__ . Hoping you enjoyed today's video upload. Thought it was a good time to reflect on why we become truckers in the first place. Remember WHY you drive. Be proud. You do a hell of a job. ;) SO, WHY DID YOU START TO DRIVE? DOES DRIVING STILL TURN YOUR CRANK? Love to hear from you.
I've been a lawyer for 20 years and Covid was a wake up call. Just finished my second week of CDL school in no small part because of this channel. Thanks!
I love the freedom and see parts of the country no one else does....with that said....I'd rather be behind the wheel of a 18 wheeler than the corruptness of the dispatchers.....lol
Flatbed short hauler here. Started out as OTR in '06, seeing sites I doubt will ever see again. Mt. St. Helens smoking, Tornado in Friona, TX, Big Sky Country of Montana, and the seemingly endless prairies of the Heartland. Even better if you're a socially awkward introvert such as myself, the open road is very therapeutic. These days I shuttle steel from SC to VA and back 5 nights a week. I'm here to tell you nothing's better than driving 10-11hrs. a night listening to whatever you want and not having anyone breathing down your neck.
I've been stuck at a desk for the last 10 years of my life and I can't STAND the corporate culture. I love driving on long road trips and I've been studying up on getting my CDL and switching careers over this past year. Thinking I'll be making the plunge next year!
Be sure to get in the right trucking company and you won't regret it! :D bad buisness is in every branch. But join r/Truckers on reddit and do some research ;) Good luck man!
I can relate! I have everything a person could want, house by the lake with a fence, wife and kids, vehicles, toys etc but I'm not happy! I'm tired of the rat race/monotony of cooperate america!
@@leagueofotters2774 Same here! IT use to be exciting when everything was changing rapidly! Now most of these millennials that are coming into the field, don't know squat! They ruin the IT infrastructure and never get disciplined for it! They come in, and supplant us guys that have been there for years!
I'm closing in on my first half million. I love driving, yesterday was the best day in a long time for driving. I cranked 700 miles and the weather was largely polite. You'd be hard pressed to have a better day than nearly perfect weather, fairly lite traffic, and a perfect Playlist for hours
My favorite part of driving is seeing the country, the entire country. I love it. It's also nice sitting up high in a big rig being king of the road. Lol. Driving is a great job!
I've always loved trucks ever since I was a kid I got my CDL when I finished high school I haven't always drove a truck I had other jobs but always did find my way back to the road
I got into trucking because of Smokey and the Bandit. Seeing Jerry Reed driving the rig and having so much fun inspired me. It’s not all smiles but I don’t regret going to diesel school. I’m 23! Love what I do and having a blast!
Im about to go to CDL school. I'm 55 and tired of hard labor, retail and don't like being security. Driving long distances ain't no big deal. ITs not a pleasure But its not a pain either and I thought to myself" People my age or older retire and drive RV's across the US and IF I learn trucking someone will pay me to see the US." I also like the idea of living in my truck and not paying rent and just saving money.
25 yr old O/O. No truck payments. 2 years total driving so far. Changed my career from welding for the aerospace industry to immediate ownership in trucking. Initially what brought me to trucking was my cousin putting me on the money, I netted 90k my first year and realized how many avenues of income I can attempt to create out of this career. Rolling over into the second year, I’ve nested into this career and am enjoying the lifestyle. Home daily, weekends off, running about 1500-2200+ miles a week, been averaging 2k-3.4k net a week. My conclusion after slightly less than two years: if you find a good set up, learn up on becoming O/O and only run what makes sense. You can make a lot of money in trucking if you connect with the right people, and run smart.
Amen brother. You struck all the chords. I love truck driving for so many reasons but I definitely love not having office politics and jerks leaning over my shoulders.
Why I wanna become a trucker nobody looking over my shoulders and going to nice places on way to drop off LOAD or load the LOAD and want peace and quiet time with me and my truck doing my job and money and so I also have something to do for most of my day there you go SMART TRUCKING have a great day,stay home stay safe stay healthy.
Hazmat permits are going at $500.00 per test here on the Best Coast. Not sure I want to deal with the new regs as well. If you go Brother, tap er light and be safe🤜🤛
The chance to drive something so big that most people were afraid to drive it is what pulled me into trucking in the late 1960s; the Freedom & independence I felt out on the road is what kept me there. I had so much fun I would've done for free if I could've afforded to.
I've been following you for years and you've helped me continue to thrive in this industry as a regional over the road northeast driver. I love driving NYC, NJ, and eastern PA and it's easy to me now. A few years ago I was terrified of it. I've sent over 20 pages of emails with ideas to my current company of nearly 9 months and prior companies who never listened. Now they are taking my ideas to make it better for us OTR drivers who are gone sun late pm/early mon am to fri pm. You deserve the most (money) and fame for your exeprience, compassion, and ethnic which has made a mark in this struggling trade. I have 4 anxiety disorders which I take medication for from doctor. It helps. What helps more if knowing that when I'm behind the wheel its gone which is why my safety rating is among highest out of 40 drivers. I see mistakes of motorists and my reaction time is near 0 seconds. I stay healthy and fit and have been sending more and more ideas to help my company when frustrated so less have to go through what I went through. Without us drivers trucking companies would cease to exist at the same time we need good dispatchers and equipment. These are my own words... "once both parties of drivers and office staff with honest well sought intentions balance out to provide less burnout stress and a healthy relationship providing equal assets (drivers time paying for cost of living, benefits, and so on) then this industry will thrive".
My dad was a trucker. He always told me to get my CDL. I decided to do something he told me to do before he died. He was right. It was a good decision. It's too bad I didn't listen to him earlier. At least he got to see me doing something he could be proud of.
37 years for me this month and I still love climbing into my Pete. (maybe a little slower nowadays) wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s a way of life.......Love your job, and never work a day in your life.
