Profile For Matthew J.

The idea of self-driving trucks travelling on today's public roads is laughable.

Computers are excellent at executing a programmed set of instructions, but they are horrible problem solvers.

I shudder when I think of a robot truck trying to deal with: nonexistent lane markings, debris in the road, animals/people running across the road, stupid everyday drivers and their antics, flooded/icy roads, etc.

There are just WAY too many unexpected events that could cause a catastrophe.

Also, trains run on fixed rails, yet there are still plenty of train engineers.

Airplanes can also be automated, yet there are still plenty of pilots.

I just cannot imagine this happening in our lifetime.

I've been reading up on the different particulars of trucking and a question I have is this - if you bank four home time days in a month, let's say, do you have to actually go back to your home?

I travel a lot for my job now, all over the country (flying, not driving) and one thing I enjoy is that I can go hiking or camping somewhere scenic on the weekend if it's 4 or 5 hours away from where my company sends me.

So let's say, if you want to spend 4 days of home time hiking in the Appalachians one month, then 4 days hiking in the Cascades the next month, is that doable if your company goes to all lower 48 states? You could rent a car and just pitch a tent wherever you go without it being too expensive.

What are the worst and best parts of trucking? I realize it isn't a vacation by any means and is a very tough job, but it seems like it would be enjoyable.

In a few more weeks I'm headed back to Mexico for another week. This time scuba diving with whale sharks, last time it was cave diving in freshwater caves.

Sorry... it is the trucking truth.. I felt obligated. 😉

That's cool. Are these things you are doing on down time while you are carrying a load down to Mexico, or are you taking vacation time off for this?

I shower every day, but I have a condition that causes my body to smell like garbage frequently. Controlling my diet helps, but the smell still comes back strong sometimes. It has caused me a lot of problems with my jobs and from what I've read, many truckers smell bad so it might not be a big deal.

So, there's that. Then there's the fact that I absolutely LOVE taking long road trips and don't really even mind regular commuting at all. Most people seem to hate driving in traffic, but it doesn't bother me. I also am a loner and have been all of my life.

What are the worst and best parts of trucking? I realize it isn't a vacation by any means and is a very tough job, but it seems like it would be enjoyable.

So what are the best and worst parts of the job?