Wikipedia can probably tell you what a truck driver means or what are his functions/ responsibilities or type of truck driver employment but what Wikipedia can’t tell you about trucking are emotions, struggles, and challenges associated with the profession. No social media article or blog will tell you how it feels to be a truck driver. This song makes our heart beat faster while thinking about the hardships of being a truck driver;
Truckin’, I’m a goin’ home
Whoa, whoa, baby, back where I belong
Back home, sit down and patch my bones
And get back truckin’ on
Expectations Vs Reality
Trucking is an awesome profession. Always on-road enjoying the life of an extrovert exploring new things & places. This is what an outsider thinks about a truck driver but the reality is always different from expectations. It’s his job to be on-road whereas his mind wanders in his house’s drawing-room where his family is anxiously waiting for him. It’s his responsibility to deliver your bread while he wants to enjoy the Sunday brunch with his friends.
Let’s take a look at what people think about truck driving and what’s the reality!
They are Stress-Free
People often assume that truckers are only stress-free individuals living on earth. But stress is a part of every profession & trucking is not an exception. Yes! They do enjoy driving but how stressful is it when you are stuck in driving while delivering your last dispatch. There’s stress when you’re looking for someplace downtown and you can’t find it and you’re lost, there’s stress trying to back into a tiny little spot, where there really isn’t any room for a tractor-trailer.
Apart from on-job stress, the stress of being away from family & friends is inexpressible. When people enjoy the coming of Santa, our on-road heroes are stressed with the ‘N’ number of deliveries.
Truckers are Their Own Boss
It is often assumed that truckers don’t have to deal with managers on daily basis. Contrary to popular belief that truckers can chill & enjoy themselves on the road, they have to deal with different people at different levels.
- Firstly, they need to deal with dispatchers and communicate his needs to him, so that he can deliver his loads in a timely fashion.
- Truckers need to deal with customers so that they don’t need to wait for hours to unload. (P.S – truckers are paid for trucking, not for waiting or down-time)
- On-road car drivers who love to play blame games.
Truckers Make Lots of Money
Truckers invest so many hours in their job, they surely get a large pay cheque. But as opposed to this popular mindset truckers are always underpaid. The carrier is making money but truck drivers not as much. The cost of operating on the road has gone way up and that cuts into your bottom line. There’s no such thing as a $2 breakfast anymore, it’s a $12 breakfast now. $2 only gets you the coffee and nothing else. It’s especially tough to get rich these days if you’re an owner-operator. The cost of owning and repairing is another big thing these days.
Relationships are Sorted
People often assume that trucking allows truckers to manage their relationship well as they can take out time whenever they want but what we forget is that trucking is their job more than their passion. They work in the same way the officials work in a cubicle. No phone call or text message can make them feel less lonely. They leave their moral/emotional support when they choose the trucking.
Final Words…
It is important to live the lifestyle of a trucker to know what it likes to be a trucker. These are some of the truths what Wikipedia can’t tell you about trucking. So the next time, a trucker walks at your doorstep, greet him with a smile and offer him your thanks. It will not unburden him but make his load worth delivering.