I follow the footstep of my father back home in Afghanistan he was a long haul bus driver taking people from Afghanistan to Iran into Middle East I just love to drive Seeing the Scenery and beautiful creation of Almighty God all over North America 15 years of truck driving love it It's toobad nowadays in this industry there is no respect honesty and it's very hard to make decent money
Great vid! Greetings from Holland (EU). My roots are in trucking as my dad had a company who was driving in the ‘70 from Europe to... Iran. Yeah that was possible in the days. I started recently as a 50+ guy with a masters degree. So fed up with the office rat race... Driving in Northern America is on the list for me. Love the space and equipment.
Im a second generation driver at 21 years old. For as far back as I can remember I've always been around trucks and knew its what i wanted to do. I left the oilfield to drive a truck when 19 and I haven't looked back since
I'm getting my CDL to drive because I got really interested in the mechanics of how the giant diesel engines and manual transmissions actually work. I also enjoy driving and working by myself.
Getting furloughed from rail road I decided to get cdl with VA 9/11 bill, two months later I feel it was one of the smartest decisions I have made career wise
Trucking is a lot different today than when I started. Some would say it's worse, some would say better but there's no doubt it's different. The world evolves and changes and so does trucking. You have to change and evolve with it or get left behind. It can still be a nice job but it's no different than any other career in that some people are suited for it and some aren't. If you're not willing to accept it for what it is or you're miserable all the time, it's probably better for you if you go find something else.
Couldn't take being pushed to break my back in factories anymore. They claim to care about their workers but shove you under the bus the moment you bring up health concerns. Being small and not as physically capable means nothing. Now I'm free! Next best thing to being self employed. And I love traveling.
I love watching the scenery roll past. The physical geography of the USA is unparalleled and seeing the landscape shift from coastal plains to rolling hills to mountains to prairie is the best. Taking a 34 hour reset in a new town by one of the coasts or even just a small town in the middle of the country always provides a memory; usually a good one. Downsides can be easily offset with a good mental attitude.
Well hello turtle here i am 61 ready to give up factory work after 34 years and now a possible new journey thanks to you I think I still have what it takes so thankyou for the encouragement
I loved the freedom the feel of the power in your hands did it for 35 years before I had to retire from diabetes on the shots I miss it not the crap just the driveling
hi Dave, you really hit the nail on the head with this video. I got into trucking back in 1985 for all the reasons you mentioned. By the year 2000 i was sick of the working conditions and especially the long hours with little pay. I decided leave the industry and landed a great job with the Montreal City Transit, same as your TTC in Toronto. A great job i say because of all the benefits you could ever hope for. But by 2006 i started feeling the itch to get back into a truck , so i have been driving part time off and on since then, doing Montreal/Kingston and now Montreal/Toronto switches, unfortunately its not as often as i would like. I miss it more now than ever and as im getting closer to my retirement date( in 4 to 5 years and ill be 61 years old) from the city gig im looking really forward to getting back into it part time but on a steady weekly basis doing short regional 2 to 4 day runs Ontario/Quebec/ Maritime or short hops into the US. Its so true that once you get the taste for trucking you never forget it. I may have left full time trucking back in 2000 but i have NEVER been able to completely leave it really. It always kept calling back to me. Dave thanks for this video , you really pulled at my heart strings with this one.
I was a auto mechanic for 10 years and got sick of the politics and people breathing down my neck, i have been driving truck for the last 16 years and really loving it..
I loved driving, did it for just over 3 yrs after I left an 11 year career elsewhere to pursue the second childhood dream. It didn't take me long to figure out though that I was working for half minimum wage. 10 day trip, over 4500 miles and my net income based off of 24 hrs a day working away from home was $6.87 an hour. Then the "practical miles" take 30 or 40 from ya too. The few joys I got from it like a beautiful day on the interstate were heavily out weighed by about 100 other things and the surrounding dangers, especially in winter. I'll never forget the good moments and the love of driving and shifting gears, but I'll definitely never forget the bad things and the industry I'm glad I was able to leave behind. Always had respect for truckers, now I have even more (for the real drivers), stay safe all!
My Grandpa and Dad both drove. Always loved trucks and used to respect and admire them.A trucker saved my life when I was three years old riding my tricycle next to the highway. He parked, picked me up and “hauled me home.” My Mom told me that story. She also told me that my Grandpa would be proud of me as a driver like he was. I’ve never regretted my choice to drive for a career. Fits my lifestyle. I like the respect as well.
Well I became a truck driver because my dad and both of my grandfathers and almost all my uncles are truck drivers, so it's in my veins, i love to drive and the freedom that it has, and I get paid to see western Europe , you don't have a boss looking over your shoulder a lot of the time, and I love that, I love my job, I never ever thought twice on what I would become when I was younger, have a great day and greetings from the Netherlands!
For me it was the freedom of the job and not having someone micromanage my workplace. I love to drive and also the opportunities that come w trucking are icing on the cake.
Imagine driving a Kenworth at age twelve, because your legal guardian put you to work just to fund a new family business. Well, that's what happens to a couple kids who land with fictional carrier, Karnage Transport. I don't know if their classmates would be jealous of them or simply miss them, because of the lifestyle.
My Uncle was a driver and I always love driving taking long and short trips in a car so that's what drew me to trucking And love the sound of the Jake brake And just here in the big engines idle And listening to each driver go through the gears and watching black smoke come out the exhaust And love that smell of exhaust
Started in the industry working dispatch and warehouse / manning the phone lines, got tired of the micromanaging, bought a 5 ton did local for 4 years. Now im 1 year into my CDL and loving it!
Another great video. I found that you have to be very careful where you put the whistles and that they don't keep animals off the road, but at night I have seen moose, elk, deer, bears, cariboo, mountain sheep and goats on straight stretches from several miles away. They turn and look towards the whistles and their bright shiny eyes wink on, you can't miss them. I've been using them for about 30 years, never hit anything, but I've seen a lot. Mind you I do prefer driving at night, camouflaged animals stand out and you can see approaching headlights before they come around the bend.
