I'm Quitting Trucking

Hudson you also think your getting treated like a lease operator but in fact your not. Each truck and trailer represents certain amount of revenue to a company. As time goes by the revenue decreases on them. Each company knows when the costs of the equipment repair reaches a certain level they get rid of it. The same goes for drivers, you represent a certain amount of revenue to the company. When you don't achieve their expectations guess what happens.

When all three are combined it's real easy to squeeze a driver out the door. They don't have to fire you they just have to slow you down. Before long they know your going to leave. Does that ring a bell?

I mentioned the accident and there were two other company drivers who had the exact same situation happen down the road. Either I was going to wreck into them or I was going to stop where I was at. 15mph and the trailer jacknifes from the ice sounds alot better than crashing into five trucks at the bottom of the hill.

Hudson you also think your getting treated like a lease operator but in fact your not. Each truck and trailer represents certain amount of revenue to a company. As time goes by the revenue decreases on them. Each company knows when the costs of the equipment repair reaches a certain level they get rid of it. The same goes for drivers, you represent a certain amount of revenue to the company. When you don't achieve their expectations guess what happens.

When all three are combined it's real easy to squeeze a driver out the door. They don't have to fire you they just have to slow you down. Before long they know your going to leave. Does that ring a bell?

That sounds wonderful and all but am I suppose to be responsible for major mechanical issues on a tractor or apu? I'm not taking responsibility for something that should have been fixed before I got in the truck. I really don't see how that's my issue. And if they let me go more power to them.

I understand I'm not profitable for the company at this point just like I understand it's not profitable for me. I'm more than happy to go. Never collected unemployment in my life it may be the thing that helps me recover from this mess that is trucking.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

And yes they starve me out that would also be great. Would prove even more how terrible this industry can be to people. Like I said series of events out of my control. Just because I want to be home for a few days after 2 months of driving. That sounds estatic!

Hudson, I think you're a decent guy but you scare me a little. You haven't had an easy ride, but you're sitting there acting like it was completely out of your hands when it wasn't. I'm reading so much BS from you I just have to respond. I know a lot about your situation so I don't think I'm speaking out of character here, I've followed you from the start.

1: It took many weeks to get you an instructor. This was your fault. First of all, you're a young guy and from CA - that part isn't your fault. But here's what I noticed about you. You spent all your time at Prime East which severely crippled your chances at getting an Instructor. Prime East isn't a good place. You should have been at the Pad where they test out, and as soon as an Instructor tested his student out and passed him you should have been knocking on his door to be his next student. You didn't do that. You spent your time at Prime East talking, hoping someone will call you.

I even went out of my way to find you and spend time with you all day on the pads so you can practice and when you're not practicing you can watch my student and learn from his mistakes. Well, you watched us for 15 minutes and then left to go talk to the other students. You sticking around with me on the pad lasted so shortly I didn't even have time to allow you to practice backing up my truck. You lacked focus, determination, and a whole lot of lazy - all you wanted to do was chit chat from my real life perspective.

2: Secondly, you're a smoker. Nothing against smokers but when you're a smoker you're cutting your chance of getting an Instructor by 50% because a non-smoking Instructor will never want you. And that's where I stood. Your smoking is the only reason why you weren't my student. That is a choice you make and a choice that hurt you badly, that is in your hands. I'll handle a student who isn't focused and is lazy and I'll make them into a great driver, but I won't deal with cigarettes.

3: You did it! You finally got your own truck! Except a week later you F'd it up. Don't even pretend this wasn't entirely your fault. Yes, you weren't the only Prime driver that messed up that day but that in no way, shape, or form means it wasn't your fault 100%. You, and all those other drivers, all messed up. Just because you weren't the only one doesn't mean anything. You are the captain of your ship, you were the one behind the wheel, you started driving an empty trailer through an icey road instead of staying shut down for safety reasons until the sun came out and melted the ice. You started turning those wheels when it wasn't wise to do so, that's on you. This isn't a case of "the universe has been showing me signs", this is an example of how wrong decisions in this industry can impact your life and career. You were given the keys to a truck and you messed it up, don't blame anyone but yourself on that one man.

