Seeking some inside information please

Looks like you chose a good Forum to collect lots of food for thought.

What have I gained?
Good feelings of accomplishments.
Ability for a solid financial foundation. (& NO lay-offs)
No Boss looking over my shoulder.

Negatives?
Guilt for my absence.

 

What I did not know when I started this job 20 some years ago would fill a book! What I've learned since would fill one as well! Would I trad a minute of it? NO!!!!!!!. Its a job that not everyone is suited for ,as shown by the people that quit in the first few years. But if you can stick it out,it offers things that no other job can, this is different things to different people. The things I've found won't be of interest to others. But thats the job!!

 

Do you enjoy being away from family and frends? do you enjoy bad food and sleeping in a noisy truck stop? Fighting traffic and stupid drivers( not all in four wheeleers) all these things and more can be yours on a daily basis. Its what you do about these things that will make or break you as a driver. You can let it get to you and ulcers or a heart attack will be you reward, or you can stay in touch with said family and friends by computer or phone, and laugh at the traffic and do your job. Your choice!

 

Exactly. You may not always be able to plan your travel around hot spots for rush hour traffic.

Drive your vehicle thru dense city traffic at a solid speed which reduces the number of times you must brake and accelerate and maximize your follow distance for safe braking, which undoubtedly brings out the "Me First" in drivers around you, they will be cutting you off, being stupid, showing you who they think is "Number One", etc. If you cannot endure this in your 4-wheeler without flying off the handle, you may never be able to "let it go" when you're in the big truck.

Furthermore, like driver4015 points out- not all the stupid drivers are in 4-wheelers. A couple weeks back I was in very dense morning traffic, which was flowing at about 50 mph int a 60 mph zone. Tailgating me at this speed was an Estes driver pulling a double, talking on his cell phone, and ready to plow over me. Unfortunately for me and motorists around me, he wasn't even paying attention enough to brake for a slowdown that I saw about 15 seconds before it happened... And he SLAMMED down his brakes and SWERVED hard into the right lane, then powered his way back up to speed and then FORCED his way in front of me. Mind you, this is a so-called "professional" driver, but he doesn't rank any higher in my book than your typical 4-wheeler. What a shame there are fellows like this on the road that bring a bad name to all truckers in general.

Ultimately, it is your decision to become a driver or not. Read everything you can, talk to as many drivers you can, and no matter what they say- you are the last word on this. Follow your gut, use common sense, and don't stop thinking... you should do well... But what do I know? I'm just a 4-wheeler.

 

Truckin is still a good way to make a livin. But with that said when you get into a truck throw away everything you've learned about drivin up to this point, because truckin is a whole new world. lol Seriously though if I were you I would spend some time riding with a friend and make sure that's what you want, because it's really not for everybody. I have seen alot if guys spend alot of money for training and then 3 months on their own they quit. All that time and money wasted on what was once a dream is now a debt to repay with nothing to show for it. I hope this helps and answers your question. Good Luck

 

The hardest thing for me when i started was the schedule change. Its hard to go from a structured environment to one that is absolutely unknown. I was used to knowing what time i started and what time i finished, working 8-10 hour days. now i could start any time of the day or night work for a couple days then have a couple off, one day work 3 hours and the next be gone for 2 days. Its a wierd feeling at first being so far from home, it takes alot of getting used to and many hours sitting behind the wheel thinking if you made a mistake. Truckin isn't for everyone but you will never know unless you try.

 

Unlike many new drivers, I was raised in or around trucks my entire life.

I took my first road trip with my dad when I was about 9 years old. We went from Dallas, TX to San Francisco and back via a couple of stops in Arizona.

Allegedly, he used to take me (& mom) with him when I was a baby, but I do not remember those trips.

I knew what I was getting into before I ever thought about getting a commercial license (CDL's did not exist). But, I love driving more than almost anything else a man can do to make a living. (never tried bank robbery, but that might be a suitable alternative)

I love the freedom that comes from being your own boss most of the time and being solely responsible for your actions. There is no one to ask for advice or to rely on for help.

You are totally on your own and your dispatcher can be your worst enemy so he is not someone you can rely on. Same goes for other truckers and the driving community at large.

If you value freedom and responsibility and have no reservations about giving up your hobbies, tv, movies, bowling, friends, family or anything remotely related to "normal" life, then trucking may be the way to go.

BUT, if you are a person who needs constant approval, direction or the company of your peers (co-workers, etc.) you are probably going to be miserable as an over the road driver.

My comments only apply to OTR (over the road) drivers. Local driving isn't much different than a regular job except you have a lot more hassles (traffic jams, delays, obnoxious customers, obnoxious people, cops who want your money, etc.). From my view, local driving is the most miserable truck driving job available.

But, that's just my personal preference. Many drivers prefer putting up with the b.s. so they can have a "normal" life.

The bottom line is that driving a truck (OTR) is not a job, it is a totally different way of life. And, until you try it, you cannot know whether or not you would like it.

Perhaps some enterprising soul should start a "So you wannabe a truck driver" business and let people pay a nominal fee to ride along for a month or so before they commit to driving as a career.

It cannot be described with words. . .