I drove from 1978 to 2005. I worked in a Grocery Store in the beginning. One time one of the drivers came in shopping. I asked him how I could be a driver. He said for me to get my Class 1 CDL and then apply with the company transportation department. I did what he told me and 3 months later I was driving a truck. Best thing that ever happened in my career. I loved driving. Even though it was in the Busy Los Angeles Area.
I used to work at a HVAC Manufacturing company, building commercial rooftop units. The company decided to downsize and I got laid off. After I got laid-off, I didn't want to worry about being without a job ever again. Also, I didn't like being micromanaged and love trucks too. So that's why I got into trucking. I've been doing it for over a year now and I've enjoyed it. I have my good days and bad days, but I love this Industry I am in.
Good to hear! One thing you can say about having a truck license, you'll always be able to find a job and you'll only ever be out of work because you want to be.
Yeah that's one thing I've learned and I love about trucking, is that you're either a terrible driver or a lazy one, if you can't find a job in trucking.
My father was a truck driver back in Europe. I love driving, I've been trucking since 2003 to 2018 in Europe and then I followed my dream and I came to Canada. I'm a OTR long haul. Love every second of it. No regrets, it's in my blood
A lot of responsibility your own safety the safety of the other motorists in your immediate operating area the rig could be $ 350.000 dollars the freight on board could be worth a million dollars or more and all this is on your back in your hands
I am not a truck driver now, but love riding in them and hate when we get to the dropoff point. At the fair the woman I worked for, her husband had a truck not his though, but the company said the truck hit one million miles with the same engine and same trailer, he carried the sound and light systems for a bunch of fairs so he was always on the road and all over the states, but was not allowed to bring the truck in Canada for some reason, I think he never had a needed visa and seen no need for one since the fair only were in Canada a few moths then back in the states to NY, The company gave him a new truck and trailer but I think he got a bigger truck....72 inch sleeper with a bunkbed and went from a 48 foot trailer to a 53 footer!!!
I'm not a truck driver yet, but I'm planning to migrate to Canada and become one. My number one reason by far is my love towards driving trucks. And as someone who studied psychology I am sure that loving your career is the most important factor to become successful.
I'm not a truck driver now, but in 2 years time i will go to cdl school and start driving trucks. during elementry school and first weeks on a new high school in Norway, there I have been with 2 companies and been with maby 12-13 drivers there I have learnd a hell of a lot about trucking and that's keep me thinking about to start drive trucks for a livin'n
I originally became a diesel mechanic and I loved the work however I didn't like the company I work for. I moved on to work for a construction company where I was predominantly hotshotting material and equipment all over my home state of Colorado and some surrounding states. I fell in love with the driving aspect being able to drive for hours and for miles. Just couldn't get enough so that's what made me want to pursue a driving career.
I just got past my DOT physical and now I am able to continue onwards to become a truck driver. My dad was a driver and I want to become a driver. I work in retail and I hate it a lot it's always micro-managed and to many people who think they are your boss. I am sick of dealing with them so I want a career that I can learn, I want to serve my country as a driver. Because I was never in the military and I feel a strong call for the road.
I got into trucking because I owned my own business for a few years. Long story short it wasn't making enough money so I had to shut it down. I didn't want to go back to my old career that I hated now so I started looking into highest paying jobs that are surprisingly easy to get into. Trucking kept coming up so I went with it. I've always had a fascination with tractor/trailers. Trucking just had the shortest training time that allowed me to hop into a well paying job right away.
I was looking at dump or cement truck due to my interest in engines but also I thought more of being a heavy equipment operator for the same reason there was this guy I saw who was a heavy equipment operator but became a long haul trucker due to the pay he said
Trucking has been my passion in life since I was 8 , driving big rigs would be like winning a billion dollars .and I'd take a big rig over a billion dollars any day..It makes you feel alive and important and it makes you a happier person and your your own boss the freedom to go where ever in this Beautiful world and get paid for it it's worth every mile you drive
If you take the time to really learn in this vocation.... There is really nothing better than blowing down the road at your own pace and enjoying the scenery that is the Americas. And yes of course this includes our great neighbors to the North, Canada. An Arizona sunset, or sunrise....ditto in Wyoming. And if you know your road and have different agendas than some, (AHEM!!) closed minded folks, You hit it and git it. I had a friend I ran with when I went to chip vans. We had runs in mountainous areas that scared some drivers.... And my Bud would explain on the radio, when drivers complained about the haul.... "HEY HAND, I'M ENJOYING A CUP O COFFEE, EATING MY LUNCH, SMOKING A CIGARETTE AND TALKING TO YOU ON MY RADIO!!" "ARE YA HAVING A HARD TIME BACK THERE?" All the time knowing how hard to run, that road really was.. Talked about it many times at our nightly, 'Safety Meeting.' 😏😉😉😉😉😎😎😎
Had the the same thing happen to me with the deer whistles. Nailed one dead on 2 d ays after installing them! I was teased terribly by my friends. 18,000 dollars damage new hood grill headlights radiator and bumper! I was accused of installing them backwards so that they called the animals toward the truck instead scaring them away!
Number one reason I got into this industry a easy way to make a quick buck. There's really nothing to it no complicated formulas to calculate no backbreaking hard work just driving. The hardest part is staying away from friends and family for long periods of time.
