Is This Normal To Feel This Way As A Truck Driver

So I have completed school and had no issues. Now I have begun the job search. While going through school my longest time behind the wheel at one time was 4 hours. It wasn't bad honestly. A little draining at points going through all the small towns. Of the 4 hours only maybe 30 minutes of it was on highway. The rest all small towns.

Now here is my dilemma. Figuring out where to go next.

My concerns are after completing those 4 hours I was drained and so looked forward to stopping and stretching and taking a break. Is this common? I mean if after 4 hours I'm tired how the hell can I do 8-10 hours driving everyday?

Drivers have that 70 hour clock but do they really go through 70 hours every single week? And how much of that is driving?

Look I'm not trying to sound like some p$&!y I'm just expressing my concerns. My mind was stone set on LTL so I can be with my family. But now I'm considering regional and being home every 5 days or so. This gets tuition reimbursement plus experience under my belt. I'm just worried I can't handle the endurance needed to drive that much every week. Am I just being that p&@$y or is this a common fear and is something my body will adjust to.

I did like driving that truck. You somewhat get that feeling of wow this is awesome. Here I am driving the one thing I never though I would be able to. The thing I used to sit in my car and admire these guys and now I'm truly doing it and doing it well.

Let's also not forget the fear of driving in the snow and that trailer getting lose on me. I will be wearing depends undergarments if I drive in that stuff.

I'm throwing this out there and just hope someone can help and give that insight and I can build my confidence to convince myself that yes I can do this. My teacher believed in me and said I was a great student but I spent to much time beating myself up over little things. My nature I guess. Not sure why I beat myself expecting perfection when I know perfection is not possible.

I know I have other concerns but can't think of them all right now.

And 6 string I still intend to call you sometime. Just been so busy trying to figure this confusing time out.

Normal as can be, Tyler. I think every new driver feels totally exhausted after their first driving sessions. Mine, in school, usually lasted about two hours and I felt completely worn, mentally after the first few. But, it gets better every day. Your confidence will grow quickly, it will become less stressful, and your stamina will increase. Stay out of trouble... Don't hit anything... You'll be fine.

When I met my trainer, the first thing he asked me was "are you suicidal?" I replied, "not at the moment." And he said, "okay, then I trust you. You'll be doing all the driving this week." Well, that first night after about 6 hours of stressful driving I felt like I had gotten to a point where it might not be safe for me to continue. I told my trainer and we switched seats. No big deal. He expected that to happen, actually. Went home, slept like a rock, went back the next day knowing better what to expect and it went much better.

You're young. You'll get used to quickly. Just be careful... Don't hit anything!

Yeah, it's definitely normal. Personally I always loved taking a break every two or three hours, but I ran paper logs my entire career so I could pretty much drive anytime I wanted to and the laws were more flexible back then. Nowadays with electronic logs and that awful 14 hour rule you're going to have to run longer periods of time in between breaks when you're busy than we had to. But you'll handle it just fine.

In the beginning everyone gets tired pretty quickly because there are 1000 things you have to think about constantly. As you get more and more time under your belt a lot of those things will become automatic and you won't have to spend so much brain energy on them. You'll be more relaxed and confident, your mind will adjust to driving all the time, and you'll be perfectly fine.

Tyler, thank you for being so open about your feelings. It's great because other drivers might feel they're in the same boat (or truck!)

My first OTR day (with my trainer) was several hours. My arms felt like they might come off. I do like long trips, so the butt already had those callouses. Another time, after my 30 minute stop, I saw the Qualcomm calculation for my drive time: I still had 6 hours to go! You get used to it.

Its more stressful when your a student cuz your learning and trying not to f up... When you get on your own you can stop when you want for food,bathroom or whatever and whenever as long as you can make it on time... The longest I drove without stopping was 7 hours and that was cuz of a tight window we had....

You will get leg cramps and your butt will go numb if so just pull over safely for a few minutes and stretch..

Tyler, thank you for being so open about your feelings. It's great because other drivers might feel they're in the same boat (or truck!)

My first OTR day (with my trainer) was several hours. My arms felt like they might come off. I do like long trips, so the butt already had those callouses. Another time, after my 30 minute stop, I saw the Qualcomm calculation for my drive time: I still had 6 hours to go! You get used to it.

Thanks Errol. And yeah opening up was and is not my forte but to get honest answers I feel I should be honest as well.

My family is supportive or as supportive as possible about the idea of going regional. Wife loves the tuition reimbursement, my son just wants to know if he can have my car while gone and my daughter .... Well she doesn't like the idea at all of me being gone.

I have so many concerns and I'm sure they are common. Like how can I handle driving in some of these big cities or getting used to ever changing sleep schedules down to showering in strange places.

On average, how much do you actually spend driving?

Errol, if my rear starts getting callouses I think I need a cushion.

Tyler asks:

I have so many concerns and I'm sure they are common. Like how can I handle driving in some of these big cities or getting used to ever changing sleep schedules down to showering in strange places.

On average, how much do you actually spend driving?

I grew up and learned to drive in Los Angeles. The only city that gets on my nerves now is probably Dallas, mainly because its a Texas statewide pastime to rebuild freeways there. Just leave lots of space in front of you, don't get mad when someone moves into that space (make more space). Allowing for freeway rules ("No trucks in left two lanes") get into whatever lane you need to be in as soon as you can. I practice glide shifting - the game is to keep the engine revs as constant as possible as you speed up and slow down in heavy traffic.

I'm starting my third week of a regional dedicated job. How does that saying go? "Drive when you have to and rest when you can." So lots of 11 hour driving days. I've run out of time a couple of times, but you should be able to plan that out - you can see it coming. I prefer driving after midnight towards noon, so in a bit (It's 3:30pm now) I have to hit the sack. Part if this regional gig is home weekends for the 34 hour reset, so almost no recap driving.

Hey Tyler,

I am bit confused. I am on a local account and we will haul anywhere from 1 load to 8-10 loads a day. Depending of course on the location. I would imagine regional is at least 250-500 mile trips. On a local or LTL account you will be able to get out in stretch walking into the shipping offices, or dropping and hooking. Either way I think you will be fine. I know at Schneider they like when you stretch every 2-3 hours. They rather you be safe then anything else.

Hey Tyler,

I am bit confused. I am on a local account and we will haul anywhere from 1 load to 8-10 loads a day. Depending of course on the location. I would imagine regional is at least 250-500 mile trips. On a local or LTL account you will be able to get out in stretch walking into the shipping offices, or dropping and hooking. Either way I think you will be fine. I know at Schneider they like when you stretch every 2-3 hours. They rather you be safe then anything else.

I am actually going to be going to a Schneider training facility near me to look around and get more info this week.

Not sure where I confused you though as you didn't say specifically.

Hey Tyler,

I am bit confused. I am on a local account and we will haul anywhere from 1 load to 8-10 loads a day. Depending of course on the location. I would imagine regional is at least 250-500 mile trips. On a local or LTL account you will be able to get out in stretch walking into the shipping offices, or dropping and hooking. Either way I think you will be fine. I know at Schneider they like when you stretch every 2-3 hours. They rather you be safe then anything else.

I am actually going to be going to a Schneider training facility near me to look around and get more info this week.

Not sure where I confused you though as you didn't say specifically.

I was confused because I was under the impression you would be on the road more with a regional job then with a local dedicated. I would think LTL would be more trips but much shorter hauls. I am new so I could be wrong. I am basing this off my local CHEP account I am on.