Non-trucking Writer Seeks General Information About Trucking

Hi - I've also posted as the writer looking for drivers who work with their pets, and I really appreciate the response you've given me on that subject. Now I'm looking for information about truck-driving in general. One question I have:

As i understand it, a trucking company's profit depends on expedient delivery. Does this put pressure on the driver to achieve his/her fastest delivery time possible? Or, are there only certain cases, where a tight driving schedule might be caused by, say, having to wait the maximum time for a load to come out, which then minimizes a trucker's window to deliver it to the next spot?

Thank you!

Hilary Smith

In trucking, the schedule is unbelievably erratic. You'll get days where your schedule is so tight you can hardly breathe, and then you'll get days where you're sitting around doing nothing for hours on end. But the norm is that drivers are on very tight schedules most of the time and the job is exhausting. Most drivers spend 90% of their time either driving or sleeping, with a few meals and a shower sprinkled in along the way.

People who are highly dedicated to getting the job done safely day in and day out no matter what it takes are the types that excel in this industry. You have to be fiercely independent and highly motivated if you want to be one of the top-tier drivers that get the best miles, the best freight, and the fairest treatment. If you're unsafe or unreliable, you're not going to get the miles and treatment the more motivated drivers are getting.