I'm Quitting Trucking

With all of my inexperience of being a rookie driver. The one thing I learned pretty quickly is that attitude is everything in this business. We all have our days when everything goes as planned and others where nothing goes your way. You take the good with the bad and smile as you do so. People work with you so much more knowing that you're not going to complain or cause a stink about things. It makes my life a lot less stressful and helps me to get good loads to compensate for the not so good ones.

There's not another profession quite like being a professional driver. It's a totally different ballgame. It's unlike anything else I've ever known. With that being said, it surely is not for everyone. But you have to have the right mindset to begin with. Being able to keep a clear mind and not letting things bug me also helps me to be more focused while rolling down the road. I came into this hoping for the best, but expecting that it could get worse before it gets better. Fortunately, things have been great for my first year. Not perfect by a long shot. But my family is eating well and the bills are getting paid.

As we all know, there are huge egos everywhere in trucking. That could be one of the worst things in my opinion. But respect and humility has served me well. Anything beyond that, I'm not your guy. You won't get a rise out of me. Not at all worth it. I'm a 6'3" 250 pound rugby player that can hold his own. But no thanks.

So for those looking to get into driving or new to it, due diligence is the key. Thoroughly do your research and see if the pros outweigh the cons for you before you take the next step. Prepare yourself mentally for what you are about to embark upon. It will help you emensely in the start to your career.

Thanks for letting me put in my two cents. Be safe out there.

Tropicalstorm offers:

Thanks for letting me put in my two cents. Be safe out there.

That's more like two bucks, Trop! Thank you, and welcome to Trucking Truth!

In reality, the bottom line is the amount of money on your W-2's at the end of the year. If a driver doesn't give himself enough time in the industry before he leaves, he really hasn't experienced everything that the industry has to offer.

I had a bad year last year. I had an International Pro Star, that had me in the shop 12 times during a 6 month period. I finally raised cain and got a new 2016 Freightliner, and ever since I have been consistently knocking down $1000.00 a week.

In spite of the fact that I had so much down time, I still managed to gross over $42,000.00, which is about $4000.00 more than I was making as a Tig Welder building things for the military working 40 hours a week.

At the pace I am running, I am set to have a much more productive year in 2016.

In fact, during the last 6 weeks, I have spent $1905.00 on three pipes. 2 artisan grade, and one collectible that is almost 100 years old. I still managed to pay all my bills, and put into savings 30% of my net.

I wasn't able to spend that kind of money on pipes, back when I was a Tig Welder, or save 30% of my net.

When it comes to all the things that a driver does, that they do not get paid for, I made up my mind early on that all that matters is what my W-2's say. I decided that if I couldn't afford to invest that time, to see what I would be making after getting some experience, I probably would be better off to never get started in the industry, because going in I would be too broke to wait to find out what the industry had to offer.

It's similar to a law school student dropping out of law school after 2 years, because they are not making 250,000.00 a year, and complaining that being an attorney isn't what they thought it was.

Similar to an attorney, being a successful trucker is what you make of it, because you decide how much effort you want to put forth, and in turn decide what you are worth. If a person is accustomed to working for an hourly wage, they are not accustomed to being able to decide how much they are worth.

I'm not sure about making over 1k a week. I've been at this for over six months and I'm averaging about 600-700 a week. It's not because I'm not willing to drive or pit the work in. It just hasn't been offered to me. Between training and truck problems that's all there is to it. If I worked these kind of hours back home I'd be healthier, happier and richer. But oh well, I didn't drink the kool aI'd and it's not working for me. I'll be trying a local gig if it ever happens.

I'm curious why so many of you that are long term members are so he'll bent on telling people how great it is or how great it is not but it is for you.

The truth is the failure rate out here is astronomical.

I'm a company driver and my dispatcher is trying to enact rules on me like I'm a lease driver. Haven't been home in 2 months and he doesn't want to send me home because truck just got out of the shop and according to him is in the hole....

Well my paper license expires soon so either he sends me home or DOT does when they see that. One of a million little things that are not suppose to happen but do. I'm suppose to be home for 4 days a month. It's been two months. Do I get 8 days off? Nope. Not even close. I try to give them a little room (sic) and they lash at me like I'm a lease operator. Funny how that works...

Hudson, I have read your posts dating back to when you have started writing them. They are very telling. I've come to conclusion you are your own worst enemy. You fail to mention an accident among other things. Also getting stuck on a tow.

Let me ask you a question if they have 2 drivers in an area who are open to take a load. One driver has a spotless safety record and the other is you who are they going to entrust with the load?

Stop making excuses and live up to the fact your less than steller performance put you in the position today. Seems like I work for the same carrier and continually am pre planned and receive the miles consistently. I know what my average pay is and you have done something wrong.

If I worked these kind of hours back home I'd be healthier, happier and richer

OTR trucking is a lifestyle and it doesn't sound like you're enjoying the lifestyle. It sounds like you're looking for an ordinary job. Anyone who is out there after six months still complaining that they're not getting any miles, can't figure out how to make decent money, and feels they're not being compensated well enough for their time is simply missing the boat somehow.

Local trucking is far more like a regular job than OTR is but it's not necessarily much better. You're still going to put in 50 - 70 hours a week, you're still not going to have much of a social life to speak of because of the hours you'll be putting in with most jobs, and you might make a little more than you are now or you might not. But from the things you're saying now about your career so far I don't know what you're looking for exactly so I don't know if that would be a step in the right direction or not.

I'm of the thinking that almost anyone is capable of being a productive truck driver but most people will never be happy doing it. Maybe that's you, I don't know. I'm also of the thinking that people should pursue the things in life they're excited and passionate about but I also realize many people are not in a position to do that so they have to take the practical route and find steady income somehow.

It was 1993 when I started driving and there are many times from that first year that I can remember vividly right down to the weather at that moment, my location, the people I was talking to, and even the clothes some people were wearing. I was so d*mn excited every minute of my life out there it was impossible to put in words. I couldn't believe I had the opportunity to travel the country in someone else's brand new big rig making good money and seeing the country at 21 years old. I think I hardly slept two hours straight for the first six months I was so excited all the time.

So I really don't know what to tell people like yourself. If you've made it this far you can obviously do the job but if you're not enjoying it then maybe you should move on. I'm also not sure why you're not getting the miles you should be getting but that's a problem that can and should be fixed. Why you're not getting it fixed I don't know. Maybe you're not speaking with the right people or maybe you're not being forceful enough.

If you stick it out for another six months, get to know the right people at your company, and take the time to figure out what it takes to get the big miles I'm confident you'll be a lot happier than you are now. Whether or not you should do that I really don't know.

I'm curious why so many of you that are long term members are so he'll bent on telling people how great it is or how great it is not but it is for you.

What does that even mean?

Between training and truck problems that's all there is to it.

Simple as that, right? You were in training for a while and from then on your truck was broken down and now here we are. Nothing else to tell, right? Nothing else about your performance that could be affecting the amount of miles you're getting and your home time?

You fail to mention an accident among other things. Also getting stuck on a tow.

hmmm.......that sounds a lot different than training or truck problems. Are we not getting the whole story here?

What does that even mean?

it makes sense if you don't think about it.