Some people are just going to dislike their chosen profession no matter what. Trucking takes a different kind of person to be a success. It pays well, but we're gone a lot from home. The office view changes most every day. I'd say that we are a behind-the-scenes industry, even though we really aren't. We are so needed that most everything would stop without us, yet we are not appreciated by the majority of the population. They have no idea what a truly necessary service we perform all day, every day, any weather, around the clock around the calendar, and around the continent.
The desire to complain definitely factors in for many. The difference between a puppy and a truck driver is the puppy quits whining after a while
From complaints I've read of others OTR trucking is hard on them emotionally due to being alone most of the time. If you have a family you may only see them in person a few days a month. You flip flop your schedule to maximize your income. You show up EARLY to your appointment and you're expected to sit around sometimes 6 hours or more past your appointment time for little additional pay compared to if you were driving. If you're even 10 minutes late to that same appointment they'll bump you to the back of the line or may even require you to schedule it a couple days from now. Everybody has different reasons why they hate it. Funny thing is for those very same reasons some drivers love trucking.
Most people come from jobs that have paid hourly. When you're being paid by the mile any time your wheels ain't turnin you ain't earnin. Sure you may get detention time but that's no where near what you'd make driving.
As a local driver your reasons may be different. Driving the same route day in and day out gets monotonous. Dealing with difficult co-workers, etc.
The reason people stay? The money you can earn is much higher than other jobs that don't require a degree. Heck, it pays better than many jobs that DO require a degree. Its not too often you can earn $60,000 a year (we've had numerous rookies hit that number) in your first year with very little training compared to other industries. There are even members on this forum that are making in the $100,000 a year range after they have experience.
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Thanks for the replies pack rat and Rob T! I do wish people would respect truckers more. Without trucking my family would have been homeless from the beginning. My pap was a trucker and due to poverty and such mom and I basically relied on him for support. And I got to travel the country with him growing up. It was a very awe inspiring opportunity and with out it I guarantee I wouldn't have the desire to drive myself. I guess more people need to be made aware of the importance of Truckers and the emotional and physical toll Trucking itself has on the driver's.
Operating While Intoxicated
It takes a special person to be a lifelong true chef. You give up a lot of what society says is the normal life. Once its in your blood its nearly impossible to let go. I am a chef who drove a truck for almost two years. A chef dangled a carrot for me to return I did. I hate it. But I thrive at it. It takes an even more special person to drive a truck for life. I am determined to do it again. I long for it. Its a similar career if you break both down to its bare bones. 1) you sacrifice holidays, b-days, funerals, births, etc to deliver your product. 2) you hate it, but g$&dam$it u love it at the same time. 3) somewhat low pay for a lot of sacrifice(trucking is paying better than cheffing rt now) Both are careers w daily curve balls thrown at you. At the end of the day you may be ecstatic at your accomplishments. Or breakdown and cry b/c you feel if you have let someone down or just feel beat by the careers system. Go forth my friend follow your dreams. If it slaps you back to reality suck it up buttercup. Dont let whining deter you. It will royally suck at times, find a way to persevere and succeed. Let the good lord shine a little light on you!
Thanks for the reply. I can relate. Though not about being a chef (though it was a thought of mine earlier in life) but I was a dog handler, and worked all holidays. Did that for 6 years. I'm actually to the point now that I don't feel comfortable celebrating holidays, I've been out of the dog industry for 4 years now but still can't get back into the vibe of Celebrating anymore haha
It takes a special person to be a lifelong true chef. You give up a lot of what society says is the normal life. Once its in your blood its nearly impossible to let go. I am a chef who drove a truck for almost two years. A chef dangled a carrot for me to return I did. I hate it. But I thrive at it. It takes an even more special person to drive a truck for life. I am determined to do it again. I long for it. Its a similar career if you break both down to its bare bones. 1) you sacrifice holidays, b-days, funerals, births, etc to deliver your product. 2) you hate it, but g$&dam$it u love it at the same time. 3) somewhat low pay for a lot of sacrifice(trucking is paying better than cheffing rt now) Both are careers w daily curve balls thrown at you. At the end of the day you may be ecstatic at your accomplishments. Or breakdown and cry b/c you feel if you have let someone down or just feel beat by the careers system. Go forth my friend follow your dreams. If it slaps you back to reality suck it up buttercup. Dont let whining deter you. It will royally suck at times, find a way to persevere and succeed. Let the good lord shine a little light on you!