Graduating from NETTTS in October this year. I love driving solo. The idea of no boss, no one sitting in the passenger seat or looking over my shoulder, audiobooks galore, and a sweet arss tractor that reminds me of my younger years or the movie Over the Top. from 1987. 💪🏽 One of the challenges I’m faced with is choosing a carrier. Ultimately I’d like to be an OO due to my business experience and mentality, but understand I need to gain real life open road experience for at least a year or so. Knight Transportation, Schneider, Werner, Swift, and Estes Flatbed have conducted webinars during my class time. What’s a great company to shoot for as a new driver? No accidents, perfect GPA and attendance, and a positive mental attitude learning maneuvers, pre-trip, in-cab, and brake bleed-down in the yard. Have all endorsements too and totally clean background. Do all new drivers start out with a mega carrier?
You're almost right. Now they have WiFi activated cameras mounted in your windows. The boss watches you driving and gives you shit if he sees something he doesn't like
A question to all the truckers......I'm having a hard time finding a company that is consistent in miles. Either a hazmat tank job I've had gave 53 cpm but didn't run hard or a frieght job that pays slave wages and barely worth the overall pay to stay out. Nevermind all the lies and broken promises by the reqruiters. I have almost 3 years of experience with no accidents and a good on time delivery record. Any advice or suggestions?
I just turned 50 I started driving when I was 12 on the farm I can't imagine doing anything else I have seen all 48 states, Canada and Mexico. My dad taught me how to drive with an old 5 and 4 so if you younger guys want to learn some old school driving find an old truck and take it for a spin.
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) reports its dry van members saw a sharp increase in driver turnover in July from June - driver turnover increased from 61.5% to 76.06%. This was the largest single-month jump since January 2019. TCA members reported a driver turnover rate of 80.7% at the end of July 2019. Turnover percent is a measure of how fast you lose and replace your employees. A driver turnover rate of 76% means that over three-fourth of your drivers quit or are terminated each year and are replaced. Truck drivers have a notoriously high turnover rate, with many midsize and larger carriers seeing turnover rates above 100% - something unheard of in many industries.
Im done trucking. ELD divices took away freedom. Too much trafic on hiways and having a hard time finding a safe place to park your rig makes it harder and stressful. Puttin up with customers, dispatchers and idiots on the road make me so disapointed. Careful if you have young kids. They need you more than your money...
All problems with units fall back on the Driver ,Company's dont fix shit, but you the Driver pay the price, there's many more things against you then for you, if you have any family kiss them goodbye, lots of times never at home, home is the best place to be in your own bed.
What got me interested in it was my Grandfather, whom drove a truck in WW2 aka The Red Ball Express, my Dad hauled steel as an owner-operated when I was a kid, and then as a pre-teen all the way to now as a contract log hauler! Myself growing up in the logging industry, drove and got experience with a Farm Service Wavier Card (logging is considered farming, and our log trucks had Farm Tags, later we went to Apportioned Tags) I got my CDL Class-A last year with 1 of my dad's trucks! However he and my mom WILL NOT LET ME LEAVE MY STATE TECHNOLOGY job to come drive a truck with them! BTW Dave, why do you guy never mention log trucking? You would think their is a lot of it going on up there in Canada!
Oh just about forgot this trucker I know was home for the weekend and he always told stories from being on the road and was a regular comedian to I looked at his truck and his rear mud flaps had a arrow pointing left and said passing side and on the other one it had a arrow pointing right and said suicide lol !! and one of his regular runs was a gravel road riddled with potholes and the police were always stopping him and if you were behind him you would swear he was drunk so he went online and bought a bumper sticker that said I am not drunk....just avoiding potholes!! the cops that usually stop him even had to laugh.
I came to usa 3 years ago from India and i want to explore this country second i love to drive 3rd I can’t spend my day without music 4th i have enough time to talk with my relatives back country 5th i want peterbilt in my life so i buy it and alot more 😇😇
Never hit a deer in 44 years. When I was driving in places they might be present I would think; if you stay off the road, I won’t drive into the ditch to get you. I guess I was lucky!
I worked for a bank for 12 years and I honestly couldn't stand people and the corporate environment anymore. I'm fresh outta cdl school. I've been riding along with a friend for a few weeks now and doing the dirty work. So far I'm loving the driving but my sleep schedule is horrible lol
__ . Hoping you enjoyed today's video upload. Thought it was a good time to reflect on why we become truckers in the first place. Remember WHY you drive. Be proud. You do a hell of a job. ;) SO, WHY DID YOU START TO DRIVE? DOES DRIVING STILL TURN YOUR CRANK? Love to hear from you.
The freedom and being by yourself. 🙌
After 43 years I still love what I do.
I've been a lawyer for 20 years and Covid was a wake up call. Just finished my second week of CDL school in no small part because of this channel. Thanks!
I love the freedom and see parts of the country no one else does....with that said....I'd rather be behind the wheel of a 18 wheeler than the corruptness of the dispatchers.....lol
Flatbed short hauler here. Started out as OTR in '06, seeing sites I doubt will ever see again. Mt. St. Helens smoking, Tornado in Friona, TX, Big Sky Country of Montana, and the seemingly endless prairies of the Heartland. Even better if you're a socially awkward introvert such as myself, the open road is very therapeutic. These days I shuttle steel from SC to VA and back 5 nights a week. I'm here to tell you nothing's better than driving 10-11hrs. a night listening to whatever you want and not having anyone breathing down your neck.
I've been stuck at a desk for the last 10 years of my life and I can't STAND the corporate culture. I love driving on long road trips and I've been studying up on getting my CDL and switching careers over this past year. Thinking I'll be making the plunge next year!
Be sure to get in the right trucking company and you won't regret it! :D bad buisness is in every branch. But join r/Truckers on reddit and do some research ;) Good luck man!
I'm in the same boat but it's been 20 years for me. I am looking forward to getting out there next year and leaving behind an IT job and city I hate.
I can relate! I have everything a person could want, house by the lake with a fence, wife and kids, vehicles, toys etc but I'm not happy! I'm tired of the rat race/monotony of cooperate america!
