Five Months Solo. Thanks To You All.

Brett, you are appreciated.

I'm sitting here waiting out a snow storm at a truck stop on I-80. I have been thinking that every day, EVERY DAY, has brought a new challenge. I'm approaching 50 so it's not like I have no life experiences at all. I'm surprised at how many subtleties there are out here though. That thing I've done a thousand times is suddenly a totally different situation because of some unforeseen factor.

It occurs to me that I should extend a hearty Thank You to the veteran drivers. Brett and company have been priceless in sharing insight and information.

So, tell us some more of your stories of being a solo driver, such as how you felt in any situation faced or what sorts of cool things you saw. I've been solo since I upgraded to a regular driver with PAM (almost a month ago), and I have to say, driving solo has really gave me a boost of confidence and has eased my worries big time.

So, tell us some more of your stories of being a solo driver, such as how you felt in any situation faced or what sorts of cool things you saw. I've been solo since I upgraded to a regular driver with PAM (almost a month ago), and I have to say, driving solo has really gave me a boost of confidence and has eased my worries big time.

Have things gotten better for you at PAM ?

Wow it was a long ride

Brett, you are appreciated.

I'm sitting here waiting out a snow storm at a truck stop on I-80. I have been thinking that every day, EVERY DAY, has brought a new challenge. I'm approaching 50 so it's not like I have no life experiences at all. I'm surprised at how many subtleties there are out here though. That thing I've done a thousand times is suddenly a totally different situation because of some unforeseen factor.

It occurs to me that I should extend a hearty Thank You to the veteran drivers. Brett and company have been priceless in sharing insight and information.

Rob I totally missed this the other day. Man, you're not kidding. Being on the road is a constant stream of new challenges and changing circumstances. That's why it's so difficult to prepare people for this career. Some people worry about handling the rig but for the most part that just takes time to learn. Most people worry about finding a "good company" but once you learn how this industry works you know you will be happy pretty much anywhere you go if you're a top tier driver.

But no one sees the hard part coming - the abrupt change in your lifestyle. It goes from every day being normal and predictable at home to every moment being wildly unpredictable on the road. At home you have set schedules and you know days or weeks ahead of time what to expect. On the road you have no idea what's going to happen from one moment to the next or one day to the next. And of course at home you're used to seeing the same faces and the same places every day. On the road you almost never see the same faces and most of the time the only places you revisit are truck stops. It's an overwhelming change for most people.

Add to that the erratic sleep patterns, stress, tight schedules, terrible weather, heavy traffic, and gruff personalities and man you're in it up to your eyeballs that whole first year! I'm constantly asking myself what else I can do to get that across to people. You can explain it in every way imaginable and I know that helps people realize those tough circumstances you face out there are normal and to be expected. But until you've lived it you really can't imagine what you're getting yourself into when you head out on the road for the first time. It's amazing fun and super exciting but overwhelming in so many ways at the same time.

Stay safe!

EVERY DAY, has brought a new challenge.

Congratulations Rob! I say that about the new challenges all the time, but I just don't think anyone but a truck driver really understands what I'm talking about. It sounds to me like you are learning and progressing along in this thing we call "trucking." Glad to hear it!