Canaan, the simple and honest answer......
There are a LOT of miserable people in the world, miserable regardless of how life is to/for them. Just how they are wired, every cable in their brains were plugged into the same outlet, the miserable outlet. They are happy being miserable and are much, much more happy when making others miserable as well. These same miserable people make up 99% of the terminal rat crowd. You could give them a million dollars cash and they'd complain because it wasn't two million.
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Canaan;
I truly DO hope you work out your health/med issues.
Trucking IS (can be) a very REWARDING career. I'm on my 2nd (guys) one, haha! Been with him for 20 plus years. It's NOT easy on the female of the family, either. Know that.
Sometimes, Tom refers to himself as "I'm just a Dumb Trucker." Ya know what? The 2 degrees he has....didn't pay anything. I get upset when he says that, but ... some people just have that mindset. Stay AWAY from those'uns!
Best wishes, good sir.
~ Anne & Tom ~
ps: Read Old School's blog! It's in his profile. It's AWESOME. If you can't find it, lmk! He should've been an author, pro style!
pps: I spent 34 years in the industry Kandyman has / is . . . they don't nearly recognize THAT enough, either.. but ! We can't all be doctors and lawyers. If we were, nobody would need us/them! LoL !
Thanks for the replies pack rat and Rob T! I do wish people would respect truckers more. Without trucking my family would have been homeless from the beginning. My pap was a trucker and due to poverty and such mom and I basically relied on him for support. And I got to travel the country with him growing up. It was a very awe inspiring opportunity and with out it I guarantee I wouldn't have the desire to drive myself. I guess more people need to be made aware of the importance of Truckers and the emotional and physical toll Trucking itself has on the driver's.
You summed it up, yourself, sir!
Operating While Intoxicated
I just had the proverbial lightbulb shine above my head. Lets get all high fla-lootin w our words. The juxtaposition of cheffin and truckin. I will keep you posted.
I spent 33 years in the casino industry as a dealer and then a pit boss. Loved my job the first few years and then became disenchanted. But the money was good, the work was easy so I stayed even with the weird hours and missing holidays etc. In that 33 years many things changed. Even though it was (and still can be) a very fun and lucrative job, I’d still tell people to avoid it. (It’s not as fun anymore, the hours suck, things have changed etc. the whining and *****ing still continues even though I am out lol)
When an old trucker tells me to get out, avoid it, and so on, I consider it like my gaming career. The things that changed made me unhappy, but the money was still there, and I was good at my job. I also realize that the things the experienced folks are missing is something I’ll never know. So therefore I don’t miss it.
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Hey all! New topic of discussion I'd like to have, my mom is also curious haha.
We were discussing the industry and my plans to get into it once I am able and such. And she asked the question. Why are there so many people that outright hate (or at least act like they do) the industry yet they stay in it? I met someone who was a driver for 30+ years. His only (seriously ONLY) advice was to change my mind and not join the industry. No reasons other than "I been doing it for over 30 years, it will ruin you. Don't do it" he says this while he gets home nightly and Owns his own house and cars and dog and has a wife of idk how many years. I use reddit alot. And am part of the truckers subreddit there. I always see people howling and complaining instead of leaving and pursuing another line of work, or at least trying to make changes to help improve the industry.
The only answer I can come up with is that they just like to ***** and moan or is there something else that I haven't been made aware of?
Thanks! -Canaan