What Are Your Personal Positives And Negatives Regarding Jockeying A Rig For A Living?

Over my lifetime I've heard both good and bad things. Here are some of the things I have heard. To what extent are any of the following true? Please add anything you consider positive or negative about this line of work not listed here. Perception is not necessarily reality. Hollywood, TV, music, poetry, radio, the news media and the Internet can distort the raw facts about driving.

Truck Driving Perceived Positives

1. relatively handsome pay and benefits considering the minimum amount of hard physical labor required for the job duties; a man who worked in the building trades once told me truck driving was "for lazy people"... that was his own perception at least, it's not my opinion 2. being a "mega" driver has advantages: company drivers, though they have less freedom to be independent in their way of doing things, don't take on the serious economic risks that owner-operators take

Truck Driving Perceived Negatives

1. being away from home a long period of time 2. being exposed to unsavory people: violent people, corrupt people, criminal people, mobsters, racketeers 3. being at a high risk to encounter violent criminal elements 4. the lack of union representation for many company/OTR drivers 5. corporate greed truckers might have to deal with 6. lack of house-like living comforts and house-like living space over the road 7. keeping physically fit and thin can be difficult over the road 8. availability of hot, wholesome and affordable square meals can be limited; a barber of mine in 1985 once told me there was a time when truckers could find all you can eat ham and eggs for just $1.99 at roadside cafes; my barber used to stop at truck stop restaurants with waitresses for cheap and plentiful food while traveling 9. some truck stops have a reputation for being dirty (squalid) 10. living expenses out of pocket over the road can be high; some want to work and put as much money in the bank as possible, some don't want to work just to make truck stop owners rich 11. Uncle Sam and The Man make life difficult for truckers; too much red tape involved, log books, "chicken coops" and all that sort of irritating junk; do you inspect your personal automobile, or even your pickup truck towing a boat or travel trailer, before a road trip as meticulously as you inspect your semi truck? … some might think "it's just a stupid truck", not a sophisticated 747 jet plane or a NASA moon rocket after all so why all this mechanical scrutiny during pre-trips?? 12. OSHA might be too weak to aggressively protect the health and safety of working truck drivers 13. poorly-maintained roads and lack of truck-friendly infrastructure 14. speed traps and corrupt law enforcement in hick towns

2 plusses against 14 minuses. Why are you here?

2 plusses against 14 minuses. Why are you here?

I really want to know what others think. I figure the "Raw Truth" can come from only those who have been there and done that. Those pluses and minuses are not what I cooked up myself: it's what I've been told or lead to believe by others. I really don't know whether any or all of those pluses or minuses are accurate fact or myth.

It's rather sad that I have accumulated many more minuses than pluses. Unfortunately, we are more apt to remember that bully that punched us in the nose at school than that nice lady in the school library who gave us a lollipop.

being exposed to unsavory people: violent people, corrupt people, criminal people, mobsters, racketeers

Usually after I leave the yard I don't have this problem anymore.

Buy seriously I'm not in the mood to go line by line and answer each "negative" since it's a wasted effort on trolls. If anyone truly has these questions a 5 minute search of this site will debunk or answer them.

Maybe not number 8 though, hard to dispute a barber who used to eat at truck stops 35 years ago.

#11, we (he) sure do(es!) Every vehicle, every time.

#14, Read Davy's thread; he was NOT driving a semi at the time..and the 'crooked cops' hemmed him up {{{sarcasm}}} so he cannot drive a semi for a number of years, according to MOST desirable companies.

Speeding by Davy

being exposed to unsavory people: violent people, corrupt people, criminal people, mobsters, racketeers

Usually after I leave the yard I don't have this problem anymore.

Buy seriously I'm not in the mood to go line by line and answer each "negative" since it's a wasted effort on trolls. If anyone truly has these questions a 5 minute search of this site will debunk or answer them.

Maybe not number 8 though, hard to dispute a barber who used to eat at truck stops 35 years ago.

Same with my guy.. safe & fine upon departure. Daycabber just as B.Bob, but still have to stop to fuel & whatnot. Close to 20 years driving; nothing really to contend with.

ps: Regarding #8 , my dad would take me to the 'TRUCKSTOP DINERS' often, in my childhood days.. The prices and the regulars drew him in. We lived in NEW YORK at the time, too~

~ Anne ~

pps: The title of the thread 'threw' me.. I thought you were talking about 'Yard Jockeys.' Most truckers need experience before obtaining that position, with all the maneuvering, backing, and close quartering. Lots of the companies' equipment to 'destroy,' all in one place.

