Interesting NYT Article About Trucking

The New York Times spent a couple of days at the Petro in Effingham, IL interviewing drivers.

Truckers feel like 'throwaway people'

To me..this article proves attitude makes the difference. As well as self discipline which one driver stated.

"Its a low paying job".... But the only thing that could put the one ladies kid through college...to become a social worker that makes less than a trucker.

" I didn't save for retirement after 15 years of driving, and don't make good money, I live paycheck to paycheck..." But "its the first decent paying job I had in my life".

The next guy says after 5 years, he's leaving trucking with $25-40k saved up---try that back home. He loves he isn't micromanaged and has freedom.

One lady says she forgot how to talk to people...uh really? Most truckers I know talk on the phone constantly. That's why the headsets sell so well. They talk to everybody who walks by them. She states she looks down at the ground when passing people...well...that is why no one talks to you. She distanced herself from people.... Trucking didn't do that.

The last couple says the same...freedom.

Its attitude. Just like with any job. My regular job had me slaving away with no life and the only people I could find to go out with me at 2am on a Tues night were the other night workers.

Yeah, attitude is everything indeed. And of course attitude makes this job a dream or a nightmare for most people. If you ask people what they think about driving a truck for a living, not too many will say, "It's ok." Most people either really like it, or really hate it. But you would expect that from a job that demands so much from people.

I was always a bit perplexed by people who drive for 25 years but would "kill their kids" if they thought about doing it. Why don't you kill yourself and let your kids do what they want?

Totally kidding, of course. But in all seriousness, it's the perfect life for some and the ultimate nightmare for others.

And I think a lot of these guys better rethink the whole "kill your kids" thing because there are fewer and fewer good paying blue collar jobs as time goes on, and Walmart is full of college graduates making $9/hr because they couldn't find a job in their field.

When my dad graduated from high school he had his choice of several great paying factory jobs with top benefits and a union behind him. Now a high school diploma gets you a half-hearted "congratulations" and a wry smile if you're lucky. What's that gonna do? Nothing.

And where are you going to find a decent blue collar job anymore? Not many places. The good ones that are left are even drying up quickly.

Most truckers I know talk on the phone constantly. That's why the headsets sell so well.

OK, this is going to sound dumb, but I'm curious. Who do truckers spend so much time talking to? Family? Other truckers? Telemarketers?

There aren't enough people in my phone's contacts section for me to talk with for an hour total, let alone during 9 or 11 hours of driving. I don't think I'm particularly anti-social.

Most truckers I know talk on the phone constantly. That's why the headsets sell so well.

OK, this is going to sound dumb, but I'm curious. Who do truckers spend so much time talking to? Family? Other truckers? Telemarketers?

There aren't enough people in my phone's contacts section for me to talk with for an hour total, let alone during 9 or 11 hours of driving. I don't think I'm particularly anti-social.

Spouses, kids, parents, friends, load planners, customers, fleet managers, shop managers, you name it. About once a week or so my dad will call to BS, and before either of us know it, we've been on the phone for 2 or 3 hours.

Most truckers I know talk on the phone constantly. That's why the headsets sell so well.

OK, this is going to sound dumb, but I'm curious. Who do truckers spend so much time talking to? Family? Other truckers? Telemarketers?

There aren't enough people in my phone's contacts section for me to talk with for an hour total, let alone during 9 or 11 hours of driving. I don't think I'm particularly anti-social.

Yep...other truckers. When I was a student I got a list of drivers numbers and put in my phone which shift they usually drive. It gave me 24/7 help for me as a rookie. Plus it passes the time.

I totally recommend newbies get the numbers of experienced drivers. At 3am...dispatch isn't going to know how to help you unlock the frozen brakes lol

I totally recommend newbies get the numbers of experienced drivers. At 3am...dispatch isn't going to know how to help you unlock the frozen brakes lol

Now that right there is excellent advice. Thank you!

I think it's interesting they chose the title they did, considering most of what the drivers said was actually positive.

Overall I thought it was a cool article. It really shows how diverse the trucking industry is.

One lady says she forgot how to talk to people...uh really? Most truckers I know talk on the phone constantly. That's why the headsets sell so well. They talk to everybody who walks by them. She states she looks down at the ground when passing people...well...that is why no one talks to you. She distanced herself from people.... Trucking didn't do that.

I can actually relate to that lady. I felt the same way when otr to some extent. Talking on the phone really helped and I did it alot, but it still just isn't the same. Even talking on the phone daily, my social skills declined while I was otr. I found it became difficult to carry on conversations with close friends I'd known for years. Nothing permanent, of course--I'm back to my normal self again.

Trucking is lonely. Some people love it, some can't handle it, and most truckers that stick around for a while just learn to cope.

Looks to me if the NYT reporter talked to anyone with a happy, positive thought about this career, they were ignored or not included. There is no way everyone interviewed had a tale of woe, unhappiness, bad health, lousy pay and lifestyle problems. This is a typical NYT "hit" for sensationalism or fitting their political agenda. I have four friends that truck (and recently two of them encouraged me into going to school and driving a truck) and none of the four had these type of negative comments about their career of many years. Bad food choices, like bad lifestyle choices are NOT the exclusive realm of truckers. I have three daughters in their late thirties all with four year liberal arts degrees and not ONE is making close to 50K a year.

The New York Times spent a couple of days at the Petro in Effingham, IL interviewing drivers.

Truckers feel like 'throwaway people'