Enjoying Yourself As An Over The Road Driver

I didn't think I'd like local as much as I do, but I really like it. OTR was amazing but I think after the 2.5 year mark it started to become a grind no matter how much I got out of the truck. Perhaps it was the timing considering I did start OTR as a fresh newly-wed.

Definitely don't regret it, people don't believe me when I tell them I've been to all lower 48 states and I'm only in my mid-20's.

OTR really teaches you a lot about life and death. We see the beauty of the world, then in the next hour we are descending a mountain covered in snow wondering if we will make it out alive. I've seen accidents and people dead in their cars after an accident (before Police came to cover the body) as well as folks giving random acts of kindness to strangers they'll never see again. Life is a precious gift, but it can be gone any second. OTR teaches you this well and its a great lesson to learn at a young age.

Not to mention the different cultures and all the things you can do out there. I have galleries full of pictures and even put a few hundred in a photo binder for my parents to see.

Now if it comes across that I'm bashing OTR or that I hold a grudge against it then I apologize because that isn't my intent. But I would say I fall under the "it was a stepping stone" category.

The hours are extremely long in trucking and that doesn't just go for OTR drivers, it goes for local too. But fortunately I found a company that respects my "I only want to work around 48-50 hours per week" plan and has many other drivers who also only work that much. It's very difficult to find a company that won't work you your full 70.

Now if it comes across that I'm bashing OTR or that I hold a grudge against it then I apologize because that isn't my intent.

And for those of you who don't realize it, I don't want to come across as bashing Daniel B. He and I are good friends. I actually miss him stalking me on the interstates like he did when he was running over the road.

Wow! This thread is gold! Im having a love hate relationship with trucking (mostly love)...theres alot i love about it but some things bother me. Im learning though. I do try to use the truck stops every night so i can get a shower on my 10hr reset. I feel like my backing skills were challenged a little more as i worked for family dollar my first 3 months. That required me to do special manuevers to get the truck in the right place. Part of why i left family dollar is because i felt it was prone to cause a backing accident and i didnt want to have a bunch of backing accidents before my career got going. I quickly got tired of truck stop food. I bought a lunch box cooker and will probably get a microwave in the future. I would like to use my electric skillet or find one that wont blow my inverter. Ive brought books and a guitar for my free time. And i like to venture when i can.

I think a microwave is tougher on an invertor due to the intense power requirements at start up. I also think you can not use a modified sine wave inverter with microwave.

I have a 2k watt invertor. Elec Skillet, Toaster Oven, Kcup Coffee and elec tea kettle all work withen the specs. .... I quickly got tired of truck stop food. I brought a lunch box cooker and will probably get a microwave in the future. I would like to use my electric skillet or find one that wont blow my inverter. Ive brought books and a guitar for my free time. And i like to venture when i can.