#11, we (he) sure do(es!) Every vehicle, every time.

#14, Read Davy's thread; he was NOT driving a semi at the time..and the 'crooked cops' hemmed him up {{{sarcasm}}} so he cannot drive a semi for a number of years, according to MOST desirable companies.

Speeding by Davy

being exposed to unsavory people: violent people, corrupt people, criminal people, mobsters, racketeers

Usually after I leave the yard I don't have this problem anymore.

Buy seriously I'm not in the mood to go line by line and answer each "negative" since it's a wasted effort on trolls. If anyone truly has these questions a 5 minute search of this site will debunk or answer them.

Maybe not number 8 though, hard to dispute a barber who used to eat at truck stops 35 years ago.

Same with my guy.. safe & fine upon departure. Daycabber just as B.Bob, but still have to stop to fuel & whatnot. Close to 20 years driving; nothing really to contend with.

ps: Regarding #8 , my dad would take me to the 'TRUCKSTOP DINERS' often, in my childhood days.. The prices and the regulars drew him in. We lived in NEW YORK at the time, too~

~ Anne ~

pps: The title of the thread 'threw' me.. I thought you were talking about 'Yard Jockeys.' Most truckers need experience before obtaining that position, with all the maneuvering, backing, and close quartering. Lots of the companies' equipment to 'destroy,' all in one place.

"jockey" = just a facetious term for any driver of a vehicle, like camel "jockey", fighter "jockey" and so forth

Picked this jockey term up from military service and the 1986 film, Top Gun. Goose thought about switching from F-14 Tomcat jets to more land-borne conveyances:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp6fiXarP5U

Is there really a telephone number to the "Truckmaster" driving school Goose was harping to Maverick about?

#11, we (he) sure do(es!) Every vehicle, every time.

#14, Read Davy's thread; he was NOT driving a semi at the time..and the 'crooked cops' hemmed him up {{{sarcasm}}} so he cannot drive a semi for a number of years, according to MOST desirable companies.

Speeding by Davy

being exposed to unsavory people: violent people, corrupt people, criminal people, mobsters, racketeers

Usually after I leave the yard I don't have this problem anymore.

Buy seriously I'm not in the mood to go line by line and answer each "negative" since it's a wasted effort on trolls. If anyone truly has these questions a 5 minute search of this site will debunk or answer them.

Maybe not number 8 though, hard to dispute a barber who used to eat at truck stops 35 years ago.

Same with my guy.. safe & fine upon departure. Daycabber just as B.Bob, but still have to stop to fuel & whatnot. Close to 20 years driving; nothing really to contend with.

ps: Regarding #8 , my dad would take me to the 'TRUCKSTOP DINERS' often, in my childhood days.. The prices and the regulars drew him in. We lived in NEW YORK at the time, too~

~ Anne ~

pps: The title of the thread 'threw' me.. I thought you were talking about 'Yard Jockeys.' Most truckers need experience before obtaining that position, with all the maneuvering, backing, and close quartering. Lots of the companies' equipment to 'destroy,' all in one place.

"jockey" = just a facetious term for any driver of a vehicle, like camel "jockey", fighter "jockey" and so forth

Picked this jockey term up from military service and the 1986 film, Top Gun. Goose thought about switching from F-14 Tomcat jets to more land-borne conveyances:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp6fiXarP5U

Is there really a telephone number to the "Truckmaster" driving school Goose was harping to Maverick about?

Gotcha, as well. Being in the industry w/the hubby for 20 ish years, 'Jockey' means just that. If the old hand at HIS barn ever retires, he's jumping on it. Pays hourly; quite nicely I might add.

Secondly, there WERE Truckmaster's driving academies back in the day. Hubby went to Roadmasters. Maybe an acquisition?!? Found this, from 1981 so it DOES suggest it WAS a real place.

Looky here: Truckmaster's, 1981

IDK, GOOGLE it, and let ME know. When I was 12 and taking lessons for horseback, in exchange for mucking the stalls, walking the horses, hanging the tack properly, et al , I WANTED to be a Jockey. Sure was tiny enough with the need for speed! Learned Western and English, and ...mom got sick and we ran out of the 'extra' money for me to pursue. The only 2 'jockey' terms that come to 'my' mind, but yours makes sense, also.

Again, best to ya.

~ Anne ~

Todd?