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Started By
Message
re: We nearly fought at Christmas dinner over whether a truck driver is a professional
Posted on 12/26/24 at 7:12 am to Eightballjacket
Posted on 12/26/24 at 7:12 am to Eightballjacket
I've been doing this over 13 years now and have driven over 1.5 million miles with no accidents, tickets, inspection points, anything. Pretty sure I'm qualified to answer.
Yes, it is a professional career - the problem is it has been watered down so much over the last ten years by government lowering training requirements and corporations desperate to get new meat in a seat so they can exploit them to no end. When I first got into this there were still people around that had been driving for 30+ years but now the vast majority of OTR truck drivers (the cross country guys) have less than two years of experience, and when I say vast majority I mean 90%. There's major corporations on the road today that have annual turnover of their truck driver roster that is over 125%, meaning that on Jan 1 not only will they have hired more people during the year than they have to start the year - they're also replacing people they've hired during the year. Its asinine. Corporations are putting rookie truck drivers in trucks with other rookie truck drivers and calling that training because they don't have anyone else to do it - the drivers that have experience driving all left long ago. The lease purchase scams that are being pushed on rookie drivers has bankrupted hundreds of thousands of people across this country that were just looking for honest work. Companies making recent cdl graduates buy a $150k+ truck just to work for them with no guarantees in employment or pay is absolute criminal, but thanks to Jimmy Carter's deregulation of the industry it's acceptable.
Another thing that is going on is the indian replacements - just go to the average truck stop these days and look around. I'll bet you that 2 out of 5 truck drivers in the truck stop won't be able to speak English, and that number is growing. Companies out here are importing Indians to drive the semis even though they can't speak english and know NOTHING about our customs, all so they can pay them peanuts compared to what American drivers require.
There are still a bunch of actual professional truck drivers out here, but there's a bunch of stupidity that has been going on that has completely watered down the industry into what it is now - a bunch of idiots training idiots and acting like idiots.
TLDR: There are still some of us out here that act like pros, but the vast majority are idiots and yall should stay away from them at all cost.
Yes, it is a professional career - the problem is it has been watered down so much over the last ten years by government lowering training requirements and corporations desperate to get new meat in a seat so they can exploit them to no end. When I first got into this there were still people around that had been driving for 30+ years but now the vast majority of OTR truck drivers (the cross country guys) have less than two years of experience, and when I say vast majority I mean 90%. There's major corporations on the road today that have annual turnover of their truck driver roster that is over 125%, meaning that on Jan 1 not only will they have hired more people during the year than they have to start the year - they're also replacing people they've hired during the year. Its asinine. Corporations are putting rookie truck drivers in trucks with other rookie truck drivers and calling that training because they don't have anyone else to do it - the drivers that have experience driving all left long ago. The lease purchase scams that are being pushed on rookie drivers has bankrupted hundreds of thousands of people across this country that were just looking for honest work. Companies making recent cdl graduates buy a $150k+ truck just to work for them with no guarantees in employment or pay is absolute criminal, but thanks to Jimmy Carter's deregulation of the industry it's acceptable.
Another thing that is going on is the indian replacements - just go to the average truck stop these days and look around. I'll bet you that 2 out of 5 truck drivers in the truck stop won't be able to speak English, and that number is growing. Companies out here are importing Indians to drive the semis even though they can't speak english and know NOTHING about our customs, all so they can pay them peanuts compared to what American drivers require.
There are still a bunch of actual professional truck drivers out here, but there's a bunch of stupidity that has been going on that has completely watered down the industry into what it is now - a bunch of idiots training idiots and acting like idiots.
TLDR: There are still some of us out here that act like pros, but the vast majority are idiots and yall should stay away from them at all cost.
This post was edited on 12/26/24 at 7:20 am
1
Posted on 12/26/24 at 7:46 am to Eightballjacket
Can anyone do it? Does it take certain licenses and certifications, and do you get paid for it? Yes that’s a professional. You get a DUI as a CDL holder it’s an automatic felony in many states, they are held to higher standards because? They are processionals
Posted on 12/26/24 at 7:55 am to Eightballjacket
My dad is a retired OTR trucker. He’d be the first to tell you 90% of drivers are fricking stupid and are morons behind the wheel.