Same here. Freedom is all I want in life. I can't stand people these days and enjoy being alone.
@@leagueofotters2774
Same here! IT use to be exciting when everything was changing rapidly! Now most of these millennials that are coming into the field, don't know squat! They ruin the IT infrastructure and never get disciplined for it! They come in, and supplant us guys that have been there for years!
I'm closing in on my first half million. I love driving, yesterday was the best day in a long time for driving. I cranked 700 miles and the weather was largely polite. You'd be hard pressed to have a better day than nearly perfect weather, fairly lite traffic, and a perfect Playlist for hours
My favorite part of driving is seeing the country, the entire country. I love it. It's also nice sitting up high in a big rig being king of the road. Lol. Driving is a great job!
I LOVE TO DRIVE!!!...AND I LOVE THE TRUCKS AND ROADS AND MEETING DIFFERENT PEOPLE & PLACES.
Working alone, having different options, not getting dirty, the money, chances for ownership.
I've always loved trucks ever since I was a kid I got my CDL when I finished high school I haven't always drove a truck I had other jobs but always did find my way back to the road
I got into trucking because of Smokey and the Bandit. Seeing Jerry Reed driving the rig and having so much fun inspired me. It’s not all smiles but I don’t regret going to diesel school. I’m 23! Love what I do and having a blast!
Im about to go to CDL school. I'm 55 and tired of hard labor, retail and don't like being security. Driving long distances ain't no big deal. ITs not a pleasure But its not a pain either and I thought to myself" People my age or older retire and drive RV's across the US and IF I learn trucking someone will pay me to see the US." I also like the idea of living in my truck and not paying rent and just saving money.
25 yr old O/O. No truck payments. 2 years total driving so far. Changed my career from welding for the aerospace industry to immediate ownership in trucking. Initially what brought me to trucking was my cousin putting me on the money, I netted 90k my first year and realized how many avenues of income I can attempt to create out of this career. Rolling over into the second year, I’ve nested into this career and am enjoying the lifestyle. Home daily, weekends off, running about 1500-2200+ miles a week, been averaging 2k-3.4k net a week. My conclusion after slightly less than two years: if you find a good set up, learn up on becoming O/O and only run what makes sense. You can make a lot of money in trucking if you connect with the right people, and run smart.
Amen brother. You struck all the chords. I love truck driving for so many reasons but I definitely love not having office politics and jerks leaning over my shoulders.
Why I wanna become a trucker nobody looking over my shoulders and going to nice places on way to drop off LOAD or load the LOAD and want peace and quiet time with me and my truck doing my job and money and so I also have something to do for most of my day there you go SMART TRUCKING have a great day,stay home stay safe stay healthy.
Enjoyed trucking, then was getting burned out, now looking forward to getting back in.
Hazmat permits are going at $500.00 per test here on the Best Coast.
Not sure I want to deal with the new regs as well.
If you go Brother, tap er light and be safe🤜🤛
Beeing with yourself in peace for some time and thinking
The chance to drive something so big that most people were afraid to drive it is what pulled me into trucking in the late 1960s; the Freedom & independence I felt out on the road is what kept me there. I had so much fun I would've done for free if I could've afforded to.
I've been following you for years and you've helped me continue to thrive in this industry as a regional over the road northeast driver. I love driving NYC, NJ, and eastern PA and it's easy to me now. A few years ago I was terrified of it. I've sent over 20 pages of emails with ideas to my current company of nearly 9 months and prior companies who never listened. Now they are taking my ideas to make it better for us OTR drivers who are gone sun late pm/early mon am to fri pm. You deserve the most (money) and fame for your exeprience, compassion, and ethnic which has made a mark in this struggling trade. I have 4 anxiety disorders which I take medication for from doctor. It helps. What helps more if knowing that when I'm behind the wheel its gone which is why my safety rating is among highest out of 40 drivers. I see mistakes of motorists and my reaction time is near 0 seconds. I stay healthy and fit and have been sending more and more ideas to help my company when frustrated so less have to go through what I went through. Without us drivers trucking companies would cease to exist at the same time we need good dispatchers and equipment. These are my own words... "once both parties of drivers and office staff with honest well sought intentions balance out to provide less burnout stress and a healthy relationship providing equal assets (drivers time paying for cost of living, benefits, and so on) then this industry will thrive".
Love the fact I get the freedom of the open road seeing new places and meeting new people everyday refreshing
All of the above this why I love trucking
My dad was a trucker. He always told me to get my CDL. I decided to do something he told me to do before he died. He was right. It was a good decision. It's too bad I didn't listen to him earlier. At least he got to see me doing something he could be proud of.
37 years for me this month and I still love climbing into my Pete. (maybe a little slower nowadays) wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s a way of life.......Love your job, and never work a day in your life.
Great video big strapper! Great content as usual. Thank you
We got diesel flowing through our veins and that’s what makes us drivers. Another killer video, Dave.
I follow the footstep of my father back home in Afghanistan he was a long haul bus driver taking people from Afghanistan to Iran into Middle East
I just love to drive Seeing the Scenery and beautiful creation of Almighty God all over North America
15 years of truck driving love it
It's toobad nowadays in this industry there is no respect honesty and it's very hard to make decent money
Great vid! Greetings from Holland (EU). My roots are in trucking as my dad had a company who was driving in the ‘70 from Europe to... Iran. Yeah that was possible in the days. I started recently as a 50+ guy with a masters degree. So fed up with the office rat race... Driving in Northern America is on the list for me. Love the space and equipment.
Im a second generation driver at 21 years old. For as far back as I can remember I've always been around trucks and knew its what i wanted to do. I left the oilfield to drive a truck when 19 and I haven't looked back since
I'm getting my CDL to drive because I got really interested in the mechanics of how the giant diesel engines and manual transmissions actually work. I also enjoy driving and working by myself.
