Truck Drivers Shared Parts Of The Job That The Rest Of Us Wouldn’t Have Ever Guessed

Life on the road can be lonely. That’s why it’s so important for truckers to buddy up with other folks doing the same job. Only people in that line of work can really understand the grind of trucking, and they can offer support and understanding in a way no one else can.

Trust is super-important to a trucker’s life, as it influences practically every part of the job. A company is trusting its products with the driver. Other road users are trusting truck drivers to take care and maneuver their vehicles responsibly. And, of course, the drivers trust they’ll get paid once they’ve completed their journeys! If any of these implicit promises are ever broken, a trucker will struggle to keep their career on track.

Truckers despise tailgaters — and for good reason. If a truck suddenly comes to a stop and the car behind slams into its rear, that other vehicle is unlikely to come out of the whole thing well. But truckers themselves should never tailgate either. The sheer weight of their vehicles means stopping takes a lot more time than it would for a car.

Icy, wintery conditions are game-changing for truckers — and not just because the road is naturally more tricky to maneuver. If their truck is full of goods, you see, it’ll have more traction on the road than if it’s empty. It’s down to a driver to intuit how their rig is going to react — and act accordingly.

Truckers spend an awful lot of time passing through cities, but that doesn’t mean it gets easier with practice. Urban environments present drivers with a whole host of unique challenges. There are often strict speed limits, lots of different lanes, tight spaces to drive through… And that’s not to take into account the pedestrians and other vehicles everywhere. Basically, in cities, truckers need to be on top of their game.

It’s important for truckers to keep their hands clean and hygienic. After all, they stop off in a lot of gas stations and restrooms along their routes, and let’s just say that some of these spots are not exactly the most sparkling of places… If no sink is available, then, hand sanitizer is a must — for a trucker’s health and to help keep their rig germ-free.

It may seem obvious, but it’s worth emphasizing: trucking is an all-encompassing way of life. You spend an awful lot of time away from home, and even when you are there you’ll likely be recuperating from an exhausting job. It definitely takes a certain type of person to be able to handle it.

The trucker life may sound hard, but there are some potential perks! If you’re taking food on the road, for example, you may just be able to sample a little bit of it completely gratis. Probably best to check first, though, or wait for someone to hand you a freebie.

Trucking can be complicated — more complicated than other folks assume. Think of all the logistics involved… Luckily, though, a whole suite of apps has been developed to help with that. There are tools for mapping out journeys, staying entertained, and keeping on top of paperwork. All of these aim to keep a trucker’s life in as manageable a state as possible.

This is a downside not many people know about: truckers can develop something called “driver’s knee.” It’s a physical issue arising from repeatedly using the gas pedal and brake, and over time it can inflame the tendon linked to the knee. Regular stretching should help ease the problem, however, and stop some of the pain.

Truckers need to be clear when communicating — and that applies in pretty much every setting. You need to give the people loading your vehicle all the info they need, for instance, and you have to tell the folks on the other side of the route when to expect the delivery. Oh, and that CB radio will get used a lot. Other truckers need to know what’s coming ahead of them — especially if there are any hold-ups on the route.

It can help a trucker if they’re something of a night owl. Why? Well, driving in the dead of night is great for avoiding traffic, of course! Many professional drivers take to the road in the dark, then, although this has its downsides. Not everyone is cut out for working without daylight.

Not everyone who becomes a trucker will stick with it. In fact, according to some stats, it seems the vast majority won’t. Lots of people come into the profession, do it for a little while, and then move on to other jobs. If nothing else, it shows how hard trucking life can be.

Truckers need to find ways to keep calm, or else they’ll quickly find they’re stressed to the max. That means remaining chilled during the many hours they’re stuck in traffic or when coming across obnoxious — or just plain bad — drivers. Let these things get to you, and you’ll soon burn out.

It isn’t the same for everyone, but truckers take home a decent wage as a rule. They won’t necessarily be rich at the end of the job, but the cash should be enough to be comfortable. That’s the compensation for all of those grueling hours on the road, and it’s up to you to decide whether that payment is enough to justify leaving a regular life behind.

If you’re a fitness freak, then trucking probably isn’t for you, as it’s really difficult to stay in shape as a professional driver. Your entire day is spent sitting down, after all! Plus, you’re far more likely to eat fast food and unhealthy snacks on the road. That’s just the harsh reality.

There’s a whole hidden lexicon that truckers employ when they’re speaking with one another. Say a guy says he plans to “pay the water bill.” That means he’s going to pee. Or maybe another driver says they’re “hauling toothpicks.” That’s code for transporting lumber. But you may be more familiar with “rubberneck” — trucker slang for someone who cuts their speed to stare at an accident on the other side of the road.

If you’ve ever been hitchhiking and a truck driver ignored you, don’t take it personally. They’re often explicitly banned from picking people up. They may put in a specific request to their company to drive with a passenger, but that’s a lot of effort — and it likely won’t pay off anyway.

Think of a truck driver, and you probably picture a big, burly, road-hardened guy. But you should be adjusting that assumption! In recent times, ladies have increasingly been moving into the industry. According to trucking tech firm CloudTrucks, the number of female drivers in America skyrocketed by about 68 percent from 2010 to 2019.

While trucking is broadly well paid, there can be a huge difference in the amount you take home from month to month. If you’re on a particularly dangerous job, say, then you should stand to earn more than normal. Hauling toxic materials comes with a higher risk to your health and wellbeing, and the money you get should reflect that.

