So, I’ve been thinking a lot about writing why I love being a truck driver so much at this point, but it’s proving to be very difficult. First of all, I realize that this is all still very new to me. And as the “new car scent” begins to wear off, my views and opinions will change over time. Second, the reasons I am enjoying this so far, are reasons that others would definitely not enjoy. So I’m going to simply describe my job a little bit to you. Some of it might sound like great things to you, and some of it might sound like it’s terrible. It takes a very unique individual to succeed out here and hopefully this will shed a little light on the traits necessary to make it in this business.
First of all, OTR truck driving is not a job. Far from it. This is a lifestyle. Everything I do out here revolves around the truck and the company’s customers. I only eat when I have time and not always when I want. I sleep when I’m able to, whether it’s noon or midnight. I shower when I can, which isn’t always every day (3 days is the longest I’ve gone so far, and I like to avoid going that long as much as possible). I seldom watch TV, because usually on my downtime I’m either eating, showering, or sleeping. Life goes on at home with or without me. I’m sure there are several “inside jokes” that I’ll not be a part of within my circle of friends. They go out on the weekends, while I sit and drive. I just “celebrated” a birthday last week, while driving 8 hours – hundreds of miles away from friends and family in the poring rain trying to get a load delivered. My job is very important to this country, yet there is almost zero respect for truck drivers, from the 4-wheelers and truckers I share the road with, to the very customers I’m serving. My truck may or may not work at any given time. Right now, it’s not working.
This is just the way it is out here. Imagine if you will, an office worker got a memo stating the following:
“Dear employees,
Effective immediately, all workers will be subject to the following rules or face termination:
- All employees must stay at work for a minimum of 3 to 6 weeks without going home. You will earn one day home for each week worked and can take a maximum of 4 days off at a time. You may only leave your cubicle to use public showers, restrooms, and visit cheap restaurants.
- Employees may work 11 hours within a 14 hour work day, then must move to their sleeping quarters located in the rear of the cubical for a minimum of 10 hours. All on and off duty time must be recorded. If you are in violation of these work hours or lie about the hours worked, you will face disiplinary action and may be fined up to $1,000 for each violation.
- In addition to the required work hour requirements, all employees must complete assignments within specific deadlines, even if that requires overnight work. Sleeping during the day is encouraged during these situations, which will occur frequently. Please adjust sleep patterns as necessary.
- All employees are expected to work weekends and holidays for no extra pay.
- Should an employee request a date to be home, that employee must ask for the date 10 days in advance. We will do our best to get you home within one week (7 days) of that date, but no guarantees can be made.
- Employees can take advantage of vacation time, but we will pay you pennies on the dollar during that time. All sick time must be spent in your cubicle.
In addition to these policies, your pay will now be based upon your productivity and you’ll be paid per assignment at fluctuating rates. If we do not have an assignment for you, please wait in your cubicle without pay until an assignment becomes available. Also remember that you will not be paid for the entire assignment. We pay approximately 75% of actual work performed.
We appreciate your willingness to adapt to these new policies. And remember, we are a Family Oriented Company!
Sincerely,
Management”
If you’re currently in an office job, the above is not a far stretch of the truth if you decide on switching to truck driving. So be prepared for it! There is a phrase that I’ve heard thrown around; “Do you work to live, or live to work?” In truck driving, you must live to work. 24/7, you are a truck driver. You have no “personal life’ as everything, and I mean everything, revolves around driving that truck. continue to page 2 –>
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Yes!!! I agreee 100%. The “negatives” you talked about are just that for many drivers. Yet some don’t mind it. Too many people enter trucking because they think its a easy job of JUST DRIVING!! Thats why we do these posts.
As for your example of the office people or anyone who works away from being a full time steering wheel holder—I have told many the same thing you just did. All agreed they would not like that and its wrong for a employer to treat their workers that way. I said “drivers in trucking are treated this way everyday and no one seems to care about that.”
I also do not understand the comments that trucking (or travel for any job) is for single people as they can travel. (meaning we have zero life of friends/church/family and etc…) Trucking/travel is for anyone who wants to to that.
Oh Mike, I could not have said it better. Yestarday was my son’s anniversery. They had a BBQ at there house for about 35 people. It was also a birthday party for two of their kids (my two granddaughters). first time I have ever missed anything like this. I have also missed my birthday and will most likely miss my anniversery.
I completely agree with your job description. I said in one blog this was like camping. I should have said that this was like being married to your job and having a personal 24 hour a day relationship with it. I would never have imagined it to be this way. Keep up the good work.
Mike, I can tell you that your neices have not at all forgotten about you. Mom says that the girls say, “Is Uncle Mike here!” when they see your car parked in Mom/Dad’s garage. And we have a picture of you coming out of a plane on our mini-fridge in the girls’ playroom and Jordyn took it down the other day and carried it around with her for about twenty minutes. Then she put it back very carefully when she was done. She said, “Mama! That’s my Uncle Mike! Oh, I so love him!” in her cute little 2.5 yr old voice!
