Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Movies didn't help, but the basic reason was that Tom Donohue was frightened by a truck on the Pennyslvania Turnpike.
In one of his editorials in the ATA magazine, he recounted being passed by a truck in a construction zone on the Turnpike. According to Tom, he was going a prudent speed and the truck driver was going dangerously fast, risking catastrophe. Of course, the fact that the driver didn't hit anyone was totally immaterial to ol' Tom. HE thought the truck driver was dangerous and then made the leap to assuming the driver was high on speed.
Since he worked for an organization with a lot of clout, he began the campaign to rid the road of psycho's and that's where we are today. The dope is gone, but so are the men and women who really knew how to drive.
Deregulation was sweet...and sour..... I made a lot of money after deregulation....untill everyone got into the business. I beleave in open entry, but with a level playing field. Its time to return to some form of regulation, if for nothing else, to keep a thumb on the big Guys.
Trucking has been qood good to me over the last forty years. Its also been boom and bust as the economy went up and down....seen it all ...and it always comes around again.....I miss it, but am glad I retired also. ( still do some consulting) I feel sorry for the drivers who are still trying to make it work. Lots of trucks got parked these last two years.
It's an awful profession, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
On the other hand, it pays the bills and keeps food on the table.
So people who moan about there being no jobs and that unemployment is evil, need either pick it up or shut the heck up.
Your demands may be a bit unreasonable.
I could do the drive... for about a half day. That is, if I don't fall asleep first. Of course if I have a high and/or long bridge to cross I'll freeze up in less than a hundred yards or maybe drive off the side. I'd just die if I got stuck on the High5 in Dallas. Man, that'd be a long way down.
But I'd be sure to use you as a reference. You know, just to make you feel good about your poorly thought out demands.
I could do the drive... for about a half day. That is, if I don't fall asleep first. Of course if I have a high and/or long bridge to cross I'll freeze up in less than a hundred yards or maybe drive off the side. I'd just die if I got stuck on the High5 in Dallas. Man, that'd be a long way down.
But I'd be sure to use you as a reference. You know, just to make you feel good about your poorly thought out demands.
How do you know you'd do all those things if you haven't tried them?
If you limit yourself to what you think you can do, you'll enclose your life within the boundries of your fears.
Location: Prescott Valley,az summer/east valley Az winter
2,060 posts, read 4,154,861 times
Reputation: 8190
been there~done that~ also wife did a couple years over the road.
Drove and operated a large crane also.
did some trucking where a good days drive amounted to 20 miles or less.
Went down the road 42 ft wide and 30 high~ can't get a lot of miles when they have to take down all the lines and pull all the signs! Had people tell the police escort to ditch the house ~ they were late to the hairdresser appt. wasn't really too bad but there is always a smarty that objects to your driving slowly!
But that comment of having to learn to drive a stick shift? Never drove one in the last 20 years! they do make automatics!
Learning to drive a big rig is not the problem, its the same old highway and load week after week that would get me I think. Cut my teeth in the heavy/Speclized field, we always had a chalange, different roads, different people. There was (and is) still some respectability left in heavy haul...... It was not how many miles we drove that counted, it was how much we made that counted..... Thats what I always told my drivers...... Why wear out a truck with high miles and have nothing left when you are done?
Yes, you do. It's not rocket science. If you can drive a stick shift car, you can drive a truck. The physical act of driving an 18 wheeler is no different from driving a car...it's just bigger. Literally, anyone can do it, as evidenced by the herd of steering wheel holders on the road right now.
But...becoming a true truck driver? Well...that's different.
Well I don't know if I'd go that far. The only similarities between a manual in a car and a manual in a truck is there both not automatics lol. If you can drive a 5 speed chances are you probably won't be able to drive a 13 spd without at least a days practice. Hell I've road tested guys that have been driving trucks 10+ years that still can't shift worth a hoot. I'd say maybe 1 or 2 out of 10 actually know how to downshift. Then you have the guys that can't grasp the concept of turning your wheel in the opposite direction of where you want the trailer to go.
I do believe there are many people that simply cannot drive a truck, hell I've met some. Trucking is so backwards though, most people don't care. If you got a CDL and 2 years recent experience, you're hired!
Stillkit, I resemble that remark! I'm one of those "New Breed, Truck Drivin' School Graduates" And I agree whole-heartedly with your above comments. I didn't go to truck driving school until I was 42 years old and had my head screwed on reasonably straight. I love what I do and have been able to work myself into a dedicated job at one of the large truckload carriers. Would I stay if I were 30-something and had a wife and a couple of kids? I truly doubt it. I bust my behind for wages that don't nearly make for a good living. Since my wife works and I have a pension, I'm essentially subsidizing cheap freight. I know I'm part of the problem.
I watch with great interest to see what things like CSA 2010, electronic onboard recorders/electronic logging and the impending retirement of many senior drivers will do to the industry. I'd like to be an optimist and believe that they will (eventually) have a positive effect on driver wages and working conditions. But I've also heard the crocodile tears of ATA members about the "driver shortage" that have never resulted in meaningful pay increases (more like: We're taking away your 401K match and measly holiday pay because we can get away with it...) for all of the 14 years I've ben in this industry. And we've kept those who want to open the border to Mexican trucks at bay for now. But how much longer can we do that...
ANYBODY can keep a big rig between the white lines and get around corners after a little practice. But after 14 years behind the wheel, I STILL learn something new every day. I understand that my almost-1 million safe miles involves both a fair amount of skill and a WHOLE lot more luck. Being a professional involves a whole different attitude than many are willing to adopt, IMHO.
In closing, I want to say that one of our drivers is missing his left leg. We have automatic transmissions and we never unload the trailers, just "drop and hook" the trailers at the destination. He's just as good as any of us with both legs!
Well I don't know if I'd go that far. The only similarities between a manual in a car and a manual in a truck is there both not automatics lol. If you can drive a 5 speed chances are you probably won't be able to drive a 13 spd without at least a days practice. Hell I've road tested guys that have been driving trucks 10+ years that still can't shift worth a hoot. I'd say maybe 1 or 2 out of 10 actually know how to downshift. Then you have the guys that can't grasp the concept of turning your wheel in the opposite direction of where you want the trailer to go.
I do believe there are many people that simply cannot drive a truck, hell I've met some. Trucking is so backwards though, most people don't care. If you got a CDL and 2 years recent experience, you're hired!
There are plenty on the road now...that can't really drive a truck. I grew up on a 2 stick Mack, and had no problem. Dad gave us the truck and said" go drive it and shut up, we got crops in the field"! , and I was 16 years old. We learned by doing, no CDL, no Air conditioned cab or sleeper, when we got tired we slept across the seat. Can't move much freight in a large car sleeper or hanging out at the truck stop.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
