Ups And Downs

[CLIFF]

I am inetrested in becoming a truck driver and was looking for things on the internet about it. Can someone maybe take the time to give me a few ups and downs of driving a truck? Maybe what a typical day or week is like. What you like or dislike about being on the road. I know it will take some time to write, but I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

[Harry]

I COPIED THIS FROM OUR OTHER SITE EXPEDITERWORLD.COM


Are you a new expedite driver or looking at maybe becoming an expedite driver or even a conventional truck driver? If so there is much to consider and think about before beginning a professional driving career. The following is a general list that may help you sort through the variables of expedite or trucking lifestyle.

Requirements: Here are most of the requirements for being a professional driver

·You'll need a CDL or learner's permit
·You must have a relatively clean driving record
·Be able to verify employment for the past 10 years or at least 3 years
·Have no addictions to drugs or alcohol
·Be able to pass a drug screen
·Be 18 years old to drive intrastate and 21 years old to go cross-country
·Be able to pass a basic D.O.T. physical test, including hearing and vision
·Have a desire to drive truck
·Have an interest in mechanical things

Training: Some with NO training will tell others training is not necessary but that is a myth, especially when it comes to knowing how to load and secure the truck.

·Choose your training: private driving school, public (state) driving school, carrier-sponsored school or personal training with an owner-operator
·Realize that attending a school takes resources of both time and money
·After graduating driving school, you may be required to go through more training by your employer, at least the better employers’ will require more training
·in conventional trucking you'll be put in a truck with a stranger (your trainer) and you'll ride with him at least four to six weeks before you're given your own truck to drive. As an O/O or an expediter driving for a fleet owner must require at least 6 months experience but some will turn a truck over to you with out any and baby sit you until you make it or quit.

Lifestyle Change: This is the hardest part of becoming a driver for most, unless you and your spouse do it together as a team.

·Discuss an expedite or trucking career with your family, especially if this is a mid-life career change
·It requires a lot of adjusting for both you and your family
·Your schedule will keep you away from your family for extended periods of time. Most companies require being in the truck and on the job at least 3 weeks at a time
·Role changes - the stay-at-home spouse has to handle being mother and father, nurturer and caretaker, along with handling any problems that arise (with children, bills, repairs, etc.) because truck drivers can't always be reached
·You will have to make extra effort to stay in touch and be involved in your family's life from the road. Not an easy task, and some can’t do it
·You're going to miss special events in your family's life (like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and sport events) this is why a lifestyle change is in order.

A Whole Different Place: This isn’t your daily 9 to 5 job, make sure this is what you really want give it a try before you decide.

·Ride with somebody and see what truck driving is like or work for an O/O before investing your life’s worth
·it's not an 8-5 job; you are called out 24 hours a day
·It's a stressful job and it gets nasty out there
·You have to be able to make decisions and do things unsupervised
·There are many distractions on the road--drugs, women and gambling to name a few
·It's a lonely profession even though you're surrounded by people
·Your only company is the radio or CB
·You'll work irregular hours and have an erratic sleeping schedule
·Being gone for one week might seem okay, but it's week after week after week
·The trucking world is a whole different place and it's a drastic change from a regular job

Financial: This is where most drivers fail the test.

·Have enough savings to cover living costs while you're training and settling into employment, if possible have enough money to live 8 months just in case
·You may receive very little compensation during your training period and first months on the job
·It may take awhile to receive the first paycheck depending upon the company's pay period
·It takes awhile to get money flowing
·Don't count on signing bonuses--they're often withheld until you've been with the company for a certain amount of time or are spread out in payments over the year
·It costs money to live on the road
·You'll have to pay for your own food, laundry, shower, snacks, entertainment, etc.
·Phone charges home can add up

Misconceptions: Many think of driving as a way to see the country for free, it is anything but that.

·Don't fall for the gimmicks in advertisements: "Get paid to see the country; you'll be home every weekend"
·Recruiters will make many promises; they aren't always kept
·In reality, you're days will be longer than what you've been told
·If you're going into trucking to make "big bucks," you're not going to last
·Expedite and over-the-road truck driving is a tremendous commitment, not something to be taken lightly
·It is not for everyone--you'll find out after about six weeks on the road if you're cut out for it or not
·If you don't like Expedite or OTR driving it's not the end of the world; you can find a job driving locally

Hope this will help some of you

teacel Moderator

[CLIFF]

Thanks for sending the info. If anyone has personal suggestions, I'm looking for as much information as possible.
Thanks

[Jimbo]

One important thing to remember:

Don't ever let a company or dispatcher put a truck between you and anyone you love. Sometimes you can handle being a driver, but an important person in your life can't. If that happens, find a local job, and be happy with having a "HOME" as opposed to a "HOUSE".

Also, don't ever let someone get you excited when you're learning to back up. I have been driving a long, long, time, and still get out to get a better look at things sometimes. Don't ever do a Blind-side jack, when you can go to the end of the lot and turn around, and do a see-side jack. Sure, some guys out there will brag about being able to do blind-sides as well as see-sides, but anyone who takes the risk without reason is a fool.

