Portcolumbus From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1612 posts, RR: 4 Posted (10 years 9 months 3 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 581 times:
I love to travel, and I've always been fascinated by big rigs.
Is trucking a good career to get into? I've heard mixed opinions, some like it, others can't wait to get out. Long hours, not so good pay, is this all true?
Any truckers in here? If so, what type are you? (OTR, local, regional?) What company? Do you like it?
Portcolumbus From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1612 posts, RR: 4 Reply 1, posted (10 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 545 times:
Jwenting From Netherlands, joined Apr 2001, 10213 posts, RR: 21 Reply 2, posted (10 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 543 times:
Not a trucker, but an uncle was (until he got an accident which cost him the use of his legs).
hours are long, sometimes very long. There are limits to the number of hours you may drive per day, but that just means more time sitting in highway carparks or dozin in the cab while your partner drives.
pay is low, especially for independent truckers. Those in employ usually have union wages, independents pick up the scraps and competition is fierce. Even for union wages, they aren't all that high (about what you'd expect for what is just above unskilled labour).
After a while it gets boring, unless something dangerous happens. My uncle drove to the middle east a lot, sitting at border crossing with guntoting Arabs inspecting your truck for pork and porn isn't funny. Neither are pisspoor weather at night with the inherent large risk of accidents.
Expect to drive the same route a lot. After the first few times you've seen it all, and you almost never have time to see more than the highway and reststops anyway. Come everywhere, see nothing.
He drove all over Europe. Often away 5-6 days a week, on the road. No proper hotels (too expensive). Sleep on a truckstop in the truck, eat in the truckstop and hope they have a clean toilet and shower.
Portcolumbus From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1612 posts, RR: 4 Reply 3, posted (10 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 532 times:
That paints a gloomy picture. Sorry about your uncle.
Independents have it the worst. Have to pay for everything on your truck and that isn't cheap. Should I consider this a last resort career?
Soku39 From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1797 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (10 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 515 times:
Yes definately a last resort career. Probobaly a career that you probably would never want to get into.
AirNova From Canada, joined Feb 2000, 78 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (10 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 495 times:
Hey Joe,
I live in Canada and my Dad drives a truck. He usually does long trips such as Texas and Cali. In my opinion it doesn't seem to be that bad. You get to see a lot of places, realize how dangerously other people drive, improve your own driving skills, and most of all the pay is very good.
About the pay, in Canada if you want to make the big bucks on the trucks you have to be an independent driver with your own truck. All you have to do is get contracts through a trucking company. Otherwise the only way to go is to work on a company's truck but the pay would be MUCH lower.
I guess the only bad thing about being a truck driver is the long time you're away from home. ie: my dad left to California last Saturday and is coming back tomorrow.
Boeing747-700 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (10 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 486 times:
Its a good job to fall back on as well. I have my AZ license, though I only drive for my friend when he needs a driver for his company. I can be a great too to have if times are hard. I think its fun driving trucks.... Well sometimes it is. I for one love the Kenworth T2000 with the Eaton-Fuller 18 Speed manual Transaxle. Must have a Cat engine though. Word of the wise, don't use the clutch, once you have passed your road test, it just gets in the way.
Portcolumbus From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1612 posts, RR: 4 Reply 7, posted (10 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 464 times:
747-700-
When you float the gears, does that require a special transmission, or can it be done on any semi? Peterbilt fan here, although any nice sleeper would do
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