When do you stop being a “new driver”?

Or those like me who refuse to grow up.

It leads to some situations that are pretty bad from time to time.

However you have a finite body structure and once you wear that out in trucking that's all there is for that. If it's bad enough its all for anything else. So what does one do with all that time? Thats the question.

 

Some context.
I grew up on a farm, learning to drive there, and have been on the road, professionally, since Oct 1988. I'm 56 now.
That said- I believe that the day YOU think you know everything and feel you don't need to ask for help in a difficult situation or that you have nothing left to learn then you are a danger to yourself and everyone around you and should get off the road and maybe look into being a greeter at Walmart.

 

Ok! Becoming a real veteran trucker doesn’t take long...
Here’s the process
Place as many marbles in your pocket as you can fit
And every time your dispatcher lies to you, throw one out,,
When you have lost all your marbles, your no longer a rookie!

 

Or... my favorite peeve.

Make phone call to dispatch office.

UNITNUMBER!?

wot? I am so and so not a truck.

UNIT. NUMBER.

1234

WHY YOU CALLING? You break something? All you new hires break something.

Hangs up. Shop will take care of it anyway.

Now..

here is situation a year later if by some miracle you are still there....

Calls Dispatch.

YOU! now what?

Loads late. Roads closed to ice.

WHAT? I'll get BACK. TO. YOU. (Veiled threat... it better be closed and there better be ice on it... they will check first)