What is the difference in today's drivers, and yesterday's drivers?

You should feel honored that we speak to you at all.

 

This coming from someone who has less than a years experience......Brandson....you can teach anyone "how to drive a truck"....it's not hard at all to do....But the student must be willing to "learn" too.....with your 0-1 years experience and you've already had 2 trainers , at 2 different companies , both of which had 20 times your experience...seems to me you need to learn "how to learn".....there is such a thing as a "bad student". Not saying that you are , but 2 trainers and 2 jobs inside of a year , would lead folks to think that maybe you don't take directions very well , or you just don't play well with others......

 

Yeah... It's my fault that I was in a truck with 2 trainers that didn't attempt to teach me anything. I asked about trip planning, vehicle maintenance, blah blah blah, they were doing this to make a paycheck. I'm dead serious, I'd have rather have had some kid that just got his 1 year and getting his first student. All I'm saying is, I'm tired of this attitude that experienced drivers should be held in worship. A lot of them are just lazy idiots, just like us new guys.

 

I understand having a bad trainer...it happens...but 2 in less than year....look in the mirror rookie...there's the one who needs the attitude adjustment. You have to remember...you're the student...when you ask a question it needs to be addressed sure..but don't expect someone to hand-hold you through this. put on the big-boy britches and go get what's yours. stop whining about them mean ole experienced guys....one may keep you from killing yourself or someone else...learn to listen.

 

As a newer driver I cannot speak for the older generation before me but I can wholeheartedly speak from my own experience and give opinions based on that. I'm 27 years old and I'm about to embark on my third year of commercial driving. My first year was spent locally driving dump trucks. I didn't really know much about the industry when I first started out. I learned everything in a hands-on manner and either had to teach myself or learn from those drivers closest to me. As a dump truck driver I didn't pay much attention to the industry itself. I just focused on being a safe driver, not tipping the truck over, and returning the truck to the yard at the end of the day. I wouldn't really conduct "proper" pre-trips. In the entire summer I don't think I ever checked the brakes once. My pre-trip consisted of checking the lights, fluids, oil and tire pressure. Once I saw my air was building normally, I'd walk around and listen for any leaks. That was about it. Our company never operated near weigh stations and while the MTO does have portable scales, I never really worried about it. Ignorant is probably a good word.

Once I was hired to drive expedited freight OTR, my whole view on trucking completely changed. I needed to know how to log, cross borders, secure freight, live in a sleeper, drive for long hours, go through weigh stations, etc. It was really a shock on my behalf for the first month or two. I started going through mountains and steep grades that I'd never experienced before. I started taking my job very seriously. One day I searched something on Google and TTR came up. I've always been good with technology and the internet and had been a member of many other forums. I thought it would be a good idea to join and see what other drivers were thinking and doing. Once I joined this site I learned how to take pride in my job, how to act and conduct myself like a professional on the job. I'm the face of my company out there, so I started acting like it. I always did a thorough pre-trip, I made sure my truck was neat and tidy, I dressed well and maintained good hygiene (always had but figured I'd add), helped out when I could, moved forward after fueling, parked the truck if I needed a break, etc. I used a lot more common sense and have the makings of a good driver, I think. Driving itself isn't hard. It's the common sense and little things that we take for granted and assume everyone should know right off the bat that can irritate us or represent some kind of dangerous situation.

Regarding what I've seen out there, I don't think it's any different from what everyone else has seen. Lack of respect for others, poor hygiene, treating truck stops like personal trash bins and a whole list of other shameful acts. I can't imagine drivers before us were that much different to be honest. I'm sure there's always been pride in oneself and a lot of the older drivers and recently retired drivers are some of the best the industry has ever seen, but for sure there were bad apples as well. I think we're not making things easier on ourselves with some of our actions but there are hundreds of thousands, if not more, drivers like myself who strive to withhold a positive image and uphold themselves to as high degree as the drivers before them did.

 

Yesterdays drivers a day older than todays drivers and younger than last Thursdays drivers.

 

Like EverywhereMan says there have always been jerks in the trade. Same as any other trade. When I started there were way fewer trucks on the road so you encountered fewer jerks. Today things have changed ,more everything but money. I don't say too much either way anymore. Just try to be like a duck and let the stuff roll off my back. Some of the stuff I don't like but I can't change people,places or things. I can change myself and try to be a better person and do my job to the best of my ability. I met a young guy recently at a T/S and talked to him at length about trucks and trucking. I was impressed. Good attitude, very nice truck. A real positive for the younger generation and the industry.

 

The biggest difference I can think of is this .... 99% of yesterdays drivers wanted be a driver more than anything else 99% of today's drivers seem to want to anything but be a driver from the ones I have dealt with .

That's all I got to say about that before I go off to crazy old trucker land LOL

 

You have no idea what youre talkimg about. You just sound mad that I'm not kissing your butt.