They are VERY excited that Uncle Mike drives a big truck “like Mack”, the Mack Truck in the movie CARS! About 2 or 3 times a week as we’re driving around the girls try to look for “Mack” because “Uncle Mike drives Mack!” We were on the “fast road” (as YOU used to call it when you were little)…aka,I-94…and they kept saying, “Is THAT Uncle Mike’s truck??” as we passed them! Trust me…. your neices are so in love with their Uncle Mike there’s no WAY they could forget about you!
And, I hated that you were out on the road during your birthday, but hey…as we get older, who wants to celebrate birthdays anymore! HA HA!
We will see you when you get home!! DEFINITELY!!
LOVE YOU!
Your FAVORITE Sister
Lisa
Hey there. I am looking into possibly starting a career as a truck driver. I’ve read your post above, and many other stories like it, talked to friends that drive etc…
I am wondering if you recommend any particular trucking company to start with? C.R. England has a program for starters, as do other companies, but the pay seems very low. CR England told me about $400 a week…but that’s basically for 12-15 hours of work per day from what I understand.
Is that typical for a beginner, or is CR England just not paying well?
Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Hope your still enjoying the “job”!!
Thanks,
Jon
Hi Jon.
I think the best companies to start out at overall are the larger dry-van companies – Swift, Schneider, Werner, US Xpress, etc. The larger refrigerated companies would come next – CR England, Prime, Central Refrigerated, etc.
Pay for a student first coming out of school that is going out on the road with a trainer is pretty low everywhere you go, but it doesn’t last long at most places – usually a month or so. But no matter where you go you can probably expect to make about $35k your first year, and probably $45k-$50k your second year, and you will stay in the $50k range or so after that. It depends on how hard you want to run, how good your dispatcher/load planner are, and how the economy is doing, amongst other things. But I wouldn’t be concerned with the training pay – it doesn’t last long, and the training you’re getting on the road with an experienced driver is priceless.
Also, please never think about regional or over-the-road trucking the way you would an hourly job. It’s not – it’s a lifestyle. I’ve heard tons of drivers complaining that if you calculate an hourly wage from the hours you’re putting in, you’re making about $10/hour as a driver – and it’s not worth it. Well, for a long time I lived in my truck, had almost no bills, and was making $45k-$55k per year. I was able to set aside about $1500/month in my savings account. Try doing that with a $10/hr job! So trucking is a lifestyle and you can expect to make $35k your first year, and about $45k-50k your second year, and a slow increase after that. But the hours are very long and the lifestyle is not for everyone. But if you’re cut out for it, trucking is a very rewarding career with an amazing lifestyle.
Every decision we make in life is a compromise – and trucking is no different. There’s a lot of give and take when it comes to what you get out of it, and what you give up to do it.
Hi Jon, and thanks for reading! Brett has some good advice there. I agree with just about everything he’s said. For the most part, “starter” companies are all about the same. It really just depends on what you’re looking for. Some companies will give you more hometime, but you might see less of the country. Some companies might pay a little less, but get you more miles. Some companies might have real nice trucks, but won’t let you go over 62mph. Some companies are large and give you great benefits, but you might simply be a number to them. Smaller companies are a bit more personal, but that doesn’t come without sacrafice either. My point being, just do as much research as you can, and find the company that makes you most comfortable. You’ll find a ton of complaints about any larger company out there. Most people simply aren’t suited for the OTR lifestyle, and they take their anger out on the company they work or worked for. Once you get at least 1 year in OTR with a “starter” company, you’ll have a whole new world open up to you (local jobs, regional positions, jobs that get you home every week, tanker, flatbed, etc.). Just tough it out that first year.
As for starting off with dry van, that’s also good advice. I personally started with a reefer company. I’m glad I did, since reefer is a bit less prone to economic fluctuations (people always have to eat). My miles have been good, but we’re in full produce season right now. Come this fall, I’ll probably be sitting quite a bit. The downside to reefer is dealing with grocery warehouses. These grocery warehouses have a very bad reputation with truck drivers, and for good reason. There is a lot of sitting and waiting, refused loads, and just overall aggrivation dealing with them. If you go with a dry van company, most of your freight will probably be drop and hook (drop a full trailer, pick up an empty) where as I rarely get a drop and hook load. I usually have to wait for them to load or unload the trailer. I wouldn’t say driving reefer is harder than dry van, just more aggrivating due to the customers we serve.
Anyway, good luck to you, and feel free to comment again with follow up questions or feel free to email me as well. Good luck!!
Mike
What can you tell us about ghost trucks who are off the grid?