New Driver/Bad Reviews

I think humans are naturally more inclined to pipe up if they're ****ed off or disgruntled than if they are ecstatic and happy.

Reviews for everything, from Amazon products to trucking companies, tend to skew negative imo

Austin, stick with this site. All my research of this industry, preparation for the CDL tests with endorsements, and even my application to companies that train was all done right from here. I know I'm off to a good start and staying here to learn everything I can from what all the experienced drivers share.

Austin,

My take on why you see so many negative reviews about trucking involves the nature of trucking. Trucking has a certain romantic mystique which attracts people for the wrong reasons with unrealistic expectations. I would categorize those unrealistic expectations into three categories: management/support; pay; lifestyle.

The management/support in trucking is unique. In most jobs management/support are onsite and can help you out when you get into a jam. In trucking, it’s pretty much just you and the truck. After your brief training, they give you a truck, assign you a load, and expect you to get it from point A to point B without any assistance. While this may seem obvious, many people don’t realize this when they get into trucking.

Trucking pays well for most blue-collar jobs. And many companies lure drivers by saying “make up to $X” or “average driver pay is $X.” That’s how much you CAN make, not necessarily how much you will make. Trucking is performance based, which relates back to the management/support. Drivers who don’t figure out how to be self-reliant won’t make as much money.

Finally, while many people are attracted by the romance of living on the road, the long days and many miles can take its toll. Think of all melancholy rock songs about life on the road. And this also relates to pay. If you’re not driving long days and many miles, you don’t make as much money.

Reread some of those negative reviews from the above perspective.

In my opinion, you have to come into the industry with realistic expectations. First, you have to figure out how to adapt to the lifestyle. I talk to friends. I listen to podcasts and audio books. I’ve learned a lot about history, philosophy, religion, science, etc. I get off the truck and explore the area nearby. Most drivers don’t. In my almost three years as a driver, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen another driver at a park right next to the truck stop.

Thus, if you make a plan to adapt to the lifestyle, those long days of driving can be more tolerable and you’ll cover more miles. And if transfer that same initiative to adapt to the lifestyle toward being self-reliant, you’ve overcome all three challenges to making trucking a successful adventure.

Austin, welcome. Like in any industry, people failing at what they do almost always blame someone else for their failures. Hence the negative reviews. Trucking will be what you make of it. As far as the big companies go - you could probably write all their names down on a piece of paper, put them in a jar, and blindly pick one to run with and never know the difference. I'm not saying to do that. Lol. But you probably get the point I'm making. Good luck.