Most important, try to learn something new every day. And I mean 20 years down the road, remember that you don't know it all, and keep an open mind to learning.

[White Dog]

The Ups:

1). When you are "out there", you are, in a sence, your own boss. (sure you have to check in, and get assignments etc... but you are in charge of decisions made on when your tired, what route to take etc...)

2). Getting to see the country and getting paid for it. (however, most of the time you see it at 55 mph or better but you see it)

3). Satisfaction of a job done. (some times on a daily or bi-daily basis). I have been driving for 12 years and still get a good feeling when I bump that dock on the other end of a trip---on time and in good condition; that is the whole purpose of it all.

4). Pride in taking care of expensive equipment. Although the truck is not yours, there's a certain satisfaction one gets when they come out of a truck stop and walk twords their truck and realize that truck is your responsibility (inside and out)---keep it clean and you will feel it.

5). Chance to see friends and family you may never see if you were working in a factory. Passing through an area of the country where a loved one resides gives opportunity to stop (maybe for just a minute, maybe over night) and visit.
I have friends and family in several areas of the country that I would never get to see if I wasn't driving.

6). Unique commeradery between drivers. It is slowly fading and becomming "every man for himself" out there, but you will still find it.
At truck stops, on docks, in parking lots and drivers lounges while waiting to load/unload----we all have something in common...we are drivers. And it is not difficult to start up a conversation with a total stranger that lives the same life as you.

That is about all that comes to me right now.





The Downs:

1). Traffic. Everybody owns 3 or 4 cars any more and seem to be able to drive them all at once. At all times of the day and night.
Nobody is using public transportation any more, and nobody car pools.
The cities are over-populated and it's misserable.

2). Language barrier. If you can understand both English and Spanish you've got it made.
Mexicans are taking over the country, and refuse to learn our language.

3). Missed time with family at home. You would like to see your childs ball game or play etc... but you live in Tuttle, OK. and you are in Bangor, ME.

4). Un-concerend, un-organized, un-experienced dispatchers that get a comission every load you haul. If you are home, they are not making as much money, so why worry about getting you home (they are going home every night and weekend...that's all they care about)

5). I said above "getting to see the country"----well; once you've seen it, it (driving) just becomes another job.

6). Lack of respect. Most people (shippers, consignees, lumpers, and general public) don't like you, and don't understand how much you simplify their lives. They treat you like dirt, and wish you were not in their way.

I'll stop right there at six of each, and let someone else pipe in.

If I was to keep going, you will see (no doubt) that the "downs" would far out number the "ups" in my world.


(Site Admins. this post was on the last page of the RoundTable, and I brought it to the top again. I hope you move it to the Newbies Forum...would be good for newbies to see asap)

[Foxfire]

One very important thing to remember: the day you stop learning, get out of the truck and go flip burgers at the local hamburger joint.

[daytrader]

Some love it others hate it.

To some it is paradise To others a man made hell they can not get out of.

As for seeing the country. You will see it. From the great roads of our country. Not much room to pull a 70 foot truck off and visit that great spot you wish to see.

You also get to see many sides of things. Many do not on vacation.

Been to the mint. Took the tour. Been to many wineries and distilleries. Took the tour. Been to more dang paper plants and cardboard converting plants then I can think of. I never knew it was called converting.

Got to see many foor distribution ware houses and food factories. Some places I WILL NOT BY FOOD FROM.

Got to camp in many areas I never would have begun to think would be fun.

Like waking up in the middle of Nevada, Idaho, Oragon, New Mexico. Man that can start the day off right. The arter noon sucks.lol Kinda hot.

Spending moments you never would think you would find your self in. Like a ride on a snow mobile once you go to sleep on a ramp in Wyoming and the interstate gets shut down for 2 days while you are asleep.

Deep sea fishing in Florida while you are stuck waiting on Rt A1 in Florida for the weekend. Never would have thought of it. I enjoyed it.

Nothing like playing spades with a bunch of folks at a volunteer fire department.

My self I have a local type job now. I an home every day. I still miss the road. I earn more now, but gave up the freedom and the change.

It is like a wart. It growsn on you. You learn to like it and live with it. Others get it burnt off.

You will have to have full family support. If you are single. You are in luck. I can not think of a better job for a young single person. If you have a family or just a wife/husband. They need to be fully involved.

My self I can find more pros then cons. Yet there are many cons. Those cons affect each person in a differant way.

[Hillbilly]

The most important thing to remember is that it is a JOB. You are not out here to impess people like some of the more juvinial one's would make you think. You are out here to relocate a comodity from one point to another in the quickest and SAFEST way, legally possible. When done, with the proper mindset, it can be very rewarding. Not many people can see the sunrise in the mountains, sunset in the desert, and the stars over the plains, and all in the same day. Just don't get sucked into that group of IDIOTS that seem to think that they know everything there is to know, and want to show how "Cool" they are. Which invariably means they prove just how stupid they are.

[itrucker]

Hey Cliff,

You can read about my experiences trucking over the last year in my truck blog. E-mail (private message) me for the link as I can't post it here per the site's policies.

Best,
- Chris