Recently I had a man of Hispanic origin approach me at a truck stop asking if I was a truck driver. After answering that I was he wanted to ask which company would I recommend for him to drive for.
I began by looking at those at the fuel pumps and discussed them at length. It was kind of difficult for me because I wouldn’t drive for any of them, but I was trying to answer his question in a positive way, but finally I was able to ask questions myself.
I began my questions with this one: “Why are you wanting to become a truck driver”? He answered, “Money”! That was the answer I thought I would get so I buried deeper into his life. It seemed that I now had his trust so I asked him another question: “Can you make ends meet working at where you now do”? He answered, “Yes, if I work harder”! I asked another question: “Do you have a family and do you love your wife”? Again he answered, “Yes”! I believed him! I asked another question: “Could you work longer hours at this job or perhaps get a part time job and still stay at home”? Once again his answer, “Yes”!
I asked all those questions because I wanted to share this information with him about the trucking industry and what would be required of him and his time as a truck driver and what impact it would have on his family as well as him as a professional truck driver.
I told him that once a person becomes a truck driver his life and his family life is changed forever, because once you enter the lifestyle making more money it is very difficult to leave it so it is a trap. He needed to understand that he would be working up to 70 hours per week on “log time” rather than 40 and then go home each day, but the 70 did not include staying away from home for a week or two at a time. I let him know that the per hour ratio of income didn’t match his current income. I did share with him that once he paid his dues and was able to get a job for a local company he could come home each night.
We talked about once he got home and wanted to rest that his wife would want to spend time with him and she would want to go places and do things, but he would be wanting to rest for the most part. I shared with him that if he decided to become a truck driver in the continued pressure cooker of the trucking industry he needed to look long term with a goal of finding a school that would really teach him about the trucking industry and help him land a good job where he really does have good equipment and an excellent chance to stay with that company long term. I shared with him that many trucking companies slip-seat the trucks meaning that as soon as he brings that truck in for time off he very well will not have that same truck when he is ready to leave. I told him that is a problem because you will not be familiar with the new unit and it may need work that you won’t know about.
One really big thing I shared with him about the trucking industry was that yes the take home money will be more, but you have a lot of road expense. He would need to spend $20 to $30 per day to live on the road. If he would spend $150.00 per week it would mean that he would have to make around $250.00 before taxes to have that $150.00 to spend. I told him he could get by some cheaper, but not much and if so the food would be poor quality.
Everyone should weigh every factor closely when making a decision to become a truck driver. It sure can be rewarding seeing all the countryside and knowing you have helped to move America along in a small way, but there is a price to pay for success. He decided that he would not pursue the trucking industry and said, “Thank You”!
Rod
Tags: OTR Trucking, Trucking, Trucking School, Trucks
September 10, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Hi Rod, looks like you are very familiar with the industry .. after 37 years in figures , really like reading your blog, will come back for more interesting posts. “the Mover”
September 10, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Hi Rod, looks like you are very familiar with the industry .. after 37 years in figures , really like reading your blog, will come back for more interesting posts. “the Mover”
February 7, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Been in the trucking industy for about 30 yrs. Have made a good living at it but the cost was taking me away from my family for long periods of time.I was home on a daily basis but most of that time was spent sleeping.There are many rewards in the trucking industry, but in many cases there are more sacrifices than rewards.Like most industries the workers pay the price for the upper level managements mistakes.They draw huge salaries that either stay the same or they vote themselves pay raises while reducing your income or the quality of your benefits. Which make them look good on paper by reducing the cos. operating costs at the workers expense.
February 7, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Very true on many occasions. Perhaps now some positive changes can take place for drivers, but my guess is that drivers will be one of the last to be helped. We need to voice our opinions to elected officials before we will be heard.
Do what you can to help those that approach you about driving for a living, and thanks for the post!