Any truck drivers on this forum?

[dennis in se pa]

I am in SE PE and considering a career change. I have always found good advice from my p-car buddies. I like the open road, but not sure I want to be away from home for weeks at a time. I can't remember the last time I actually even rode in an 18 wheeler.

Words of wisdom appreciated.

[URY914]

There was an article in the newspaper about the truck driving schools. The all get placed with companies when the "graduate". The first question the interviewers ask them is "Do you want to be away from home for a month at time and miss, birthdays, Christmas and Thankgiving?"

If the answer is yes, your hired.

[Zef]

I've done this job for a two year period of time...when aeronautical sector was low and down...15 years ago...I liked it for some time...but become bored to be alone with no human interaction at all...IMHO...it's a good transition job...if you like it.

[dennis in se pa]

"no human interaction" - I find myself enjoying that lately. As opposed to parties and concerts in my 20's when I enjoyed being in crowds, I now find I enjoy solitude and quiet. (earplugs help sometimes when I am running down the road in my Targa and the top is off! )
The wife is miserable. The kids are grown. A year or two on the road might be a good thing.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

"no human interaction" - I find myself enjoying that lately. As opposed to parties and concerts in my 20's when I enjoyed being in crowds, I now find I enjoy solitude and quiet. (earplugs help sometimes when I am running down the road in my Targa and the top is off! )

The wife is miserable. The kids are grown. A year or two on the road might be a good thing.

Good thing? Talk to a long hauler who drives winter AND summer...one of the routes being through the Columbia River Gorge in November....Now, if all your long hauling was southern states only? Hours of sheer boredom.

Nope, NOT a trucker here. Just a guy who has had conversation with a few. Trust me, the "romance of the road" dies quickly.

[Blanco]

I can speak on this topic. I manage a trucking company that my family runs. 5 trucks with 3 flatbeds, 1 reefer, 1 dry van. It has gone down the tubes the last few years.

It is a cut throat business. With diesel prices at an all time high and shippers/brokers trying to squeeze every penny per load.

As a driver, you might have some leeway in picking any company, but most will give you the cheapest pay since you will have just graduated driving school. You will be at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak. The reason why? Insurance. Some companies will pick you up , some might not. The industry standard is 2 years over the road experience for the better pay.

I've gone out with a few drivers from time to time to get a feel for the road and even gotten my CDL in case one of them flakes out on a load and leaves the shipment stranded. I like it. You get to meet people from all walks of life. From cute receptionist to down and dirty dock workers. Its all what you make of it.

Bored, get XM.

Check out the following websites for more info.

www.classadrivers.com - they have a message board on the left hand column.


http://roundtable.truck.net - more info on insurance and those owner-operators seeking their own authority.

[tcar]

Met a husband and wife that drive for Mayflower last year. They are able to do some sightseening along the way. Were at Dinosaur National Monument.

Had retired from previous jobs; kids gone. Said they really enjoyed it. Been doing it for about 4 years.

[tabs]

YOu could also drive locally. I had a job best described as being sporadic driving a Flatbed for my neighbors that own a Convention Booth business here in LV. It wasn't a bad little job, with lots of hours waitng in the Marshalling yards for a space to open up at the Convention centers to unload your Booths. Got to talk to a lot of drivers.

Convention biz is HUGH money...on the bigger conventions I would see 50 to 60 Tractor Trailers at a time stacked up in the Marshalling yard waitng their turn.

[motion]

I have a fantasy about getting the biggest, baddest cab available, then hauling around the country with my race bikes in the back, stopping for weekend races at every track in the country.

[IROC]

I worked for United Van Lines back in college (grunt work - not driving) and spent a lot of time riding the highways. I think it would be great if you were single, otherwise it sucks. Being away from family all the time would be too much for me. Other than the extremely hard work of hauling furniture, though, it was actually really fun at the time. You see a lot of strange stuff when you essentially live on the road.

[Joeaksa]

Have thought about the same thing. Being able to drive around the country for a month or so then taking a month or so off might not be a bad deal.

Negatives would be driving in NYC, LA and so on but once out on the open road might not be too bad!

[tcar]

I guess the problem is that you don't decide where you are going.

[Dantilla]

Heard of a new driver going out with an old guy about to retire.

At the end of the day, young guy is pretty worn out, and asks why the old guy seems refreshed.

"This morning, you got up and went to work. I got up and went for a drive through the countryside."