Being Young In The Trucking Industry Can Be A Pain!

Rant incoming.

Sometimes, it really gets on my nerves that every driver out there thinks that I'm a student or "my daddy's passenger".

In the past three deliveries, I've had someone comment about my age and "do you even drive" or "are you old enough to even drive"? Today I went to our home terminal in Springfield, MO for the first time. This place is huge! I thought the Central Ref terminal was monumental? This ones even bigger. You literally need a map!

I finally found the correct place to park. So naturally I head to the building closest to me to talk to some drivers to get a better lay of the land. Both drivers assumed that I'm a PSD student. Now, its not their fault. I look really young, I get that. But every single day..... Gets annoying.

I like to think I have a good sense of humor. And I don't mind the age jokes, especially the ones between me and old school. I can take them and often times they make me laugh. But these toothless 30 year veteran truckers that I meet on the road really do get annoying with their remarks.

This doesn't have anything to do with TT. More so what I experience out on the road. This is a rant -I really have my feathers ruffled.

Sorry they gotcha ruffled Daniel.

Must surely get old and tiring from these '30 year toothless' types. Seems its just more sign of the times; every ones has 2 cents on everything and arent able to control schtuff that falls out of their mouths. The old 'if you dont have anything good to say say nothing at all' has vanished for the most part.

And I wouldnt doubt its more about you being young(er) and handling it out there and a sense of oh no, or a threat to some of these types even if they are beyond recongnizing it in the first place. And then there are those few that simply are cutious Im sure.

It is known to us that you are professional and kick butt at your job, and that could be some of the deal here. Do they or do thay have to kid themselves that they do and omit the fact that if they dont, some one else who might be younger and more able, and more dedicated, will ???

Of course individually we will never know unless we knew them but people dont just pop off for nothing and I have had the same thing in my youth not seeing it for what it was until some one told you are a threat to them for their own reasons.

Sad but true my friend.

I doubt any of that. To spend 30 plus years in one job shows nothing by dedication to their job and profession.

Likely it's a stereo type thing. And that likely comes from dealing with the unemployed masses that are flocking to trucking cause they have zero job prospects at home and see trucking as a quick paycheck to tide them over and really are not even qualified to drive a truck. These newer trucker wannabes are the ones that have crazy attitudes whenever someone even looks in their direction.

Just to show an example.....A few weeks ago there was a Schneider driver that was trying to back in. He was having trouble. After about 30 minutes he managed to get it in the spot besides me and I rolled down my window and asked if he was ok cause there was no way that he should have taken that long on what was less than an offside back. More straight lined than anything. He said he was worried and the ice in the parking and did not want to risk backing up on top of the ice and sliding into someone. OK I thought that was reasonable. I had not seen the the ice he was talking about until I looked and it was in the back of the parking spot up on the curb where you should not even have your trailer tires in the first place. I looked at the ice and looked back at him and I seriously thought he was joking. So I asked him if he was joking and he looked me dead in the eye and said "If I had jumped the curb I could have slid into another truck or down into the ditch."

I was dumbfounded. I asked him why he would jump the curb with his trailer tires after he was straight in the parking spot. He said that he had done it twice before and to not worry about him. Insurance would pay for any damages he did to his trailer.

At that point I rolled up my window and stopped talking to him and just shook my head. I was not about to repeat what had happened a week prior when I newer driver told me I did not know anything.

The point is that the newer drivers have read about horror stories of the trucking industry and are immediately on the defensive when someone truly wants to help them and they pop off with attitude rather than a "listening posture" then of course it escalates cause they get attitude thrown right back at them and the entire younger generation of drivers get the label as "Doesn't know Crap and watch out cause they will hit your truck"

Not saying it's the right thing to do but in trucking whole groups of people have to pay for the sins of a few. Only thing that can be done is try to show that you ,yourself, are different and your not apart of the "bad attitude" group of drivers.

I like to think I have a good sense of humor. And I don't mind the age jokes, especially the ones between me and old school. I can take them and often times they make me laugh. But these toothless 30 year veteran truckers that I meet on the road really do get annoying with their remarks.

