Life style trucker ?
 

I heard the phrase 'Lifestyle trucker' here at the forum,

What does it mean and what would be its opposite ?

What makes up a lifestyle trucker ?

Trucking with few exceptions is a lifestyle, it is not just a job. Most people are acustomed to the 9 to 5 40 hour work week, trucking is you are living in your truck often weeks at a time, working 70+ hours a week, usually much much more then that. You go to the bathroom, shave, shower in a different bathroom every single day, eat in different establishments everyday, or if you are smart you have the tools to make simple meals in your truck. You see your family and friends very rarely, and when you do you are only home for a few days before you head back out again. Most of your human contact is either other drivers on the CB or at the truck stops, or shipping and receiving personnel of the places you go to and whom most of which look at you as the worst scum on earth.

No words however can adequately describe the trucker lifestyle, either you are cut out for it or you are not.

The few exceptions are mainly local drivers who are home every day.

Re: Life style trucker ?
 

Lifestyle driver too me is someone who doesnt have anything to offer conversation wise besides trucking.Someone who would rather hang around at the terminal than be home (if they do have one outside of the truck).Usually someone who is dirty. They wont pay for a shower but would rather spend money on chicken lights.Usually lifestayle drivers claim to be some sort of ex military or law enforcement,I believe they think this makes their mundane lives somewhat interesting too others.Someone who wears one of those giant ear head set cell phone thingys even when they arent talking too someone,I guess they think it shows ppl that theyre "hip and important".And maybe,just maybe possibly a mullet thrown in for good measure.


The opposite would be a driver who likes to get home,someone who works smarter not harder.Who realizes sacrificing years to a coolie carrier is worthless,and you will never get those years or MISSED memories back.Someone who drives to feed himself and family,not just to call himself a "truck driver".Someone who wants to get paid for the work they do? Thats just my contribution to this thread.Im sure belpre and lebron james will be here to pick up where i left off :D

Re: Life style trucker ?
 

Hrm, hadden thought of a negative aspect of it until I saw this posted, supposed I am just quite an optimistic person :)

A "lifestyle" trucker is one who doesn't really need to drive. Maybe he has a pension, maybe his wife has a great job, whatever it is, he isn't counting on the miles to put food in his kids mouth. He's a glorified tourist and looks at himself that way. Out on the road, seeing the country, buying the latest toys for his rig, eating high on the food chain every night, turning down loads because he wants time to goof off. He's usually happy running 1800 miles a week because the off time is as important to him as the paycheck.

The opposite of that is the typical driver. Grinding it out, working his butt off trying to make a living for himself and his family.

Now I dont know you,but let me guess,youre either a non-driver or someone who hasnt driven for an extended length of time? Am I correct? :lol:

You know this is a good question. I don't really have a
definition of a "lifestyle" trucker but I have to agree and
disagree with all the replies so far.

You have to admit that we are all at one point in our careers
in it to see the country, regardless of your reasons to become
a truck driver. For example, I spent the last 8 months running
Ohio to Texas. I loved going south and west. Loved seeing the
Bayou, rather enjoyed the people and the different culture
than what I was accustomed to. But I really did it because
it was my companies money maker and it was easy running.
Well except I-55 from Jackson, MS down to I-12. That was a
bit rough.

As far as the shower thing, well there are times you just can't
take a shower. Mostly for me it's when I go east (which is
what I am doing now). I have just bought my own truck and
most of the good money loads go east (and yes I get good
money coming back as well) but with the schedules these
loads have and the lack of a places to get a shower where I
go I sometimes have to miss a day and yes possibly two. But
that's where baby wipes come in. I'm an owner op so to me
being stinky is out of the question.

As far as running 1800 miles a week, isn't that all of our goals?
Work as little as possible for maximum pay? Me I wat to drive
50 miles down the road and make a grand. Is it possible?
Not really but that's my goal. Even though I don't have a home
life, my home time is just as important to me than my check. My
wife left me a year ago(not because of driving, and yes I'm glad
she did, she's a dirty w%&re), I own a house I don't want with 5
cats that I love but need to get rid of. I live in a place where the
only friends I have had had screwed me over and am not very
fond of the people here, but it's where I call home. I don't have
any enemies just don't really belong here.

I don't own a chicken truck, but the previous owner was a pimp
daddy and kind of tried to make it one. He added some lights
to it, put a rosewood steering wheel in it and a few other things.
I plan on keeping up with it. I think they actually look pretty
good. There is nothing wrong with having a little pride in your
ride, especially as an owner op. You are representing yourself
so there is nothing wrong with wanting to make yourself look
good for the customer. In my opinion it actually can put the
customer at ease to know they have a driver that pulls in with
a nice looking truck. For the most part it tells them that there
is a good chance their product will be in good hands.

Aren't we all "lifestyle" truckers? But to use your definition of
the term, I think a "lifestyle" trucker would be the ones that
become a truck driver because of movies like Smokey and the
bandit. They want to use all the slang on the cb and basically
want to act like "Billy". They are in it for the glorification of
the job, not the job.

Me, I do it because I love the job (yes I did say that :D).
Believe it or not, it's the best job I have ever had. Where else
do you get paid to see the country, (albeit from behind a windshield
but still see it non the less), make good money and do something
I love to do, drive. And to me it is doing a service to this country,
even though most people would rather see us dead and don't
understand trucks mean to them. That's just my 2 cents, take
it how you want.

Re: Life style trucker ?
 

"Lifestyle trucker" seems to be an extremely vague term that is open to many of different interpetations both positive and negative.

Ask 25 different truck drivers and you will probably get 25 different answers.

The phrase "It's a lifestyle" is one used by those who wish to justify the pitfalls of trucking. The phrase "It's what you make of it" is generally used interchangeably with it. Neither is the truth.

