Underappreciation

I felt appreciated many times over the years. Industry-wide appreciation is shown during Driver Appreciation Days when enforcement personnel serve coffee and donuts at the weigh stations and rest areas. Industry-wide appreciation is shown during the National Truck Driver Roadeo and the Road Team publicity and safety appearances.

Appreciation of individuals is shown with safety awards and bonuses. Having one's name and years of safe driving on the door of the truck is recognition and appreciation. Admittedly, the lapel pins and shoulder patches are ordered in bulk. The personal letters and memos of appreciation, on the other hand, show more sincerity. When the owner of a company states in writing "You are a real asset to our team", I feel appreciated. When a dispatcher or terminal manager expresses appreciation on my behalf to the home office, and the V.P. of Operations sends a letter with a copy to my personnel file, I feel appreciated. Of course, these letters and memos are subsequently used in another job search, but that's life.

I just remembered another token of appreciation. My wife and I were invited to the Holiday Party of the shipper where I was dedicated. They thought of me as part of their team.

 

The honking of the horns doesn't bother me. I don't ever remember seeing a one finger salute towards my genral direction probably because I wasn't looking for it. I have gotten cut off a few times where people are behind me, they swing around me and then cut me off just to make a turn. I used to get worked up about it, but they ain't going to learn so why waste the energy.

As far as appriciation goes it is nice, but as long as I get to drive a truck and get from point A to B in one peice without any wrecks I feel good about it. The people that ride with me on trips almost always say thank you at the end of the ride, but they all say that. It doesn't mean as much as it used to. I would just rather that they don't say it.

The place I work at has a very screwed up shipping reciving area, 1 dock. Driver are sent in with very little information. I try to help them out everytime because they didn't ask to be so confused about the way things work where I work. If I can make their day a little better by diverting 3 minutes of my day to help them out I feel better. If I was that lost I sure would hope that someone would help me out.

On the rare occasion that I get to drive the truck by myself I am happy. Just trying to get a nice hot meal some days seems harder than it should be because of the truck parking issue. My diet on the road is much worse than it is at home because of that very reason.

 

1. All of us have felt underappreciated in many ways. Most of us, in any profession or area of life, must create our own sense of satisfaction. Every time I sign clean bills, meaning I have delivered another load safely and on time, with the rubber side down and all 18 on the ground, I have a sense of satisfaction.
2. Incidents are legion on this one. I don't really think society "mistreats" us so much as they just don't understand, and are in their own worlds as they drive along.
3. Downsides... I am away from home more than I am there. I miss a lot of family things. It does, though, make coming home that much sweeter.
4. Be aware of the physics involved around a truck - blind spots, uphill, downhill, how long and how much room it takes to turn, etc. As a young driver yourself, I would suggest you ask some truck drivers to explain some of these things. When I taught my teens how to drive, this was part of their training... and they appreciated it.
5. See the answer to question one.

BTW - How did you decide to take up this particular topic for your speech? Do you have family or friends in trucking? Thanks for thinking of us.