Why are there so many cry babies out here? Can't you read?

Hey.. I want one of those jobs that pay 100k a year and only work 5 days a week. Where do I go?

 

Shhhhhhhhhhhh, there is no freight out of FL, especially out of Euseless. Why, you has to deadhead all the way to Hotlanta to get a load. Remember, there's no freight in FL.

 

This is a good thread.. and I hope more who are considering getting into trucking do take the time to read it and think through their decision.... Chances are, they won't because it seemed many don't start to try and figure out things til after they have talked to a recruiter and are already all to excited about the dream journey they are about to embark on..

 

Great thread! Thanks!

 

Great post, OP.

I would only add one thing, if I could....the overwhelming majority of complaints I hear come from newbies running with dry van or reefer outfits like Werner (dry van division), Swift (dry van division), CR England (first seat in heck division), and so on.

Very rarely do I hear complaints from newbie flatbedders. But then, I live in flatbedder heaven, between I-90 and I-80 in Western PA. Great area for steel hauling. Plenty of outfits around here offering semi-decent pay and weekly home time. That might have something to do with it....

 

Had a young kid, about 22-23 tell me that driving a truck is no different than driving a pick up truck, He was in training with England, I told him to get a job a 7-11 and stay away from trucking

 

Used to be called the school of hard knocks while learning the ropes in trucking. I've got some bumps to prove it. We all had to start at the bottom and work our way up. I don't think the I want it now generation really understands the commitment it takes to make it in this industry. They don't understand the struggle that owner operator sitting beside them has endured to be driving a chromed out 6 figure truck and just as sharp trailor behind it. Although I do miss the way we used to help each other learn the ropes. I spent my first few years eating meals beside O/Os and asking as many questions as they were willing to answer. Still love meeting and talking to the old hands out here. Man have they got some good stories to tell.

 

Smart man!

 

I remember well how much respect truck drivers used to have when running down the highways. We used to call them up on the CB and ask for directions, or even follow them on a detour on an unknown road. Drivers back then were a whole different breed then what's out here now. My dad always used to say, "if you want to know where a good place to eat is at, just look for where all the semi trucks are parked at".