Getting furloughed from rail road I decided to get cdl with VA 9/11 bill, two months later I feel it was one of the smartest decisions I have made career wise
I feel so free driving. I love it . It never feels like a job for me .
Trucking is a lot different today than when I started. Some would say it's worse, some would say better but there's no doubt it's different. The world evolves and changes and so does trucking. You have to change and evolve with it or get left behind.
It can still be a nice job but it's no different than any other career in that some people are suited for it and some aren't. If you're not willing to accept it for what it is or you're miserable all the time, it's probably better for you if you go find something else.
Pneumatic tanker pulled. I love how I am trusted to operate this gigantic machine!
Couldn't take being pushed to break my back in factories anymore. They claim to care about their workers but shove you under the bus the moment you bring up health concerns. Being small and not as physically capable means nothing. Now I'm free! Next best thing to being self employed. And I love traveling.
I love watching the scenery roll past. The physical geography of the USA is unparalleled and seeing the landscape shift from coastal plains to rolling hills to mountains to prairie is the best. Taking a 34 hour reset in a new town by one of the coasts or even just a small town in the middle of the country always provides a memory; usually a good one. Downsides can be easily offset with a good mental attitude.
Well hello turtle here i am 61 ready to give up factory work after 34 years and now a possible new journey thanks to you I think I still have what it takes so thankyou for the encouragement
You can do it!
I loved the freedom the feel of the power in your hands did it for 35 years before I had to retire from diabetes on the shots I miss it not the crap just the driveling
You can come back now. I'm diabetic, they let you use insulin now. Been using it about 1 1/2 years now, so far so good.
I was driving a school bus, and I needed better pay. So I went to truck school and the rest is history
hi Dave, you really hit the nail on the head with this video. I got into trucking back in 1985 for all the reasons you mentioned. By the year 2000 i was sick of the working conditions and especially the long hours with little pay. I decided leave the industry and landed a great job with the Montreal City Transit, same as your TTC in Toronto. A great job i say because of all the benefits you could ever hope for. But by 2006 i started feeling the itch to get back into a truck , so i have been driving part time off and on since then, doing Montreal/Kingston and now Montreal/Toronto switches, unfortunately its not as often as i would like. I miss it more now than ever and as im getting closer to my retirement date( in 4 to 5 years and ill be 61 years old) from the city gig im looking really forward to getting back into it part time but on a steady weekly basis doing short regional 2 to 4 day runs Ontario/Quebec/ Maritime or short hops into the US. Its so true that once you get the taste for trucking you never forget it. I may have left full time trucking back in 2000 but i have NEVER been able to completely leave it really. It always kept calling back to me. Dave thanks for this video , you really pulled at my heart strings with this one.
Started trucking, Thanks to my father, been doing it since 2003, Before all I was doing was odd jobs and min. Wage
I was a auto mechanic for 10 years and got sick of the politics and people breathing down my neck, i have been driving truck for the last 16 years and really loving it..
Driving is therapeutic
The sound of the jake brake from a Frightliner argosy or international eagle made me fall in love with the job.
I loved driving, did it for just over 3 yrs after I left an 11 year career elsewhere to pursue the second childhood dream. It didn't take me long to figure out though that I was working for half minimum wage. 10 day trip, over 4500 miles and my net income based off of 24 hrs a day working away from home was $6.87 an hour. Then the "practical miles" take 30 or 40 from ya too. The few joys I got from it like a beautiful day on the interstate were heavily out weighed by about 100 other things and the surrounding dangers, especially in winter. I'll never forget the good moments and the love of driving and shifting gears, but I'll definitely never forget the bad things and the industry I'm glad I was able to leave behind. Always had respect for truckers, now I have even more (for the real drivers), stay safe all!
My Grandpa and Dad both drove. Always loved trucks and used to respect and admire them.A trucker saved my life when I was three years old riding my tricycle next to the highway. He parked, picked me up and “hauled me home.” My Mom told me that story. She also told me that my Grandpa would be proud of me as a driver like he was. I’ve never regretted my choice to drive for a career. Fits my lifestyle. I like the respect as well.
Well I became a truck driver because my dad and both of my grandfathers and almost all my uncles are truck drivers, so it's in my veins, i love to drive and the freedom that it has, and I get paid to see western Europe , you don't have a boss looking over your shoulder a lot of the time, and I love that, I love my job, I never ever thought twice on what I would become when I was younger, have a great day and greetings from the Netherlands!
You don’t get to see the same people everyday to me that’s amazing but everyone is different
My dad was a truck driver and I followed in his foot steps and I like the freedom been doing it how for over 30 years
For me it was the freedom of the job and not having someone micromanage my workplace. I love to drive and also the opportunities that come w trucking are icing on the cake.
Imagine driving a Kenworth at age twelve, because your legal guardian put you to work just to fund a new family business. Well, that's what happens to a couple kids who land with fictional carrier, Karnage Transport. I don't know if their classmates would be jealous of them or simply miss them, because of the lifestyle.
My Uncle was a driver and I always love driving taking long and short trips in a car so that's what drew me to trucking And love the sound of the Jake brake And just here in the big engines idle And listening to each driver go through the gears and watching black smoke come out the exhaust And love that smell of exhaust
I like the travel part seeing new areas and the sunset/ rise
Great episode!
Thanks, Chief!
There is much to love about our trade.
We operate a whoppin big machine don't we!
Started in the industry working dispatch and warehouse / manning the phone lines, got tired of the micromanaging, bought a 5 ton did local for 4 years. Now im 1 year into my CDL and loving it!
Another great video. I found that you have to be very careful where you put the whistles and that they don't keep animals off the road, but at night I have seen moose, elk, deer, bears, cariboo, mountain sheep and goats on straight stretches from several miles away. They turn and look towards the whistles and their bright shiny eyes wink on, you can't miss them. I've been using them for about 30 years, never hit anything, but I've seen a lot. Mind you I do prefer driving at night, camouflaged animals stand out and you can see approaching headlights before they come around the bend.
