One Fine Morning On I-55 In Missouri

Just curious (i'm not a driver yet), would this be the end of someone's career in trucking?

No it wouldn't. There probably wouldn't be any major companies or highly reputable companies that would hire you but there would be a ton of smaller, more "outlaw" type companies that would. There are a lot of small companies around the country that still do things the old school way. They'll hand you paper logbooks, tell you to stay out of trouble, and load you up with all the miles any human can handle.

Once you got a few years of safe driving behind you again you'd be able to work your way back into the companies with high hiring standards. Then again, once you did some old school driving you might not want to go back.

It won't be long before everyone is required to run electronic logs though. The outlaw ways are slowly disappearing.

Is the old way good or bad for trucking?

Is the old way good or bad for trucking?

Depends on who are you asking is it good for. Could some truckers run longer hours while downing pills, caffeine, and speed? Yes. So, they made more money and that was good for them and their companies right? It's not good for the public or other drivers for obvious safety reasons.

Some people who drove the old ways used the opportunities available to stay better rested thus becoming safer drivers while still running the miles they wanted. Which was fine for everyone.

You've got good and bad outlaws, just like the movies taught.