOME. I miss my pets, I miss home cooked meals, I miss the couch, I miss the wide open living room....I told YOU you were a Girl so you want FREEDOM do ya? AS long as you drive a company truck you will never see it.So learn fast and pay attention and get all the info you need to set you FREE


Trucking is tough, I don't like it enough to stay OTR. just give time if you can it is easier than you think

I'm gonna look for local routes and be home everyday. Local jobs are hard and they don't pay that much
you will be dealing with rush hour traffic and cities and you will be risking your driving record even if you were the perfect driver there is no telling when the crazies rushing to home/work will cost you all your CDL points.

Good Luck

 

All I can say is if you need the job bad enough (like I did) hang in there and stay focused on the future (and what you're doing so you have a future ) and don't cave in.
I felt like you as well but managed to get a local gig after the first year, it was graveyard shift but home daily.
Another year and I climbed the ladder to dayshift, maybe another year and I'll have the Mon-Fri shift lol.
Good luck and be careful out there!

 

I miss being out on the open road. Don't get me wrong, I like my local gig but I'd rather be out in the road. Only thing keeping me at home is my 2 year old.

 

I've heard the first year is the hardest. Many truckers have expressed about how difficult that first year can be. Loneliness seems a big hurtle to overcome during that time. However, most express gratitude for sticking it out. Apparently adjusting to the lifestyle is the difficult part. I encourage you to stick it out for awhile. You've gotten yourself this far, give yourself the chance. Once adjusted to it, you might really love it, but quitting now seems like you're selling yourself short. After a year and you still don't like it, you'll have good experience to help you get a local gig, which will be harder to get with less than a year's experience.
My 2 cents anyway. Good Luck to you however it works out for you.

 

OMG,the only so called macho sexist in the world EATS SALADS? BAHAHAHA Too funny!
His perception of "girls" is hilarious to us "bed bugging gals"....BAHAHAHA

 

Sounds like one that has taken the easy way out of school and the real world is showing up. The company don't care they've got a whole room full of them. Good BYE and NEXT.

 

Brutal? I think you're doing it wrong.