Hardest Part About Driving A Truck.

Initially the mechanics of driving and backing is a challenge. Add-in clock management and it's easy to understand why the attrition rate is so high.

Once past the initial 3-6 months; it's patience and anticipating what other drivers intend on doing. Space management is a very important skill to understand, master, and never forget that will keep you out of trouble.

Personally, I'd say backing is the hardest part. Driving is easy, traffic is easy if you have patience, trip planning gets easier. But with backing, every situation is different even if you're backing into the same exact spot, tandems are in the same exact place. The differing factor is you. You may begin your setup ever so slightly more forward or backward, moving slightly faster, turning your wheel at a different speed. Then throw in the fatigue factor, other drivers trying to rush you giving you dirty looks or showing you you're number 1.

But that's just my personal opinion.

So far for me, it is adjusting to the somewhat erratic sleep patterns, and driving between 2am and 4am. Those 2 hours are really hard for me, and it seems that I am always on a load where those hours are smack in the middle of my route plan, when my delivery times don't have a lot of wiggle room. So far, the few times I needed to stop and take a small cat nap, my DL worked it out accordingly.

So far for me, it is adjusting to the somewhat erratic sleep patterns, and driving between 2am and 4am. Those 2 hours are really hard for me, and it seems that I am always on a load where those hours are smack in the middle of my route plan, when my delivery times don't have a lot of wiggle room. So far, the few times I needed to stop and take a small cat nap, my DL worked it out accordingly.

thats good. keep in communicatiom on the QC and knowing your body limits is awesome for a new driver. you will build up stamina over time.

This is a great conversation. As you can see, no one who has any experience really thinks that handling the rig itself is the hardest part of trucking. In fact, after you've been driving for a year or so handling the rig really isn't much of a concern. In the very beginning, though, backing up that rig is going to be the most difficult challenge for most people.

I did a podcast called Three Problems Rookie Drivers Often Fail To Overcome and you'll find that interesting.

In my opinion, the two things that cause a ton of problems out there are:

1) Patience. There are a thousand things that will happen in any given day that can frustrate you and Pianoman did an awesome job of listing some of the most common ones. I'll put them here again as a reminder:

• Waiting to be given a load and working with dispatch. You should be proactive by all means, but sometimes you're still going to have to wait.
• Waiting at shippers and receivers. Being polite and courteous instead of yelling and threatening, like many drivers do
• Keeping that left door shut! Sometimes it's really tempting to stop at every other truck stop because you're tired of driving, your back hurts, you're hungry, etc. It takes discipline and patience to just keep driving.
• Being courteous on the road, where people do the most atrocious things because they're anonymous to you. When people cut you off, back off. Take your time going through towns so you don't end up accidentally running a red light. Don't ever be in a hurry.

Becoming impatient can hurt you (or others) in so many ways. The circumstances out there change constantly, and so do the circumstances within our own lives. You simply can't allow yourself to lose your patience. The risks are too great.

2) Remaining focused at all times. Most of the worst wrecks I've ever witnessed were in ideal conditions. It was a sunny day, light traffic, in the middle of the summer. A beautiful day and the perfect conditions to relax, listen to some tunes, and enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately if you let your guard down for even a moment disaster may strike.

We're all on high alert in stressful situations. The hard part is remaining on high alert every moment you're behind the wheel.

Great answers from everyone! I think I'm going to turn this conversation into an article and quote everyone on this. Keep em coming!

This!

Driving is the easy part of trucking. Trip planning and using your time efficiently is the hardest part

Waiting is always hard for me. I have more patience than I used to but it can be infuriating when a wrench is thrown into your plans because the pickup or delivery date was wrong.. actually happening to me at this very moment.

Takes a lot not to get ****ed off about it. One thing is always to have perspective and understand we all make mistakes. No need to get mad at the receiver because the people operating the forklifts didn't make the appointments.

No need to get mad at the receiver because the people operating the forklifts didn't make the appointments.

True. Not only that, but in the grand scheme of things it's a blip on the radar. You have the entire rest of your life to make all the money you'd like to make. A little time spent napping or reading or watching TV will help you keep your sanity and have a little fun along the way.

Knowing when to go from waiting on a shipper or receiver to sleeping at one. And this one can really help you out.

Knowing when to calm yourself down. As in get out of the truck and walk around, do whatever you've got to do no matter what. Because getting into a rush is bad for your credentials later on down the road. When you start to feel frantic set the brakes... I don't care where you are. Stop.

Backing is only tough for so long. Managing your clock is different for every load but if you set certain parameters in the beginning (see first paragraph) it becomes a little easier with time.

Learn to use the phone. Sounds pretty simple right? Lots of drivers join this vocation because of the solitude but in doing so loose the ability to communicate with others. I found this out myself until I caught it and what was going on.

Knowing that you need to get out of the truck for awhile..Brett has mentioned this repeatedly and at different times of the year I've done it absentmindedly and I've also did the opposite. But I think I'll have a mandatory 6month vacation from now on😁

For me it is the CB! Being judgmental of others drivers. People make mistakes.

What was the last mistake you made? Now before that, when did you make that same exact little tiny mistake?

Was it a long time ago?

People have good days and bad days. Trying not to jusdge people for their mistakes is hard for me. Trying to smile and keep a good attitude.

Being to hard on yourself is tough for me too. Judging ones own self. Trying to be perfect. Trying to be the best that you can possibly be every moment of every day is very hard on you mentally, and it eventually makes you tired.