what is the biggest reason for newbie to quit?

the homesickness kicks in. i can remember when i was at NAVL (north american van lines) in Ft Wayne, i was there with two other students from my school. i can remember each one saying, "i can stay out for a long time, i have no problems with that"...........each left after the 4th day of orientation.

the waiting for a shower, is in many instances, worse than waiting for a shower when you are at home, and have 4 daughters..........!! the waiting times (at times) to get into the truck stop restaurant, the waiting times to get to a toilet, and a CLEAN ONE at that.

being at a warehouse, and NOT being able to leave your truck, becasue if you do, you lose your place in line, as another driver will cut in front of you.

the getting up, getting dressed and leaving the truck, on the COLDEST winter day or night, to use the bathrooms, and hope that there is toilet paper in there.

using the laundry room, again, when all the machines are working, and they ain't all being used.

driving for endless miles, getting tired, and not too many places to pull over to go to sleep.

the lifestyle of a trucker is NOT romantic as many books made it out to be, or the movies or tv shows. it CAN BE a lifestyle of many hardships, and inconveniences, no one ever realizes when they spout out, "i always like driving, or, i always wanted to be a truck driver, or, my whole family does this, or, i ain't married, no kids, no nothing, i can do this"...............

then the reality check comes in..............

hours spent, never amount to what one thinks he's getting paid for. and the BS with driving, makes many put their tail between their legs and whimper away.

i had always laughed, and laughed hard when any newbie in school would say to me the very statements i put in "quotation marks"...........because i know, that in short time, they will be quitting those jobs, they so much thought were GREAT............

 

yup if someone has family or a g/f bugging them it will ruin their job and that will inturn make you look at your pay.lmao then the person will find every reason wrong with the otr job so they can go home lmao.

 

Very nicely stated.

 

I was not one of those who "dreamed" about being a trucker. I did not want to be a trucker all my life. It simply occurred to me that it might be something I'd enjoy (most of the time).

Being a member in good standing in the "Old Farts" Club, I was able to put my expections on a more realistic level. I also spent a lot of time here learning and listening to other old farts and yes, some young farts, too.

I've gotta believe that many who launch into this career are rudely awakened and, even though they might be good, hard workers, find that it simply is not a day-in-day-out existence that they can reasonably tolerate.

I feel for the younger guys/gals in particular that have families depending on the $$$. The pay is up and down, good and not-so-good.

 

Hello. I am new to posting although I have spent much time lurking and reading on this forum. I thank you giantmonkey for the start of this particular thread because while short, there has been some really great replies so far.

FYI, my husband and i are "wannabe's" for the moment, with serious intentions to team, but we are still definitely doing our homework and research so that we get into this with our eyes wide open.

Thanks again Giantmonkey and everybody who took the time to respond so thoughfully. Cheers.

 

The only thing I can add is most new drivers aren't use to driving 650 miles a day. The old arse and eyes will be wore out after 300-400 miles, but you have to drive on.
Eventially you get use to it but it takes time.

The stress level is high and you have to know how to manage it. You have to be mentally tough or you'll be going home.

Newbies get alot of ridicule and low pay before they reach the green grass. That alone gets most.

 

I would think that someone who grew up in the trucking industry would have a better understanding of what trucking is all about. I grew up in it and I didn't have dreams about trucking, for me it was just a job I knew I could do. In fact I did ride with my dad in the truck and most times found it boring so it wasn't a dream job for me. My dad did explain to me what trucking was like so I wouldn't get into it. I did anyways, and i knew what i was getting into.


Most of the ones I have known who bailed from trucking shortly after starting are these second career truckers. I know because I've had a couple working for me, both older guys, one found he couldn't handle the long hours and pressure because he was an office boy before, the other also a second career trucker who had only been driving a short time couldn't leave the GPS alone and kept getting into trouble, among other things.

I have seen a lot of people come and go in this industry, none of them were people who grew up in trucking, they were people who thought that they could make a fast buck driving a truck, but did not know what was involved, and starry eyed people who thought that trucking was going to be like a paid vacation but had no real clue what the job was like.

 

During the 70's I was a trainer of sorts. I'd get the newbies to train how to run around the scales, make signs to make us look legal, how to get good loads from brokers, etc.

i had one guy who was a former milkman... for you yoing guys he actually delivered mile to homes everyday... a common thing until C-store started popping up on every corner.

he didn't have to work... his family had owned the dairy and sold out to the big guys so he was well off financially. he just needed something to do to keep him busy.

Anywho... we were on our first run together heading to LA for a third morning deliver from Chicago. We got in Omaha and he asked me when we were going to stop for the night and get a motel room. I pointed to the sleeper and said that's our motel. He didn't understand... I explained that we would keep driving all night... every four hours we'd switch and one guy would drive while the other slept. He couldn't imagine anyone doing this.."you mean some trucks run all night?"...

Yep... he didn't last long.

 

Well, I drove in my early twenties for a year then quit, missed the social life too much. Now that I am old and ugly and nobody will touch me with a ten-foot pole I am back to trucking!