I drove from 1978 to 2005. I worked in a Grocery Store in the beginning. One time one of the drivers came in shopping. I asked him how I could be a driver. He said for me to get my Class 1 CDL and then apply with the company transportation department. I did what he told me and 3 months later I was driving a truck. Best thing that ever happened in my career. I loved driving. Even though it was in the Busy Los Angeles Area.
I used to work at a HVAC Manufacturing company, building commercial rooftop units. The company decided to downsize and I got laid off. After I got laid-off, I didn't want to worry about being without a job ever again. Also, I didn't like being micromanaged and love trucks too. So that's why I got into trucking. I've been doing it for over a year now and I've enjoyed it. I have my good days and bad days, but I love this Industry I am in.
Good to hear! One thing you can say about having a truck license, you'll always be able to find a job and you'll only ever be out of work because you want to be.
Yeah that's one thing I've learned and I love about trucking, is that you're either a terrible driver or a lazy one, if you can't find a job in trucking.
My father was a truck driver back in Europe. I love driving, I've been trucking since 2003 to 2018 in Europe and then I followed my dream and I came to Canada. I'm a OTR long haul. Love every second of it. No regrets, it's in my blood
A lot of responsibility your own safety the safety of the other motorists in your immediate operating area the rig could be $ 350.000 dollars the freight on board could be worth a million dollars or more and all this is on your back in your hands
I enjoy driving the 2 lanes the most
I love driving and very enjoy to go to different places. I'm going to get my CDL within 2 months, hope all works great!
I am not a truck driver now, but love riding in them and hate when we get to the dropoff point. At the fair the woman I worked for, her husband had a truck not his though, but the company said the truck hit one million miles with the same engine and same trailer, he carried the sound and light systems for a bunch of fairs so he was always on the road and all over the states, but was not allowed to bring the truck in Canada for some reason, I think he never had a needed visa and seen no need for one since the fair only were in Canada a few moths then back in the states to NY, The company gave him a new truck and trailer but I think he got a bigger truck....72 inch sleeper with a bunkbed and went from a 48 foot trailer to a 53 footer!!!
I'm not a truck driver yet, but I'm planning to migrate to Canada and become one. My number one reason by far is my love towards driving trucks. And as someone who studied psychology I am sure that loving your career is the most important factor to become successful.
Office, Military, Trucking, Trucking since 96 sometimes you hate it sometimes you love it, It's a great industry if you have the right mindset 👍.
I'm not a truck driver now, but in 2 years time i will go to cdl school and start driving trucks. during elementry school and first weeks on a new high school in Norway, there I have been with 2 companies and been with maby 12-13 drivers there I have learnd a hell of a lot about trucking and that's keep me thinking about to start drive trucks for a livin'n
Good points
I live in Laredo Tx this is 18 wheeler city I love what I do
I'm a short dude, I hate sunsets and sunrises haha. Great video.
I originally became a diesel mechanic and I loved the work however I didn't like the company I work for. I moved on to work for a construction company where I was predominantly hotshotting material and equipment all over my home state of Colorado and some surrounding states. I fell in love with the driving aspect being able to drive for hours and for miles. Just couldn't get enough so that's what made me want to pursue a driving career.
I just got past my DOT physical and now I am able to continue onwards to become a truck driver. My dad was a driver and I want to become a driver. I work in retail and I hate it a lot it's always micro-managed and to many people who think they are your boss. I am sick of dealing with them so I want a career that I can learn, I want to serve my country as a driver. Because I was never in the military and I feel a strong call for the road.
I love this video! Thank you for posting it! Subscribed!
I got into trucking because I owned my own business for a few years. Long story short it wasn't making enough money so I had to shut it down. I didn't want to go back to my old career that I hated now so I started looking into highest paying jobs that are surprisingly easy to get into. Trucking kept coming up so I went with it. I've always had a fascination with tractor/trailers. Trucking just had the shortest training time that allowed me to hop into a well paying job right away.
I was looking at dump or cement truck due to my interest in engines but also I thought more of being a heavy equipment operator for the same reason there was this guy I saw who was a heavy equipment operator but became a long haul trucker due to the pay he said
Trucking has been my passion in life since I was 8 , driving big rigs would be like winning a billion dollars .and I'd take a big rig over a billion dollars any day..It makes you feel alive and important and it makes you a happier person and your your own boss the freedom to go where ever in this Beautiful world and get paid for it it's worth every mile you drive
If you take the time to really learn in this vocation....
There is really nothing better than blowing down the road at your own pace and enjoying the scenery that is the Americas. And yes of course this includes our great neighbors to the North, Canada.
An Arizona sunset, or sunrise....ditto in Wyoming.
And if you know your road and have different agendas than some, (AHEM!!) closed minded folks,
You hit it and git it.
I had a friend I ran with when I went to chip vans.
We had runs in mountainous areas that scared some drivers....
And my Bud would explain on the radio, when drivers complained about the haul....
"HEY HAND, I'M ENJOYING A CUP O COFFEE, EATING MY LUNCH, SMOKING A CIGARETTE AND TALKING TO YOU ON MY RADIO!!"
"ARE YA HAVING A HARD TIME BACK THERE?"
All the time knowing how hard to run, that road really was..
Talked about it many times at our nightly, 'Safety Meeting.'
😏😉😉😉😉😎😎😎
Had the the same thing happen to me with the deer whistles. Nailed one dead on 2 d ays after installing them! I was teased terribly by my friends. 18,000 dollars damage new hood grill headlights radiator and bumper! I was accused of installing them backwards so that they called the animals toward the truck instead scaring them away!
Ouch! Funny accusation though about installing them backwards! Worth a chuckle!