So you are saying that trucking is NOT a lifestyle? And you are saying It's what you make of it is not true as well? I would have to disagree. Trucking unless you run local, is most definitely a lifestyle, just as much as any other job that you are far from home for long periods of time. Plus anything in life is what you make it. Life hands you a lemon, what are you going to do with it? Bite into it and make a sower face, throw it away, crush it, cut it up and put it in your water, squeeze it and make lemonade?

Ok I got away from myself with the lemon :) But the point is life and everything in it is what you make of it, just as much as trucking is a lifestyle. The question is, what trucking lifestyle will you choose to fall into?

Re: Life style trucker ?
 

ask 5 drivers and you'll get 6 answers, lol. someone hit it on the head when they said trucking is a lifestyle, not just a job. You have to change many aspects of your life to make it in the industry.

That is EXACTLY what I am saying.

It is an attitude like that which allows carriers to get away with crappy rates, no hometime, running their drivers illegal, etc. After all, it's what you make of it, and it's part of the "lifestyle".

Why not look at trucking for what it is: A JOB. Nothing more.

Nope. Spent better than 10 years out there. Not sure I understand the significance of that question BTW. In my time I've met more drivers than I can count that were nothing more than 18 wheel tourists.

Am I the only one who thinks "condom" when I see "Lifestyle?"

You must drive local and are home every day.

Hahaha! You obviously haven't read his profile. :lol:

I have now, his interests are irritating people ;)

But it really doesn't irritate me, I am warm and fuzzy deep down inside in knowing the truth :)

Do you still drive? I noticed you avoided that question.I knew that because usually the ones who have never driven or havent been out on the road for years,are disillusioned and dont really understand the direction the trucking industry has turned and how much it has changed.I can guarantee you that trucking isnt what it once was when you drove trucks,whenever that may have been.With the economy the way its been,few blue collar middle class people have the option to live this so-called romantic trucking life style that you painted.Where they dont care if they dont get over 1800 miles a week,or where they cherry pick their loads.Thats what I meant.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

If you say so.

I refuse to let my job define me. My life isn't that shallow.

Letting your job define you is different then having a lifestyle. The more I hear from you the more you fit into the very thing you say doesn't exist.

Explain the difference in relation to the "it's a lifestyle" trucker.

If you say so. :lol: I don't put up with a company's crap solely because I think "it's what you make of it", or that it is part of the job, which is one of the things that "it's a lifestyle" truckers are notorious for.

What would the families where the grandfather, father, sons and grandkids are truckers be defined as? Would they say that trucking is a lifestyle?

first off you cannot just say OTR trucking is just a job, because it is not. Yes it IS a job, but it is not your normal 9-5 40 hour a week job. You are living in a truck, even if you get home every weekend, you are still spending 5+ days in a truck. Now that is not to say that you are defined by it, but it is the job and the 'lifestyle' you chose. I don't live to work, nor do I work to live. I drive because I love most of the aspects of the 'lifestyle'. I love driving, I love traveling the country and seeing it, I even love the loner aspect to a degree. This does not mean I comform to 'coolie carrier excuses' either. If I was dealt a crappy load, I called my dispatcher and bitched for a better one, or if I sat waiting on a load I would be calling every hour on the hour bugging him. I did this for Swift I hardly ever had a crappy load because I wouldn't do it. I easily averaged 3000 miles a week. I didn't do it just to bust my ass, I did it because I enjoy doing it, I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it.

There are too many complainers and cry babies out there, as well as way too many people not taking anything serious, or taking things too serious. This goes with it is what you make it. It is what you make it is not an excuse to just let people walk on you, it is a way of looking at life that whatever happens you use it to your advantage. I didn't let my dispatcher walk on me, if I didn't like what he was doing, I made sure to explain it to him and communicate my unhappyness or disagreement, and made damn sure some sort of resolve was found that we both agreed upon. That again is not the same as some who try to think their dispatcher works for them, as opposed to others who say you work for the dispatcher, although ultimately you do work for who you work for and do need to do what they ask, but with a good communication you can make it clear what you like and want, and work with your dispatcher instead of either A just hating their guts or B just being walked all over, that is making it what you make it.

This ended up being a bit long winded but it gets the point across.

Blah, blah, blah :roll:

So what was your point?

I actually "pondered" this question while driving today...July 4th...Independence Day, couldnt determine a good definition of a "Lifestyle" Trucker, but...
I found all the examples:
If you spend the "Major" Holidays (Christmas/Thanksgiving/TODAY) on the road or in a Truckstop. That would be a "lifestyle" trucker.
(Dang it. :x ...I was hoping not to be one :cry: )

So what?

I thought you just said it isn't a job....

You enjoy doing your job. Good for you. That doesn't mean it is a lifestyle.

Then it clearly isn't a lifestyle for you, and it isn't "what you make of it".

I give up. I made it halfway through your post and I just wanted to shoot myself.

Im sensing a fresh "Lifestyle" comic strip coming up.

:D

Re: Life style trucker ?
 

You are so full of sh#t the whites of your eyes are turning brown.

I am speechless :P

Ohh and you most definitely have too much time on your hands, freight must be slow for you :P

Once again, my life isn't defined by my job. I'm at home, and spent the day with my kids. THAT is my lifestyle. THAT is what I want to "make of it". The truck is just a tool to finance that "lifestyle".

I don't remember seeing a "That's just trucking in there " sir.

That cartoon is good humor! :lol:

Be grateful for your freedom and a happy safe 4th to you all!

Re: Life style trucker ?
 

shouldnt you be on the giving end of a gloryhole at a rest area somewhere "good buddy"?