Road Truck
CLICK HERE for more information on COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS!
CLICK HERE for more information on the HISTORY OF STAR WARS!
CLICK HERE for more information on BUILDING TOYS!
Over the Road – the Life of a Long-haul Truck Driver
Over the road truck driving usually entails staying out on the road for at least three weeks at a time. Let me say this right off…if you have a family, and you would like to KEEP that family….stay away from this option. It’s a family killer. I’ve seen it a million times. If you’re single, don’t have any children, and like the idea of traveling the country and actually living a nomadic lifestyle…long-haul truck driving is for you.
When I started driving truck I was 21 years old. I had never been married, had no children, and hadn’t traveled much. The idea of living on the road and seeing the entire country coast to coast sounded awesome! So off I went.
It was one of the best decisions of my life.
Over the road is much more than just a job…it is a lifestyle. Traveling the country, living in the truck, and never knowing where the next load might take you becomes your life. Yes, you get to go home every few weeks, but you’ll find that you are no longer part of the everyday lives of your family and friends, so you will be treated more like an acquaintance than a loved one.
This was one of the most shocking parts of traveling for me. After you’ve been on the road for a few weeks you’re thinking, “hey, I can’t WAIT to get home and see everyone! Wait til they hear all of these stories! It’s gonna be GREAT!”
Well, no it probably wont.
You see, people have their own day to day lives that don’t involve you anymore. They haven’t seen most of the places you have, they haven’t driven a truck, they haven’t lived on the road, and they simply can’t relate to anything you’ve been through. They have their own concerns at work, at home, and with their friends. Your stories will interest them for a short bit, but they will soon want to get back to their own lives, of which you aren’t really involved.
The other thing that surprised me right away about life on the road is the ENORMOUS amount of time you spend alone. And I mean alone. I’d estimate 20 out of every 24 hours each day you will be by yourself. You will pretty much never come across even one single person you know. Trucking is a life of solitude and strangers. Waitresses, dock workers, and other drivers will be your main company.
The nice part is that truck stops are open 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. You can go inside anytime and have somebody to talk to. Anytime. There will be waitresses and other truckers in there and someone is always interested in a talk. Funny thing is, after years of being on the road I got used to this. I came off the road and bought my own house where I live alone. I found myself going up to the local truck stop quite a bit because I was used to having people to sit and talk with anytime I liked. I missed it.
So it just goes to show that you can learn to enjoy almost anything once you’ve gotten used to it.
Now the money part of over the road driving is great. With most companies you will get paid by the mile(there are some exceptions I’ll discuss later) and will almost never, ever have to unload any freight.
If you are willing to do a lot of driving and would like to make as much money as you can without burning yourself out, you can expect to make around $35,000-$45,000 your first year, and anywhere from $40,000-$55,000 from your second year on. The days are long, but all you really do is drive.
Because you actually live in the truck for weeks at a time, the equipment at any decent trucking company is usually top notch. You should never have to drive a truck that is more than 3 years old, and a good trucking company takes excellent care of its equipment. They normally wont hesitate in the least when you request to get some work done. The truck pretty much stays in brand new condition.
Life on the road definitely takes A LOT of getting used to. But after a while you’ll find that if the lifestyle suits you, it really is incredibly fun. We called ourselves “professional tourists”, which really is pretty accurate. You basically get paid to drive around the country in brand new rigs, see the sights, meet new people everyday, eat great food, and make great money. If you decide to give up your apartment or home, which most people end up doing because you’re paying for something you almost never use, you’ll be able to save up tons of money because your only living expenses are food and fun.
You have no rent, utilities, insurance, or car payments, so all that money just piles up in the bank. Most trucking companies will let you take your truck home with you, and if you’re a good, safe, reliable driver and you kinda lay low, they’ll let you use your tractor as your personal vehicle when you are at home, so you wont even need your own car. Besides, when you come in to visit family and friends for a few days each month they will usually take you places or let you borrow their vehicle if need be. So living this lifestyle is a great way to save up a lot of money fast.
Lastly, over the road trucking jobs are by far the easiest to find and have the lowest qualifications because they are hard jobs for the companies to fill. There just simply isn’t enough people that are able or willing to live this lifestyle, at least not for long, so the companies are always desperate to fill these positions first. That’s why they are usually the best paying and easiest jobs to find in the trucking industry.
