All right, I bit. But you need to post results in a few days.
I filled it out. I agree with Errol - make sure you post the results and some of the more interesting comments you get.
Sorry, I forgot to make it so that you see the results after you fill it out. I changed the settings, so now when you take the survey, it will show you the cumulative results.
There haven't been too many people taking it yet, so you you want to retake it and see the results it should not skew the overall results too much.
Thanks guys for letting me know.
David
Q4- (biggest surprise about the job) The survey results show nothing- Can you list all the answers?
Jetguy -- I'll check. As I recall, that is a free-form comment box so I don't think it can automatically display those results. After a few days I'll try to do and copy the results and paste them in here.
Okay, here are the responses so far to the question "So far, what has been the biggest surprise to you about the job?"
The amount of broken down new trucks on the side of the road. 9/24/2015 2:43 AM
Amount of trucks,all on the road,at the same time. 9/24/2015 2:24 AM
I've not really been surprised about much. 9/23/2015 6:57 PM
How hard it is 9/23/2015 6:36 PM
Diversity of people driving trucks, varying backgrounds and back stories. 9/23/2015 6:16 PM
dangerous 4 wheelers 9/23/2015 6:00 PM
Just how stupid people driving cars really can be and how little respect they show to an 80,000# vehicle. 9/23/2015 4:54 PM
Hrs. Worked vs. amount payed 9/23/2015 2:22 PM
Waiting on load assignments 9/23/2015 1:48 PM
Getting fat 9/23/2015 1:45 PM
How little respect we get on the road from other vehicles, including our own brethren. 9/23/2015 1:44 PM
The fact that there are so many kind, helpful, decent truckers out there. 9/23/2015 12:24 PM
How bitter and angry so many drivers seem to be. I mean, man I love this career, if it was killing me like it seems to be so many others I would have quit it a long time ago. 9/23/2015 7:39 AM
Dispatcher can really make or break your career. 9/23/2015 6:59 AM
The amount of time you spend alone. You're in that truck by yourself like 21 out of 24 hours a day. It hadn't dawned on me that it would be that way until I got out there. 9/23/2015 6:58 AM
How easy it is. (Once you know the rules) 9/23/2015 6:53 AM
The waiting 9/23/2015 6:24 AM
Bump.
Here are the responses so far:
Why do you drive a truck for a living?
–It's what I want to do 66.67%
–Only because it pays the bills 18.18%
–I had no other choice 6.06%
–Can't imagine doing anything else 9.09%
What do you like most about driving an OTR truck?
–I like the nomadic lifestyle 21.88%
–I like driving 25.00%
–I like seeing the country 40.63%
–The challenge 25.00%
–Other (please specify) 21.88%
--All of the above
--Not tied to a desk
--Making decisions, being my own boss(kinda)
--Nothing , it all sucks
--lot lizards
--driving, the challenge, freedom of being my own boss
--I love that every day is unique. You never know what's coming next.
What do you dislike the most about driving a truck?
–Waiting 46.88%
–Time away from home 21.88%
–Management (dispatchers/fleet managers) 3.13%
–Traffic 18.75%
–Other (please specify) 9.38%
--Everything
--The decline in camaraderie among drivers, and the new low levels of professionalism among my fellow drivers.
--The enforcement. It's necessary, but it's annoying too. The constant drug tests, DOT checks, and jumping through hoops just gets exhausting after a while.
So far, what has been the biggest surprise to about the job?
-Iron Ass
-The 14+ hour days
-The amount of broken down new trucks on the side of the road.
-Amount of trucks,all on the road,at the same time.
-I've not really been surprised about much.
-How hard it is
-Diversity of people driving trucks, varying backgrounds and back stories.
-dangerous 4 wheelers
-Just how stupid people driving cars really can be and how little respect they show to an 80,000# vehicle.
-Hrs. Worked vs. amount payed
-Waiting on load assignments
-Getting fat
-How little respect we get on the road from other vehicles, including our own brethren.
-The fact that there are so many kind, helpful, decent truckers out there.
-How bitter and angry so many drivers seem to be. I mean, man I love this career, if it was killing me like it seems to be so many others I would have quit it a long time ago.
-Dispatcher can really make or break your career.
-The amount of time you spend alone. You're in that truck by yourself like 21 out of 24 hours a day. It hadn't dawned on me that it would be that way until I got out there.
-How easy it is. (Once you know the rules)
-The waiting
How long have you been trucking?
–Less than a year 53.57%
–1-3 years 35.71%
–4-7 3.57%
–8-10 0.00%
–11-15 7.14%
-16-20 0.00%
How old are you?
–21-30 3.57%
–31-40 10.71%
–41-50 35.71%
–51-60 39.29%
–Over 60 10.71%
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Well I know this is just an unscientific internet survey, but I think the "How long have you been trucking" statistics are very telling.
Notice that the majority of respondents have been trucking for less than a year (myself included), and nearly 90% have been trucking for less than 3 years.
I think this shows how difficult it is to maintain this career over the long term, and how many drivers "fail out" within those crucial first 3 years.
–41-50 35.71%
–51-60 39.29%
Looks like there's more of you old turds than there are of us old farts...
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Just for fun, I made up a short survey on OTR trucking.
Please go to OTR trucking survey to check it out.
Thanks.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.