Questions about Truck Driving

TylerDurden · #1 (**permalink**) 04-25-2007, 04:52 PM

Sorry about the generic title.

I'm 17 years old and not doing very well at school, I don't see much of a great future for me and I'm just thinking (hopefuly without hurting anyones feelings), trucking will be a good last resort, which is likely to happen.

So I'm curious about some things:
First, I tried googling some "truck cabin" for pictures of how it looks like and such. There is a bed, correct? Also, would it be possible to plug in a TV in there so that I can play consoles sometimes, for entertainment, maybe a laptop, stuff like that.

Second, how stressful is it? Aside from things that you have no control of, such as traffic.

Is the pay good for a single bachlor?

How are the truck drivers you see in truck stops and such, nice/mean?

How do you get jobs to being with, do you go around and look for freight to pick up from companies (free roaming, I guess) or does it only go buy that you have to work for a certain company and only carry their cargo?

Sorry about all the questions, hope I get some answers :)

Dirtball · #2 (**permalink**) 04-25-2007, 07:00 PM

First things first...Get some adult to kick you in the A S S and stay in school and get an education ... Trucking is not a profession of dummies..( in my view thats how I take it you see us) Trucking ( if you are serious about it) is a tough life style.Not for everyone.An over the road job is a lonesome job. Most companys find freight for you..Very few ( if any ) companys will hire a high school drop out these days. As far as nice/mean guys at truck stops.They are the same people you would run into at a shopping mall or a movie or in a resturant. Good or bad is a relative statement which is based on how you treat those who you want to meet. In other words be nice and nice will be given back in most cases. NOW STAY IN SCHOOL !

Country Cousin · #3 (**permalink**) 04-25-2007, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirtball

First things first...Get some adult to kick you in the A S S and stay in school and get an education ... Trucking is not a profession of dummies..( in my view thats how I take it you see us) Trucking ( if you are serious about it) is a tough life style.Not for everyone.An over the road job is a lonesome job. Most companys find freight for you..Very few ( if any ) companys will hire a high school drop out these days. As far as nice/mean guys at truck stops.They are the same people you would run into at a shopping mall or a movie or in a resturant. Good or bad is a relative statement which is based on how you treat those who you want to meet. In other words be nice and nice will be given back in most cases. NOW STAY IN SCHOOL !

Young man,Dirtball said it better than I can sit here and tell you. I (as well as the Gentleman who you will meet through this web site) are professional drivers and are pround of it. The company I work for won't even hire you as a dock worker without a high school deploma.
Good Luck

cc

Apostolic · #4 (**permalink**) 04-26-2007, 12:33 AM

Tyler D.I've only got credit to the seventh grade,in grammer school.
I've been a trucker for 44 years,and still need to stay with it to afford to live.

I'm also an artist,if I could of stuck it out in school I could be doing some kind of art work for a living.

In stead I've had some very tough times being a trucker,I do regret leaving school when I did.

Trucking isn't for dummies.
I'm a city driver for UPS Freight,and believe me when I say I have to work hard for my pay check.

Now days the school districts have trade schools.

But for starters you are way to young to get into trucking.

You'd be a lot better off completing school.
Then when you get old enough,you could try it.
If you didn't like it,you'll have the education to do something else.

TylerDurden · #5 (**permalink**) 04-26-2007, 12:41 AM

I never said I plan on dropping out. I plan out going to college, too, but the fact is my passion is psychology but with my ~2.8 GPA, I don't see that happening, my second choice is a computer tech guy, but I'd break my back lifting PCs and breaking them apart 9 hours a day, that's why trucking is a good last resort for me, I love driving and seeing things (obviously I'm not thinking trucking is about going on mountains and resting in your cabin all day over the sky...) But I've always had that idea in mind. That's why I'm asking these questions

brtecson · #6 (**permalink**) 04-26-2007, 01:15 AM

If you think that being an computer repair tech is backbreaking work, wait until you have to do a hand unload or inside delivery.... hahahahahahaa