I grew up spending summers on the truck and was behind the wheel on the interstates at 14. Trust me, it’s not that hard.
I grew up spending summers on the truck and was behind the wheel on the interstates at 14. Trust me, it’s not that hard.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 7:58 am to Eightballjacket
quote:what would those be?
thinks he’s entitled to professional courtesies.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:03 am to Eightballjacket
Im a professional salesman
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:03 am to High Life
quote:
Go ask a doctor or lawyer to back up a trailer. You will be thoroughly amused
The bigger the trailer the easier it is to backup just fyi
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:05 am to Saunson69
quote:
Massive trucks and Dodge Chargers are by far the 2 worst selfish, arrogant drivers
You meant to say cyclists, didn’t you.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:05 am to Eightballjacket
Well without them all you fat asses couldn’t eat so they seem very professional.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:15 am to Eightballjacket
They have to be professional to figure out which truck stop whores to pick up and which ones will rob you.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:23 am to High Life
quote:
Go ask a doctor or lawyer to back up a trailer. You will be thoroughly amused
Go ask a truck driver to even spell pneumonia. You will be thoroughly confused.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:23 am to Horsemeat
quote:
importing Indians to drive the semis
I stopped at the Pilot truck stop in Hammond on I12 to take a squirt and there was an Indian dude in the restroom washing his feet in the sink. I could smell him from 10 feet away.
And yeah, some drivers are professionals. Like those drivers on chemical tankers that know the safe way to load and unload different chemicals. You can't have some dumbshit slapdick doing that.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:38 am to Eightballjacket
Big Marlon would’ve kicked your arse
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:40 am to doublecutter
quote:
I stopped at the Pilot truck stop
I never stop at truck stops anymore because of the incredible trashiness, it's actually a. bit depressing to me to walk around one of those
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:46 am to Rize
quote:
t me at plant operator
I laughed.
Plant Operator is a professional, but a truck driver is not.
I would argue there are very limited actual professional jobs. I know this, operator and truck driver didnt make that list.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:49 am to Eightballjacket
I was taught in accounting class that a professional can be sued for messing up their work. This can happen to a physician, or a lawyer. It can happen to some engineers and some accountants.
Now technically, a truck driver can be sued if he runs over someone. But he can't be sued any more or less than I can if I run over someone with my Subaru. You can't sue him just for "being a bad truck driver," e.g. burning up a clutch or annoying people on CB radio. So no, a truck driver is not a professional.
Now technically, a truck driver can be sued if he runs over someone. But he can't be sued any more or less than I can if I run over someone with my Subaru. You can't sue him just for "being a bad truck driver," e.g. burning up a clutch or annoying people on CB radio. So no, a truck driver is not a professional.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:51 am to Eightballjacket
Does he own a rig? Is he contracted?
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:54 am to Eightballjacket
quote:
What do you think?
Does he get paid for it?
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:55 am to Eightballjacket
The definition of professional is a sometimes tricky issue. Idk about now, but 30 years ago a medical technologist (lab) person with a difficult 4 year degree with a internship and exam were not considered "professionals" by the federal government, They are probably still not. I discovered this when a hospital i was at was considered going union. All the RNs, r ad techs, resp techs, pharm etc. were not involved. But the med techs were. Weren't considered professionals by the feds.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 8:58 am to Eightballjacket
Its vital that they are professionals. You can't just hire random people to drive semi trucks. You need proof that they were accredited to ensure safety procedures are met.
Put me behind the wheel of one and I'll sideswipe cars and utility polls within five minutes.
Put me behind the wheel of one and I'll sideswipe cars and utility polls within five minutes.
Posted on 12/26/24 at 9:21 am to Mariner
Job vs profession….. how much someone puts into it. I’ve seen some dudes with some serious truck driving skills. Then it gets to the miles driven, making it on time, and all the other little aspects we don’t know about.
So sure, if done right it’s a profession.
So sure, if done right it’s a profession.
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