Running With Watkins & Shepard

Iowa 80...I've been reading your thread....

 

Well if you want to surprise folks, don't post so much....

I'm back east brother. Looking for a little HMT after the next load or two. But you keep running west. I'll be back! LOL

 

If I get it, I will....lol Thanks man.

 

Hey brother! (and you can call me Chris like everyone else...lol)

I've been thinking about this and trying to organize things in my head on how to go about it. As you know, so much happens so fast in this business and for a new guy, there's so much to learn about things that it's not always easy to keep track of it all. You almost need a secretary who knows short hand...LOL

I find it easier when folks ask specific questions and you just have. So let me attack them in order.

The lifestyle... I enjoy it but then, I had a pretty good idea of what it was like before getting into trucking. To me, it's like a big long camping trip where you go many places but don't get to stop and see much of any of them. Living in a truck for extended periods of time is a very unique experience and "unlike" camping, you don't get to say..."OK, I want to go home now"...lol The lack of fishing stinks too....LOL I've passed SO MANY bodies of water where I would have just LOVED to pull out the old poll and drown some worms.... But I really do enjoy this living and that goes a long way when it comes to liking the "job". If you can't get into or at least accept the lifestyle, I imagine the JOB would be a whole lot tougher to take.

The adventures... Well, it's a job and as such, there really aren't too many "adventures" if you're really working it. I run pretty hard and that leaves little time for much else but I've met some really nice people out here in my travels and yes, a few old crusty grouches as well. I've seen many drivers who are both courteous and respectful of other drivers on the road and a few who, for whatever reasons, take pleasure in just messing with you out here. One example is...I'm rolling along and I keep catching up to this O/O in a Pete. I back off and get my space and again catch up. This goes on for many miles so I finally decide to pull out and pass. I get right along side and he speeds up and stays even with me. Obviously he has a lot more under the hood than he's using. I don't want to block the hammer lane as I see others catching me so I back off and pull in behind him again. Once again he slows and I'm catching him. I see a hill coming and I'm pulling a rather light load so I figure this is my chance. Well I get around him but he starts yelling over the CB that I "cut him off". BS... I had 40 feet between us before pulling back over. Well, he pulls out, passes me and then holds the hammer lane with the front of his trailer even with the nose of my truck. So now a bunch of other drivers are yelling at him to MOVE but he just curses and yells at all of them. After about 30 or 40 miles of this, he puts the hammer down and BANG he's gone! Yes newbies, they ARE out there...LOL

The goods.... Man, you just can't beat getting paid to see this beautiful country we live in. Although I always thought I'd be seeing it from the back of my Harley and not the cab of a truck, it's still GREAT! I personally enjoy the feeling that I'm providing a much needed service by bringing the products we all need where they need to go. While each trip is unique in where you go, how you get there and what you deal with to "get er done" that one fact remains constant.

I've always been a people person so just meeting folks from all over with different views on life is also pretty cool. You see some pretty surprising attitudes out here for sure. I've always loved driving and driving one of these BIG TRUCKS is simply a blast to me! I've driven just about everything there is to drive except one of these. Now I do so that's a cool feeling as well. It's certainly not to be taken lightly as this is a serious job but done properly, it's just a BOAT LOAD OF FUN!!

Since I've been self employed all my life, this is about as close as you can get to that being an employee. Although one day, I WILL own my own truck! But I do my job and I'm pretty much left alone to do so. Nobody bothers me and I like that.

The Bads... Well there are a few for sure. I wish I could wash my truck more than once a month...LOL I just hate a dirty truck. I imagine once I get on top of my personal situation, I'll probably pay to do it myself. I really hate sitting and it seems too often, due to when I can either pick up or deliver, I spend too much time "waiting"! This weekend is the same. I could have dropped this load yesterday morning but NOPE, 6:00 Monday FIRM. Sheeesh...LOL

Not having more control over when, how, and where the truck gets fixed when needed is also frustrating. Although I will say that dispatch really has worked with me to get things done where I want them done. It took me a month or so to figure out how to get that done but I have. For the most part, it works out OK now.

Of course dealing with other disrespectful, mindless, inattentive or just simply bad motorists out here is never a good thing. My heart has been in my throat more than once due to the actions (or lack thereof) of others out here. You really have to be on your toes all the time and that can really wear you down. I'll bet a lot of folks don't know just how much. Constant mental focus can and WILL wear you down physically. I've had days where the driving was easy (Open space and not much traffic) and I could go for 15 hours or more if allowed. Then there are days when you're in tight, busy traffic and really focused and after 5 hours I'm beat physically...LOL

Getting the wrong addresses, contact numbers, delivery or pick up times, wrong trailer numbers, the load isn't ready yet, LONG loading or unloading times and many other things. Yep, it's all happened to me and it's no fun but hey, this is trucking right? I do wonder at times why it's so hard to make it all click smoother but I have to imagine the logistics of moving freight around this country is no easy task. So I try to take it with a grain of understanding and not get bent about it.

Being away from family and friends isn't easy. In fact, when you're out on a long run, in the middle of nowhere with not much else to think about but missing those you love, it can be rather difficult for sure. You try to push those thoughts from your mind but they keep creeping back in. It's perfectly normal but that doesn't make it any easier.

Surprises in the industry... I'm simply amazed at the lack of a "set system" among all shippers and receivers in this business. Almost EVERYONE has a different way of doing things so it's always a learning experience with every new load. I've seen everything from..."oh just drop it anywhere" to...you have to weigh in your empty, drop it, go back and weigh your bobtail, grab your load and weigh it on the way out. I've been let into places with everything from just the nod of a head, to having to produce my CDL and every piece of paperwork in the truck....LOL (I draw the line at finger prints)

I guess I always "assumed" that all shippers and receivers would have the SPACE for a big rig. NOT SO. There are places I STILL can't believe I've put this truck to get or drop a load. Whatever happened to B trucks?? LOL

Driving solo away from home..... Well I covered the "away from home" above. As for driving solo, that's exactly what I wanted to do so it suits me fine. I won't kid you though folks, it gets dam lonely at times. More so than I expected but I'm adjusting to it. Besides, with some of the roads we run, (Chicago, California, the south side of Donner pass, and a few other places come to mind), I'd NEVER be able to sleep if the truck were moving....

I like what I do and I'm glad I chose to do it. But for new folks thinking about this, it's something you really have to analyze carefully BEFORE going through everything required to do it. There are really great things about being a truck driver but don't kid yourselves, it's a tough life and you have to know you're cut out to do this. I read this forum for quite some time prior to doing this. When you see the experienced drivers saying "it's not for everyone", BELIEVE THEM because it's not.

Well, I'm gonna grab a few hours shut eye now. I roll at 00:30 Monday and I've been up since 5:30 today.