What is it like to be a truck driver?

Being A Truck Driver

What is it like to be a truck driver? I really enjoy being a truck driver to be honest. I don’t get into all the truck shows or any of the competitions or any of that, but I can appreciate a nice looking truck and a hard working truck driver. I think as a truck driver you have very measurable goals that can only be attained by longevity in the industry. There is definitely a satisfaction of accomplishment at the end of the day, this is because once you are done for the day you are done and there are laws that prohibit you from continuing any further.

I also think that there is a satisfaction that you are making a difference in people’s lives. It is very rare that you will you ever be recognized for bringing pretty much everything and anything into the different communities. However, if it weren’t for you running through the mornings, days, evenings and nights or the holidays, special occasions, good and bad weather there would be no communities. A truck driver brings food, water, building supplies, clothing and anything else that a community needs to survive and thrive. Even though the store or your house is already there and in place, it took a truck driver to get that house or store built and it takes a truck driver to maintain the house, store and even you!

Despite many people’s naivety about a truck driver we have more responsibilities than simply staying between the lines. Truck driver laws and regulations are plentiful and must be followed accordingly. A truck driver by law, has to keep a log showing what they have done for the day for every single day of the year, even when they go on vacation. You have to have a good sense of direction and navigation as well as a good understanding of math for your weights, lengths and measures. As a truck driver you have to have a basic sense of mechanical and electrical repair so that you can keep yourself rolling when you are out in the middle of nowhere. We are bound by law to fully check out our trucks and trailers everyday at the start of the day and at the end of the day, these are called pre-trips and post-trips. As a truck driver we always hope for the best, but plan and prepare for the worst.

Truck driving is a very solitary profession to say the least. You will spend at least many hours, if not days and weeks alone in your truck. A truck driver spends the vast majority of his or her time rolling up and down America’s interstates, highways and roadways. One of the most difficult parts of being a truck driver believe it or not is answering the question of “where to park?” This can either be one of the easiest or hardest parts of the day. Sometimes there are plenty of open spaces and it is a breeze. More often than not there is only one or two spots open and they are in the back corner of the lot where it is not lighted very well and usually you are tired from driving all day and it’s a blindside ninety degree back.

Many people think that being a truck driver is getting paid to tour the country. Well, this is both true and false at the same time. You will definitely be able to see and visit almost every nook and cranny of the country and even possibly Canada as well. However, it is not and never will be a vacation. You definitely see the country from your front row seat, but much of it just rolls by in the windows and mirrors. One of my favorite things about truck driving is the scenery that you get to go through. I see nature and scenery from my office chair that most only get to see in posters hanging on the wall. Honestly, who else gets to drive through places like Yellowstone National Park during their work day? With all that being said though, the majority of pickups and deliveries are not in the best parts of town. You think of Chicago or New York or L.A. as these really fabulous destinations. Well let me tell you, where they put their warehouses and distribution centers aren’t anywhere close to where the glitz and glamour is.

So, what is it like being a truck driver? It has it’s ups and downs and it’s good and it’s bad, just like any other job or profession. Unlike most any other jobs or professions though, it is a lifestyle. Once you become a truck driver, you eat, sleep and drink truck driving. A truck driver has to have a tough mental state, if things don’t go your way you have all day to sit there and think about it. If you are interested in becoming a truck driver you need to research the profession, you need to talk to your loved ones and you really need to commit yourself to the profession. Most days I really enjoy being a truck driver, although there are some days that it is challenging it is what I have chosen to do and a truck driver is who I am.