Best thing about Truck driving is sounding the horn for the kids
Number one reason I got into this industry a easy way to make a quick buck. There's really nothing to it no complicated formulas to calculate no backbreaking hard work just driving.
The hardest part is staying away from friends and family for long periods of time.
Graduating from NETTTS in October this year. I love driving solo. The idea of no boss, no one sitting in the passenger seat or looking over my shoulder, audiobooks galore, and a sweet arss tractor that reminds me of my younger years or the movie Over the Top. from 1987. 💪🏽 One of the challenges I’m faced with is choosing a carrier. Ultimately I’d like to be an OO due to my business experience and mentality, but understand I need to gain real life open road experience for at least a year or so. Knight Transportation, Schneider, Werner, Swift, and Estes Flatbed have conducted webinars during my class time. What’s a great company to shoot for as a new driver? No accidents, perfect GPA and attendance, and a positive mental attitude learning maneuvers, pre-trip, in-cab, and brake bleed-down in the yard. Have all endorsements too and totally clean background. Do all new drivers start out with a mega carrier?
You're almost right. Now they have WiFi activated cameras mounted in your windows. The boss watches you driving and gives you shit if he sees something he doesn't like
A question to all the truckers......I'm having a hard time finding a company that is consistent in miles. Either a hazmat tank job I've had gave 53 cpm but didn't run hard or a frieght job that pays slave wages and barely worth the overall pay to stay out. Nevermind all the lies and broken promises by the reqruiters. I have almost 3 years of experience with no accidents and a good on time delivery record. Any advice or suggestions?
I was going to get my Class A but watching some of your videos is making me turn to something else ...
Its his own view of it yours might be different. You miss every chance you don't take.
My biggest objection to the job now are the inward facing drive cams and their 0 tolerance policy b.s.
I always loved big trucks got out of plumbing it's turning into a joke needed a change decided to drive truck
Wow man I was teetering between plumbing and truck driving as a new career change what can you say are some negative things about plumbing
My Friend
Good morning
Very truly points
Regards
Carlos Aguirre
Quito Ecuador
South America
4 September 2020
09:30 hours
He must’ve put those deer whistles on backward, so they acted as moose catnip 🤷
MOOSE EAT CATNIP??🤔
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤜🤛
😂
I just turned 50 I started driving when I was 12 on the farm I can't imagine doing anything else I have seen all 48 states, Canada and Mexico. My dad taught me how to drive with an old 5 and 4 so if you younger guys want to learn some old school driving find an old truck and take it for a spin.
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) reports its dry van members saw a sharp increase in driver turnover in July from June - driver turnover increased from 61.5% to 76.06%. This was the largest single-month jump since January 2019. TCA members reported a driver turnover rate of 80.7% at the end of July 2019.
Turnover percent is a measure of how fast you lose and replace your employees. A driver turnover rate of 76% means that over three-fourth of your drivers quit or are terminated each year and are replaced. Truck drivers have a notoriously high turnover rate, with many midsize and larger carriers seeing turnover rates above 100% - something unheard of in many industries.
Definitely because the love of driving, the freedom, and following the family's footsteps, I never wanted anything more than being a truck driver
Im done trucking. ELD divices took away freedom. Too much trafic on hiways and having a hard time finding a safe place to park your rig makes it harder and stressful. Puttin up with customers, dispatchers and idiots on the road make me so disapointed. Careful if you have young kids. They need you more than your money...
All problems with units fall back on the Driver ,Company's dont fix shit, but you the Driver pay the price, there's many more things against you then for you, if you have any family kiss them goodbye, lots of times never at home, home is the best place to be in your own bed.
What got me interested in it was my Grandfather, whom drove a truck in WW2 aka The Red Ball Express, my Dad hauled steel as an owner-operated when I was a kid, and then as a pre-teen all the way to now as a contract log hauler! Myself growing up in the logging industry, drove and got experience with a Farm Service Wavier Card (logging is considered farming, and our log trucks had Farm Tags, later we went to Apportioned Tags) I got my CDL Class-A last year with 1 of my dad's trucks! However he and my mom WILL NOT LET ME LEAVE MY STATE TECHNOLOGY job to come drive a truck with them! BTW Dave, why do you guy never mention log trucking? You would think their is a lot of it going on up there in Canada!
I love to drive.
After 35 years in a aircraft factory I retired now and then week 2 of truck driving school.
Freedom on the road
I do it for the travel.
So what you think about driving for ups as a feeder driver?
1:08 what kind of truck is that?
Family tradition, but a big part is I don't care for people, especially looking over my shoulder.
Claude Atkins & his kw y I got into it 35+ Yrs ago.
Oh just about forgot this trucker I know was home for the weekend and he always told stories from being on the road and was a regular comedian to I looked at his truck and his rear mud flaps had a arrow pointing left and said passing side and on the other one it had a arrow pointing right and said suicide lol !! and one of his regular runs was a gravel road riddled with potholes and the police were always stopping him and if you were behind him you would swear he was drunk so he went online and bought a bumper sticker that said I am not drunk....just avoiding potholes!! the cops that usually stop him even had to laugh.
I came to usa 3 years ago from India and i want to explore this country second i love to drive 3rd I can’t spend my day without music 4th i have enough time to talk with my relatives back country 5th i want peterbilt in my life so i buy it and alot more 😇😇
Never hit a deer in 44 years. When I was driving in places they might be present I would think; if you stay off the road, I won’t drive into the ditch to get you. I guess I was lucky!
Not having someone over your shoulder and being your own boss, making more money then you need once you get your own truck
I worked for a bank for 12 years and I honestly couldn't stand people and the corporate environment anymore. I'm fresh outta cdl school. I've been riding along with a friend for a few weeks now and doing the dirty work. So far I'm loving the driving but my sleep schedule is horrible lol