what was it like

Sitting for 8 hours at a truckstop, going in every hour to call in, trying a dozen times every 2 minutes before your could get anyone to answer to see if they had anything. Been there done that. Old non-sealed lamps with 1157 bulbs that rarely stood up to the salt and moisture grime longer then several months before they quit working. 290 HP cummins with very little torque was a common engine. Cabovers ... lot's of fun

 

Yes, those old payphones with people eating food while talking leaving remnants on the phone, coughing into the phone, greasy ear piece. I carried lysol spray or alcohol wipes and cleaned the phone before I would use it. After using it, would go to the restroom and wash my hands, face, ears. Nasty!

 

i couldn't imagine trucking back in the day. making LOTSA payphone calls for dispatch. and directions for shipper and receiver.

loads that we can do in 1 day today. probably took 3 days back then. speed limit was a standard 55. no air conditioners. music was the 8 track player. showers were free. food was good.

you wandered around aimlessly. not knowing where a truckstop was. unless they had a book back then.

fuel was .$75 also. you could pack 300 gallons. and used every bit of it climbing one hill in them weak engines. getting only 4 mpg.

 

I must not be a real Truck Driver, I hate to be called a steering wheel Holder but I think that fits pretty well, Text message or email or Qualcom is how I prefer a load to be relayed, I'm not sure I could do the Pay phone thing every hour, Wait for the next phone booth to open up, Like Chinatown said to get in there and have the last drivers spit and germs all over the phone, No thanks, I'l keep my comforts of cell phones email and QC! A/C was less then popular and that would put me right out of the deal, I have to have cool or warmth when I sleep, Power Steering and a clutch system that I don't have to stand on to engage it!. I'm truly a steering Wheel Holder! Thanks.

 

I was not a trucker back in the day.. but, we had a neighbor who was.. and he know I loved his truck.. he would let me sleep in it when be was home and he took me out with him a few times..

The thing I remember from back then.. was the CB and how the truckers looked out for eachother back then.. on one trip that I was out with him on.. something went wrong with his truck.. but, he got on the CB and talked to a couple truckers.. then.. after a little bit another trucker showed up with the part he needed and they fixed it..

But, it was more then just they fixed ot together.. that other trucker, went out of his way to help.. he went and picked up and paid for the part.. my neighbor paid him back.. also, it was cold.. it was in the winter.. no snow, but cold.. and this guy just helped out..

When I got my CDL and went out.. most of what was on the CB was idiots... Did run into and talk to a few decent drivers who were helpful.. but, the CB has really changed..

 

Going across Mississippi they used to stick a wooden measuring stick in your fuel tank when you entered the state,measured fuel, and they re-measured when you left, had to show you bought enough fuel for all miles traveled.This was done @ scales, to nearly every truck.
Tires had tubes in them, could not run flat but a very few miles.
Had a letter sized card, must have a postage size stamp from every state you were running in . Called 'BINGO CARD'.Had to have a separate fuel sticker for every state also.
Power steering was very rare, as was A/C.
Not much interstate, I remember when I seldom had it to run on. Mostly back roads, but we made just as good a time as we do now, slept very little, road dope was common.Not for recreation, but to get the job done.
95 % of the trucks were cab-overs, less than 300 HP.Lots of 250 HP.
Like they said, banks of phones lined the truck stop walls. Maybe 20 or more. Lived on pay phones back then.Once you hung up, they could not conntact you until you called again.
Large ferry we used to cross the Chesapeake Bay, from Norfolk to the Eastern Shore. No bridge.
No CB's at first, used hand signals to communicate. Mostly 2 lane roads.
All night high powered clear channel AM radios carried truck shows, could be heard nearly all over the US.
Used mostly cash, no ATM cards, very few credit cards, Com checks were unheard of back then.Carried lots of $$$$ in truck sometimes.
I can remember fuel @ less than 35 cents a gallon.Truckstops were mostly smaller, down home type places.Mostly dirt parking lots. Felt comfortable, friendly folks working there.Lots were not well lit like now.
40 foot trailers were common, remember the first 43' I ever had. 1974, brand new Utility reefer.13,500 American dollars.
No weigh in motion scales, weighed nearly every truck.


Harder, less luxuries, but I enjoyed it more.

 

72r model rebuilt coal bucket 6x4 roof a/c 30" corrugated crawl thru window bunk louvered w
Windows cut into both side 400maxi--2550rpms--man I was #######$ in Tall Cotton
Take her back in a NY Minute--

 

Well after calling into dispatch through a pay phone and writing down your next pickup you pulled out your trusty national map followed by your state map followed by a local map if you had one you had a regular library of maps in your truck then when anything went wrong it was your old trusty cb if you broke down to local directions to just making a emergency phone call to your wife you hoped there was a base station in reach that could relay information no cell phone and usually there was no pay phone nearby.. As far as paperwork you usually carrried the original bol from shipper to customer no paperwork from your dispatch and back then it was more of a thinking mans game because now cpu have taken a lot of thinking aspect out of the job I mean I could go on and on but it gives you a little idea. My dad was a trucker back in the early 50s it made my job sound gravy at least I didnt have to sleep on a board proped between two seats

 

sounds lovely