Spending a lot of time alone can be tough. But on the other hand, it may be for the best. Taking along a partner can bring its own issues. And when you think about it, it’s clear why. Two people tucked away in a teeny-tiny space for hours and days at a time with just each other for company… Things may get a little tense!

Not used to the long hours and night driving? You need to find a way to stay awake and responsive. That may mean downing cups of joe, sipping on plenty of Red Bull, keeping the window down to feel the breeze, or playing music really, really loud. Whatever it takes!

If you’re lucky enough to own your rig, you can do what you like with it! Paint it, tie on a few toys, get custom grilles… You can show the world your creative flair — or just make your truck look cool. If the rig’s yours, no one else can tell you what to do.

The tough schedules and time away from family may not be easy, but being on the road can be liberating. Driver Michael Kasanda told CloudTrucks, “You feel complete freedom. As long as you pick up and deliver your load on time and follow the law in between, nobody cares what you do or how you do it. There’s no boss breathing down your neck trying to micromanage you.”

Communication technology has changed an awful lot over the last couple of decades, but sometimes the old ways are still the best. That means plenty of truckers still talk to one another through their CB radios instead of their smartphones. Tune into a CB frequency and be prepared to hear a whole lot of trucker lingo — as well as a few jokey insults here and there.

Though trucking definitely takes a lot of skill, it’s a profession that’s open to practically anyone who wants to get involved. So long as you’re a good driver and you finished high school, you should be able to earn the appropriate license to get going. Nope, there’s no need for a college degree!

Companies are regularly on the lookout for new truck drivers. After all, there’s always a need for goods to be transported from A to B! And given the turnover in the profession, spots should constantly be opening up for prospective truckers to fill. As long as a driver’s capable and reliable, then, they shouldn’t have too many issues finding work.

This should go without saying, but it’s worth thinking about: truckers cover an awful lot of ground. It can be difficult to appreciate the distances they travel, as the numbers involved are just so high! On a normal day, a trucker may cruise for something like 500 miles. Take that number and multiply it across a whole year’s worth of work, and you can be talking more than a hundred thousand miles on the road.

A truck’s cabin is basically home for a driver for however long is needed, so it’s often full of some of the gadgets you’d find in a typical house. That means a fridge, a microwave… even a grill. Yup, truckers can cook up a storm right there inside their vehicles.

Taking a human partner along with you for the ride can be problematic, but what about someone who doesn’t get into arguments and hog the radio? Well, that’s a different story! Pets can be great for people’s mental health, and the company they provide can do wonders for a driver’s state of mind. Certain employers actually promote driving with a dog — though by no means all of them.

That truck towering above your car? Because the driver’s so high up, they can see right into your vehicle — so don’t do anything embarrassing. Some folks don’t know they may be watched, though, and they can do some pretty weird and gross things. You’ll have to use your imagination, but just be aware that truckers can see it all. And we mean all!

The life of a trucker is full of hazards. Driving can be dangerous at the best of times, but truckers have to deal with whatever the road throws at them — from icy conditions and storms to tailgating and rogue deer — for hours or days on end. That’s not even to mention the difficulties that come from controlling a vehicle as large and cumbersome as a truck and the times when sheer exhaustion sets in.

Have you ever trailed a truck and noticed a sticker on the back of the vehicle that asks how the driver is doing? It’ll probably be accompanied by a phone number to call. Most people ignore these stickers, but some actually do use them to comment on the driver’s performance. It’s yet another stress for truckers to deal with — especially if the feedback is negative.

It’s not only other road users keeping an eye on truckers and what they’re doing. Their employers, too, are extremely watchful. In fact, truckers are often surveilled to an insane degree. Recording devices and sensors are regularly installed in trucks — all to see what a driver is doing. Creepy.

Tight schedules are common in trucking, but drivers making good time may be able to stop off and do a little exploring. Still, not every location is set up to deal with a massive rig, meaning they may need to hop in a taxi to get around! Seems ironic, seeing as how they’re professional drivers themselves, but sometimes it’s just necessary.

That CB radio has its advantages! Say there’s a speed trap set up somewhere along a road. If one trucker notices it, they can radio in and tell their brothers and sisters on the road the exact location. That way, the others can pump the brakes before they’re dressed down by the cops.

While a CB radio may be good for the road, truckers will usually communicate with their loved ones in a much more modern way: by smartphone. Keeping in touch with friends and family back home is important, and that can mean spending hours on the phone. It helps stave off the loneliness of the job, for sure.

Truckers have a unique opportunity to learn about the economy. They’re the ones who see exactly how products move around the country — something most of us don’t ever pay attention to. As Steve Viscelli — who’s written a book about trucking — put it to Fleet Owner magazine, “It’s like a behind-the-scenes tour.”

Don’t look down on truck drivers. Without their efforts, daily life as we know it would grind to a halt. Fuel would dry up from gas stations. Hospitals wouldn’t be able to function properly. Food would fail to make it to supermarket shelves. In fact, pretty much everything we hold dear would be affected.

It’s actually impossible for some truck drivers to exceed the speed limit. That’s because many companies install devices into vehicles that prevent them from going over a certain rate. Ever been stuck behind a truck going just a little too slow? Just know it may be beyond the driver’s control.