Question:
Trucking is a business! First and foremost! You want to do it because you can make money!
Right?
OK! Here's the deal.

• You WILL NOT be #1 one anybody's list for a long time! (unless it's somebody's sh*t list).
  
• You WILL NOT start out in a management position!
  
• You ARE (according to shippers, recievers & dispatchers), the lowest form of life on earth.
  
• YOU will have to prove yourself to the world! (even if your world only consists of 1 dispatcher )

Listen to the advice of the "seasoned veteran drivers", we can tell you much more than you want to know, but wouldn't listen to anyways.
There's probably more things I could list, but I'm at a loss for the night.
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"Got the bird dog on...
Dodgin' the scales...
80 miles an hour and a step outta jail..." From "Rollin' Home, Pirates of the Mississippi)
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"I've always been different with one foot over the line.
Winding up somewhere, one step ahead or behind.
It ain't been so easy, but I guess I shouldn't complain.
I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane." (from Waylon Jennings)

Answer:
You're certainly right there Hoss. I for one was expecting a 2003 Peterbilt 387, a company-paid stay in the finest hotel available in whatever area I would be delivering in.. and .60cents per mile to start, plus 20 dollars an hour for every hour I log On Duty but not driving. 100% company-paid benifits, and absolutely no loading or unloading under any circumstances.
And in case you haven't figured it out yet... I'm being sarcastic.
-Thanks for the pep-talk sarge.

Answer:
Wow Hoss,
What happened to wind you up?
I agree with every thing except. . . You WILL NOT start out in a management position!
You are a manager. It's the only way you will make it. You manage your time, you manage your money, you manage the space around the truck as you travel, heck, you even manage to get wrong directions 65% of the time
Fail to manage properly any of the above, and you'd be better off driving a step van for a diaper service, 'cause there's alot less crap to deal with.
Those that never wanted the responsibility of being a Manager are destined to fail or be very unhappy.
Wise up, take the advice offered by these experienced (me not included . . .yet) and life will be alot easier. Well. . .as easy as this lifesyle can be anyways.
H.O. Wolding bound or bust.
Dodge Makes It, Cummins' Shakes It!
www.TurboDieselRegister.com
If you ain't Cummin'. . . your Strokin'


Answer:
One more thing...
You will be requested from time to time to do something illegal... aw hell... you will be requested all the time to do something illegal.
Do it the first time... they will expect you to do it over and over again until you get caught.
The carriers love female dispatchers... some of whom can wrap the drivers around their fingers faster than they can blow bubble gum bubbles.
Anyways once you do get caught... and eventually you will... your "support" system will have suddenly gone straight as an arrow with respect to the law.


Answer:
Originally posted by Paul56:
One more thing...
You will be requested from time to time to do something illegal... aw hell... you will be requested all the time to do something illegal.
Do it the first time... they will expect you to do it over and over again until you get caught.
In other words - it's a lot like prostitution.
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This space for rent. Call George @ 202-456-1414 for details.

Answer:
As Dilbert said once "I ask for so little..... and boy do I get it."
I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane.
Waylon Jennings

Answer:
The subject of being the lowest form of life to your dispatcher has peaked my curiosity a time or two and sometimes i wonder if that has anything to do with how you carry yourself and your appearance.
I wonder if you were showered, nicely dressed, well-spoken and polite if it would result in you getting treated better.
its just a thought but i was in the werner terminal here in phoenix about two days ago and i have to admit i was scared of the guys that were in there. Dirty, unshaven, nasty clothes it was gross.
I know alot of people say hey thats trucking. I don't have to care what I look like but I just think thats why people have the opinion that they do of drivers.
Also, I don't know if thats how everyone out here is. I've never seen any of you. I mean i'm not saying that you are like this but if you are i bet if you were a little more "professional" about the way you looked you would be treated better. i don't know. just my thoughts.

Answer:
Originally posted by LoriAz:
The subject of being the lowest form of life to your dispatcher has peaked my curiosity a time or two and sometimes i wonder if that has anything to do with how you carry yourself and your appearance.
Not really. The last couple of companies i worked for, I never met my dispatcher in person. The only way they knew me was over the phone and whatever info was in my file.
I do believe that my demeanor over the phone may have had some influence, as i do speak proper english, without the typical sloppy drawl that many drivers have. I am not saying that it shouold make a difference, but I believe it does.
I wonder if you were showered, nicely dressed, well-spoken and polite if it would result in you getting treated better.
By dispatch-probably not. By others (cops, DOT, customers, etc) yes.
I know alot of people say hey thats trucking. I don't have to care what I look like but I just think thats why people have the opinion that they do of drivers.
Many dispatchers have the opinion that if drivers were worth a damn they would be dispatchers!! To many dispatchers and many in the general public, truck drivers are drivers because they are too stupid to do anything else. Unfortunatly, there are too many drivers around al too anxious to prove them right....
@#*!%$^@!