About the Author
About the Author:
Brett R. Aquila is a 15-year veteran of America’s highways, logging over 1.5 million safe miles. He is trying to help new truck drivers to be successful in their trade, through a dose of reality. Please visit www.truckingtruth.com for more information
Awesome Off Road Truck Video
|
|
1997 Caterpillar 769D Off Road Dump Truck $130,000.00 |
|
|
Volvo A30C Off-Road Articulated Haul Truck $59,000.00 |
|
|
International Payhauler 350 50 ton off road truck,mine $19,995.00 |
|
|
EUCLID R22 OFF ROAD TRUCK, 22 TON CAPACITY $13,900.00 |
|
|
Euclid off road truck terex caterpillar loader 25yd cap $12,900.00 |
|
|
CHINA 5 YUAN P876B 1960 RAIL ROAD EARTH MOVING TRUCK UNC BANK NOTE RARE SPECIMEN $2,999.99 |
|
|
4 tires Toyo 35×12.50r20 Mud Terrain truck tires,35125020, off road $1,822.00 |
|
|
Team Losi 1/5 5IVE-T 4WD Off-Road Truck White Bind-N-Drive LOSB0019WHTBD $1,599.99 |
|
|
LOSB0019WHTBD 1/5 5IVE-T 4WD Off-Road Truck White Bind-N-Drive $1,599.99 |
|
|
Team Losi 1/5 5IVE-T 4WD Off-Road Truck Black Bind-N-Drive LOSB0019BLKBD $1,599.99 |
|
|
4 tires Toyo 33×12.50r20 Mud Terrain truck tires,33125020, off road $1,630.00 |
|
|
Team Losi 1/5 Scale 5IVE-T 4WD Off-Road BND Truck Black Bind-N-Drive Five-T NIB! $1,599.99 |
|
|
Team Losi 1/5 Scale 5IVE-T 4WD Off-Road BND Truck White Bind-N-Drive Five-T NIB! $1,599.99 |
|
|
Losi 1/5 5IVE-T 4WD Off-Road Truck White Bind-N-Drive $1,599.99 |
|
|
LOSI 5IVE-T, LOSB0019, 1/5 SCALE OFF ROAD RACE TRUCK $1,599.99 |
|
|
Losi 1/5 5IVE-T 4WD Off-Road Truck Black Bind-N-Drive $1,599.99 |
|
|
26″ WHEELS RIMS DEVINO ROAD CONCEPTS VERVE CHROME NEWER CHEVY/GMC TRUCK ESCALADE $1,579.00 |
|
|
26″ WHEELS RIMS DEVINO ROAD CONCEPTS VERVE CHROME NEWER CHEVY/GMC TRUCK ESCALADE $1,579.00 |
|
|
4 tires Federal 35×12.50r20 Mud Terrain truck tires,35125020, off road $1,230.00 |
|
|
4 tires Federal 35×12.50r17 Mud Terrain truck tires,35125017, off road $1,146.00 |
|
|
4 tires Federal 35×12.50r15 Mud Terrain truck tires,35125015, off road $1,118.00 |
|
|
4 tires Federal 285/70r17 Mud Terrain truck tires LT 2857017,off road $990.00 |
|
|
New Tamiya 58519 1/10 RC Toyota Bruiser 2012 4×4 4WD Off Road Pick up Truck RN36 $829.87 |
|
|
MBRP 01-11GMC/Chevy Duramax Truck 4″ Turbo Back,Off Road,Dual Exhaust T409 SS $899.99 |
|
|
OFF ROAD CHROME/GLOSS/BLACK TRUCK RWD V TEC 17″ 18″ 20″ $886.00 |
|
|
MBRP03.5-07 Ford Powerstroke Turbo Back Dual Off Road Exhaust System Stainless $884.99 |
|
|
MBRP 01-11GMC/Chevy Duramax Truck 5″ Turbo Back Dual Stacks Kit Exhaust T409 SS $859.99 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 15 x 12 GLOSS BLACK OFFROAD 5×5.5 – Set of 4 $762.88 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 15 x 12 GLOSS BLACK OFFROAD 5×4.5 – Set of 4 $762.88 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 15 x 12 GLOSS BLACK OFFROAD 6×5.5 – Set of 4 $762.88 |
|
|
Tamiya 58519 1/10 Toyota Bruiser 4X4 Pick Up 1:10 Scale RC off-road Truck $758.98 |
|
|
NEW Tamiya 1/10 R/C BRUISER Toyota 4X4 Pick Up (RN36) Off Road Truck # 58519 $756.00 |
|
|
1/5th Giant Scale Exceed RC Hannibal 30cc Gas-Engine Off-Road Monster Truck RTR. $775.99 |
|
|
58519 TAMIYA Toyota 4×4 Pick Up Bruiser 4WD off Road Truck R/C 1/10 $729.99 |
|
|
Smith-Miller MIC Road Star Fruehauf Tractor Trailer Semi-Truck 1950s Vintage $795.00 |
|
|
4×12/24V 72W Truck 13″ 6500K LED Work Flood Light SUV Jeep ATV Road Roller Crane $791.69 |
|
|
King Rear Shocks ’07- Current GMC / Chevy 1500 Truck $782.25 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16.5 x 12 GLOSS BLACK 8×6.5 – Set of 4 $691.48 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16.5 x 12 GLOSS BLACK 6×5.5 NEW – Set of 4 $691.48 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16 x 10 GLOSS BLACK OFFROAD 6×5.5 – Set of 4 $691.14 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16 x 10 GLOSS BLACK OFFROAD 5×5.5 – Set of 4 $691.14 |
|
|
SmittyBilt Off-Road Recovery Shovel for SUV/Truck-New! $777.00 |
|
|
MBRP 01-11GMC/Chevy Duramax Truck 5″ Turbo Back,Off Road,Single Exhaust Blk. AL $774.99 |
|
|
1/5th Giant Scale Dallas 5E Brushless Off-Road SC Truck w/ 2.4Ghz RTR $773.95 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16 x 10 FLAT BLACK BEADLOCK 6×5.5 – Set of 4 $674.95 |