So in summary, I think you're a nice guy, but you seriously lack taking accountability for your actions and responsibility. Mostly everything that has happened to you was entirely your fault so please don't sit here telling a misinformed crowd that everything that has happened to you was out of your control because that's total buiishlt. (And I'll add a smiley face so no one thinks I'm attacking anyone)

Like I said series of events out of my control

Over the years I'd often come across drivers from my own company that were having the exact opposite experience I was. Not only that, but often times they even had the exact same dispatcher I had! They weren't getting home, they weren't getting the miles, they weren't being treated well, and they loathed the very dispatcher that I was getting along with wonderfully. That same dispatcher was making sure I had great miles, made great money, and not only got home when I was supposed to but got some extra favors thrown in along the way like an extra day or two off or a reassignment after being given a lousy run to begin with.

Why do drivers get treated differently? Most of the time it's simply a matter of performance and attitude. Those who perform consistently at a high level, know how to hustle, and know how to get along well with people will have it made at pretty much any company they work for. And when a top tier driver is having trouble getting good miles or home time and he knows the fault isn't his own then he'll quickly get the right people on the phone to get to the bottom of whatever the problem is and get it fixed.

When faced with challenging circumstances most people complain, point fingers at others, and shoulder little or none of the responsibility for the outcome. The few who thrive in an industry as difficult and dangerous as trucking are the type that take the full responsibility for making great things happen squarely onto their own shoulders and they simply won't settle for less. They're going to find a way to make great things happen somehow, someway.

A new driver who is going to eventually thrive in this industry will come in here and say, "I'm doing everything I know how to do but I'm not getting the miles and home time I expected. Am I doing something wrong? What can I do to get better miles and get home more often?"

Others will come in here and say, "I'm doing everything perfectly but my company sucks and trucking sucks."

It takes a veteran driver about 10 seconds to figure out who gets it and who won't be around long if they don't make some changes in a hurry.

Early on in this thread, it occurred to me that we weren't getting the entire story, and sure enough.....

This industry is similar to other occupations, in that it can be best suited to someone who is single, or at least divorced, and already have their kids raised.

Occupations like career military, police officer, etc. tend to have high divorce rates, simply because of the strain that their chosen occupation puts on their marriage and home life. Conversely, if a person feels the need to get away from everyone and everything in their life, and make a fresh start, trucking can be the ticket right out of a miserable existence.

I usually make the comparison of being a trucker, to the characters Clint Eastwood used to play in the old west. It was just him, traveling from town to town alone. No kids running around his horse, and no wife nagging him about how dangerous his lifestyle was.

When he came across a female who wanted to spend time with him, he usually obliged her, but never offered to hang around for very long or make a commitment.

At the end of the movie, he was always found riding off into the sunset, heading for another town and another adventure. The solitary carefree lifestyle was the only life he would ever consider, and it was clear that he wouldn't have it any other way.

I have taken accountable the consequences of my actions and realize that yes I could have prevented the accident. But I also realize it's different outcomes for different people.

I appolagize because it sounds like a huge complaint. I'd like to put it as just a different perspective. This job doesn't work out for everyone. I'm going to see it through as far as I can as was my initial intention. I'm going to fulfill my obligation. After that we'll time will tell but I don't think I'd be in it for the long haul as OTR. Maybe something more in kin to what I need in my life.

Yes I showed up and watched your student back for a minute. I didn't want to take time from him for the time he had practicing was limited. Hindsight is 20/20 though. I just wish circumstances were different. I don't fail, I never have. The army instills in people to always move forward. But it's been heavy.

Hudson now you are coming around a little. The only reason people were defensive is you told someone your experiences as if that was law! There are plenty of professionals in this forum that shoot straight from the hip. Everyone try's to answer the good bad and ugly side of trucking. Many of them successful making decent pay.

I'm sure in your travels at Prime you've met quite a few drivers that are happy with their career path. I also know you met some that weren't. This job wasn't for you that's cool but don't condemn the industry for your shortfalls or you will be called out again

Hudsonhawk, my hat is off to you for continuing to listen to what people tell you, even if it's uncomfortable to read here. I think you may actually be trying to learn something here.

Your last post (the one just before Brian's above) started out that way, then your Hudsonhawk logic kicked in and you said,

I don't fail, I never have.

and I don't think I took that out of context. Hudson, Donald Trump has failed! Everyone who has posted here, including me, everyone who reads this has failed somewhere.

Recognize that fact, and the facts pointed out to you here. Agree there is potential for failure. Then get up, dust yourself off. Most importantly, think about what happened and figure out how to avoid it happening again. Then get on with your life, whether in trucking or anything else you do.