Questions for all drivers within their 1st year.

[SteveInDixon]

I have some questions for drivers that are within their first year driving, or, have just completed their first year.

1. Overall impression of the job so far?

2. Mileage and pay, is it what you expected?

3. Positive things about your job?

4. Negative things about your job?

5. Satisfaction with your job: 1-5. 1 being outstanding job, 5 being sucks and you can't wait to quit.


I know most of the drivers on this site are more experienced but I want to hear what the newbies think of the job.

Thank you! Steve

[Jay B]

I have some questions for drivers that are within their first year driving, or, have just completed their first year.

1. Overall impression of the job so far?
Not a good job, but it can pay well if you can put up with the hours, conditions, not getting home, etc...

2. Mileage and pay, is it what you expected?
First few months were bad for miles until I figured out some stuff and learned time management and trip planning better. (thanks for nothing to my piece of crap trainer)

3. Positive things about your job?
nothing

4. Negative things about your job?
a**h*** shippers and receivers, lying fleet managers, 1 parking spot for every 50 trucks on the road, junk equipment, no real restaurants in most truck stops just fast junk food,

5. Satisfaction with your job: 1-5. 1 being outstanding job, 5 being sucks and you can't wait to quit.
2, just going to suck it up until I have enough wheel time to get a good local gig.


I know most of the drivers on this site are more experienced but I want to hear what the newbies think of the job.

Thank you! Steve

[dle]

I'm a little over 1 year.

1. Long periods of boredom, followed with periods of physical pounding, followed with periods of terror, followed with periods of boredom.

2. Learn how to budget your money very wisely. This for the times when the mileage isn't so good.

3. ???? My positive points isn't going to be yours.

4. Look at number #1.

5. Depends on which period of #1 i'm in.

[HOTROD29335]

[quote="dle"]I'm a little over 1 year.

1. Long periods of boredom, followed with periods of physical pounding, followed with periods of terror, followed with periods of boredom.

there was nothing boring to day on i-85 near the sc line there was a girl in a gold car with a skirt on left leg on dsh well i dont belive i need to say any more chnnel 19 came alive very quick :shock:

[dle]

Ok, so amend #1 to include periods of

[tinytim]

1. Overall impression of the job so far?
Very positive, it doesn't seem like work.

2. Mileage and pay, is it what you expected?
Yes

3. Positive things about your job?
That's a tough question. I'm a very new driver, I have only 7 weeks solo and I'm loving it. I can't think of anything specific that makes it that way but, as I read on here many times, it's a job you will either love or hate. I'm away from home 5 or 6 days at a time, I've driven through a few major snow storms, a couple of good thunder storms, showers can be hard to find, a good meal requires some planning, sleep is a bit irregular due to appt times with shippers or receivers, finding a place to shutdown can be a real pain, and alot of the other things you have probably read on the site. That doesn't really sound too positive but it's how it is and I figure either you love it or hate it. It's not 9 to 5 and stuff happens that you can't control. I had a break down and spent 3 days in a hotel over the long weekend because they had to get a part and they were closed on Good Friday (not sure if that's a holiday in the US).

4. Negative things about your job?
I've missed a couple of family events already and will miss many more. I don't have enough time with my wife.

5. Satisfaction with your job: 1-5. 1 being outstanding job, 5 being sucks and you can't wait to quit.
1

[Syncrosonix]

1. Overall impression of the job so far? not bad at all. since i stay away from the whiners, complainers, and usual people who never have anything good to say, my impression that all the b.s. is worth seeing parts of the country that most people will never see, experiencing the ugly and beautiful sides of things as well makes me smile and look forward to the next driving shift.

2. Mileage and pay, is it what you expected? it's what i had expected. i didn't go in expecting all or most of the goodies to be handed to me on a silver platter.

3. Positive things about your job? i get paid to drive through the most beautiful and dangerous roadways, valleys, mountains, and forests. each day is something different and it's NOT a cubicle job.

4. Negative things about your job? all the whiners, complainers, and retards who spread and/or repeat b.s. rumors that have no truth to them. i cannot stand the negative types of people out there. also, having to sometimes stand in line behind or next to the smelly bastard who really needs to be forced into a shower.

5. Satisfaction with your job: 1-5. 1 being outstanding job, 5 being sucks and you can't wait to quit. i'd give this a 5.

[carlos64030]

I've been driving solo for almost 9 months now. I absofreakinlutely love what I do! I can't honestly say that I have any major negative things to say about driving OTR. I have a good driver manager, the planners get me to where I wanna go if I have some place in particular that I'd like to be for recreational activities, and I get good miles.

[Colts Fan]

I have some questions for drivers that are within their first year driving, or, have just completed their first year.

1. Overall impression of the job so far?

I love my job. It's a piece of cake and the pay is great.

2. Mileage and pay, is it what you expected?

Mileage means nothing to me. I'm paid by the hour. Pay is well beyond what the 1st year industry average.

3. Positive things about your job?

Home every night. Weekends off but their is plenty of OT if I want. I like being on my own with no one looking over my shoulder. No qualcomm, company issued cell phone that rarely rings. OT after 40 hours.

4. Negative things about your job?

Same route every day can get kind of boring, but I usually run something different on Saturdays if I want.


5. Satisfaction with your job: 1-5. 1 being outstanding job, 5 being sucks and you can't wait to quit.

1

I know most of the drivers on this site are more experienced but I want to hear what the newbies think of the job.

Thank you! Steve

[DIESEL BEAST]

I've been driving solo for 10wks now.

1. Every day is a learning experience for me. There is alot to learn about trucking. I give respect to all truckers. Trucking has a good impression on me so far.

2. I average about 2,500 miles a week and I bring home about $600 more (monthly) than I did at my previous warehouse job. Since I'm still new I'm at the bottom of the pay scale right now. The milelage and pay is ok.

3. I enjoy meeting people from all over the US. I enjoy eating different foods and traveling to many states and cities. I've been to places that I thought I would never see, but trucking has allowed me to see these places.

4. NEGATIVES: 4 wheel drivers in the state of NC are the worst. Finding a good place to park for the night is sometimes hard, depending on what time you decide to shutdown. My dispatcher is a *****. Missing family time and sometimes you just rather be at home, but you can't.

5. Currently I would give my job a 3, I'm satisfied with it. I have good and bad days.