|
|
40″ E-Series Off Road,Jeep,Buggy,Truck,Boat LED Spot/Flood Combo Light Bar $759.95 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 15 x 14 GLOSS BLACK 6×5.5 NEW – Set of 4 $631.16 |
|
|
1:8 RC GAS MONSTER TRUCK 4×4 OFF-ROAD 4WD R/C GAS TRUCK $620.00 |
|
|
MBRP03.5-07 Ford Powerstroke Turbo Back Dual Off Road Exhaust System Aluminized $704.99 |
|
|
NEW! 40″ 240 WATT LED OFF ROAD LIGHT BAR FOR JEEP 4X4 TRUCK ATV 80 LEDs $699.99 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16 x 8 GLOSS BLACK OFFROAD 5×4.5 – Set of 4 $609.22 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16 x 8 GLOSS BLACK OFFROAD 5×5.5 – Set of 4 $609.22 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16 x 8 GLOSS BLACK OFFROAD 6×5.5 – Set of 4 $609.22 |
|
|
MBRP 99-03 Ford Powerstroke Truck 5″ Turbo Back Single Side Exit Exhaust T409 SS $694.99 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 15 x 14 GLOSS BLACK 5×4.5 NEW – Set of 4 $601.16 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 15 x 14 GLOSS BLACK 5×5 NEW – Set of 4 $601.16 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 15 x 12 GLOSS BLACK 5×5.5 NEW – Set of 4 $601.10 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 15 x 12 GLOSS BLACK 6×5.5 NEW – Set of 4 $601.10 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16 x 8 FLAT BLACK BEADLOCK 5×5 – Set of 4 $594.95 |
|
|
PRO-COMP STEEL WHEELS 16 x 8 FLAT BLACK BEADLOCK 6×5.5 – Set of 4 $594.95 |
|
|
Constructive Eating Utensil Set Make Eating Fun! Clamshell package contains one Fork Lift Fork, one Front Loader Spoon, and one Bull Dozer Pusher…. |
|
|
Roadpro 12V Hot Pot, 20 oz. $11.25 - Plugs Directly into Your Cigarette Lighter Socket – Outer Lid Can be Used as a Cup – Inner Lid Closes Securely to Prevent Spilling… |
|
|
Koolatron – Koolatron Voyager Cooler $107.00 Ideal for road trips, camping excursions, boating trips, tailgate parties, and just about any other away-from-home activity, the Koolatron Voyager thermoelectric cooler keeps your food and beverages cool without requiring you to stock up on ice cubes every few hours. The Voyager plugs directly into your car’s 12-volt cigarette lighter, where it draws less power than your headlights. Once plugged i… |
|
|
Eric Clapton: Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 (Two-Disc Super Jewel Case) $18.81 Over the summer of 2010, Eric Clapton gathered a veritable Who’s Who of the world’s most talented guitar players at the third Crossroads Guitar Festival, an 11-hour celebration of the six string that attracted a sold-out crowd of more than 27,000 music fans to Chicago’s Toyota Park. All profits from this daylong display of guitar virtuosity benefited The Crossroads Centre in Antigua, a treatment a… |
|
|
Eric Clapton: Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 [Blu-ray] $21.64 Over the summer of 2010, Eric Clapton gathered a veritable Who’s Who of the world’s most talented guitar players at the third Crossroads Guitar Festival, an 11-hour celebration of the six string that attracted a sold-out crowd of more than 27,000 music fans to Chicago’s Toyota Park. All profits from this daylong display of guitar virtuosity benefited The Crossroads Centre in Antigua, a treatment a… |
|
|
Roadsongs $11.22 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
|
|
Larger Than Life [VHS] $1.68 Jack Corcoran (Bill Murray) is a mildly successful motivational speaker on the lower end of the trade-show circuit. At his engagement party, he finds out his long-believed-dead dad has only recently died, leaving him a large inheritance. Of course, Jack doesn’t know how large until he meets a suspicious lawyer (Harve Presnel) who unloads Dad’s prized possession: a four-ton circus elephant named Ve… |
|
|
Road Construction Ahead [VHS] $5.99 Bulldozers, stone-crushers, and dump trucks dominate this half-hour video aimed at the construction vehicle-obsessed kid. An affable guide, the hard-hatted “George,” supplies sparse narration; mostly there are action sequences set against an energetic soundtrack. A road is broken into pieces then dug up and a fresh one laid out, all by producer Fred Levine’s trademark waving workers. Included is … |
Be the first to comment.