. . . especially BUTT jokes . . . BTW Daniel, I left a voice mail on your phone (see post entitled "TA DAH!")

Jopa

Try being a female and having everyone think your a lot lizzard or someones girlfriend not and actual driver. It gets annoying as hell to hear "You drive that big ol thing by yourself? " ( while a look of incredulous disbelief shines on there face) or having every man you encounter think you would be up for a good time. UgH! Yep I feel your pain.

I like to think I have a good sense of humor. And I don't mind the age jokes, especially the ones between me and old school. I can take them and often times they make me laugh. But these toothless 30 year veteran truckers that I meet on the road really do get annoying with their remarks.

. . . especially BUTT jokes . . . BTW Daniel, I left a voice mail on your phone (see post entitled "TA DAH!")

Jopa

I called back. Your wife answered. Call me back!

Daniel, I believe you're in your younger twenties. Take heart. I'd love to be in your shoes. At twenty years old I was already traveling around the country, lived in a few states, away from my parents. I wish I was getting paid for it. I applaud you for being young and taking on the responsibility of driving one of those big rigs. I wish I drove OTR and just experienced life while being paid when I was your age.

Unless I'm mistaken, English isn't your first language. Bravo. You're accomplishing much beyond your years, and more importantly, gaining much respected experience.

Try being a female and having everyone think your a lot lizzard or someones girlfriend not and actual driver. It gets annoying as hell to hear "You drive that big ol thing by yourself? " ( while a look of incredulous disbelief shines on there face) or having every man you encounter think you would be up for a good time. UgH! Yep I feel your pain.

Yeah, I can imagine. And honestly you definitely have it worse than me.

When my wife was driving with me a year ago we were walking across a truck stop parking lot and the parked trucks started honking. At least 10 of them. I guess they thought she was a lot lizard.

Now she thinks truck drivers are pervs.

Unless I'm mistaken, English isn't your first language. Bravo. You're accomplishing much beyond your years, and more importantly, gaining much respected experience.

Hey Bill, I just spoke with Daniel on the phone and he doesn't even speak Russian. His parents are Russian but English is his native tongue. A very sharp and determined young man I can sense. You might be old enough to appreciate this but Daniel did not recognize who I was speaking about when I told him my favorite all-time Russian was Natalie Woods - what an absolute gorgeous, vivacious woman. She spoke fluent Russian but her English was without a hint of an accent. What a tragedy she died way too young.

Jopa

BTW I owe you a reply on that last email and I will ya

Jopa, whenever you get a chance, feel free to call me anytime. Yeah, I know Natalie Wood. I'm not into musicals, but my wife made me watch West Side Story. I'm something of a 'vintage' film fanatic, and I merely tolerate musicals.

The Russian language is a beautiful language. I love the culture, second to German culture. The grammar is a bit tough, but I loved studying it! It's a whole new alphabet from the Roman alphabet. My teacher at the time realized that Arabic was the new Russian, due to diplomatic ties. Unfortunately, Russian has gone by the wayside in most major US universities. I also love the culture, although I much prefer coffee to tea, and vodka...well, that's another story! Thank God for grace!!! Otherwise it'd be kielbasa, vodka, and tea everyday!

Try being a female and having everyone think your a lot lizzard or someones girlfriend not and actual driver. It gets annoying as hell to hear "You drive that big ol thing by yourself? " ( while a look of incredulous disbelief shines on there face) or having every man you encounter think you would be up for a good time. UgH! Yep I feel your pain.

Yeah, I can imagine. And honestly you definitely have it worse than me.

When my wife was driving with me a year ago we were walking across a truck stop parking lot and the parked trucks started honking. At least 10 of them. I guess they thought she was a lot lizard.

Now she thinks truck drivers are pervs.

And she would be right. Truck drivers are perverts.

I'm not as young as Daniel, I'm 26 but after I shave I look like I'm 16. I get comments about my age ALL the time. I just learned to ignore them and do my job. I imagine it's much worse dealing with the comments women drivers get.

Oh and I do speak Russian. English is not my native tongue.