How do you stay motivated?
 

I wanted to save on fuel so I've been driving at 58-59 MPH. That's how I spec's the truck - 1350 RPM at 59 MPH (Cat C15, 3.73 rears, 295 tires, 13 speed). That means I have to be behind the steering wheel at least 9 hours to do 500 miles a day. I've been losing my motivation lately and tried to sell the truck. However I know for sure that as soon as I sell it and stop trucking, I'd be heart-broken looking at the big rigs on the highway. I tried driving faster, at least 60 MPH, and I noticed a part of the fun was back. Do you guys think I should switch to tall rubber or swap my axle rears for faster speed? I think if I drive at least 62 MPH (I'm in Canada), it'd more fun because I could do the same 500 miles a day in - probably - 8 hours. Any comments? By the way, I bought a FLIP High Definition camcorder and have been busy making movies about the trucking life ... If interested, check it out: YouTube - smd5231's Channel

Do you have satellite radio? That definitely helps with the "fun" factor.

Originally Posted by allan5oh:
Do you have satellite radio? That definitely helps with the "fun" factor.

i agree!! i dont do OTR but when i was doing 500-700 a day it was a savior! if you dont have one get a ipod, book on tape (mp3 etc), cb (i personaly hate cb) , etc. something i was thinking and if you have the capibility why not set up a podcast? maybe a live dash cam as you drive (facing road?). i can think of alot more. if you think the truck is the problem try trading it in. i mean.. if you arent happy with the proformance of it get something diffrent with a cummins or detroit.

but if it comes down to motivation thats all what you work for and enjoy. me at 26 i'll find out in the next few weeks if i can get my own truck in with my boss making good moeny. if i can first order of business is out of debt, then after that get my 87 buick grandnational down here and enjoy it then save for a house.

for you it might be a vacation. something you have to ask yourself.

Books! Audible.com! Seriously, I'm getting through books I'd never sit down to read. Really, you can learn so much, you can almost think of that as your primary activity and you can think of trucking as the way you pay your bills.

My outlet is message boards. I like to get into deep discussions about faith and politics and the books I listen to on the road teach me a lot. The one I'm finishing up, His Excellency, a book about George Washington. Who knew Washington was called 'His Excellency'? As a colonel in the Virginia militia, Washington would hang deserters. He was about 25 years old at the time. Imagine being in battle and hearing the screams of guys getting their heads scalped! Imagine being the commander of the regiment and watching the hangings you have ordered being carried out. There is a whole lot you can learn to get into the mind and the heart of Washington, stuff your average American doesn't know.

Well, you can learn the same about many people. The next book will probably be the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. All these books together, including The Story of Liberty, and another one that had some biographical information on Alexander Hamilton, and furthere mentions of Washington, it starts to build a picture you probably didn't get in school. The 5,000 Year Leap, or whatever it is called, just came in the mail. And now that I think about it, I probably ought to get Common Sense, to really figure out what the Constitution and the country are really built on.

Anyway, with Audible, if I get a hankering for a particular book, and if they have it, I can pull over anywhere and buy it and download and I don't have to wait for anything in the mail. Tom Sawyer, who has actually ever read Tom Sawyer? I got it and listened to it and the reader of the book was utterly brilliant. This one guy would do all these different voices. Crazy funny stuff about Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher!

Anyway, my suggestion, roll the wheels and keep your babies fed, or whatever. Listen to books and learn things no one around you has any clue about. And, when you are hanging out, head on over to Panera bread and download lectures, documentaries and debates. Really good stuff about 9/11, the New World Order...or, for a leisure break, Check out Chris Crocker doing 'Bitch Pleeeaaassseee' :rofl:

Originally Posted by lowrange:
Books!... I'm getting through books I'd never sit down to read. Really, you can learn so much, you can almost think of that as your primary activity and you can think of trucking as the way you pay your bills.

Thanks, guys... that's pretty much what I've been doing. Satellite Radio and audiobooks ... I love Old Radio plays on XM and stand-up comedy. But I think in my case the remedy would be to cut the miles! I'd be one happy camper if I could do let's say 1,000 miles a week (1 return run from Guelph ON to Chicago IL), instead of 2,500 miles a week. Once my truck is paid off in December 2010, I"ll start thinking seriously about getting own authority and doing it sort of part-time, just for fun. The bills will be paid by other sources of income, ideally PASSIVE income from real estate.

What kind of trailer do you pull?

Originally Posted by tracer:
I wanted to save on fuel so I've been driving at 58-59 MPH. That's how I spec's the truck - 1350 RPM at 59 MPH (Cat C15, 3.73 rears, 295 tires, 13 speed). That means I have to be behind the steering wheel at least 9 hours to do 500 miles a day. I've been losing my motivation lately and tried to sell the truck. However I know for sure that as soon as I sell it and stop trucking, I'd be heart-broken looking at the big rigs on the highway. I tried driving faster, at least 60 MPH, and I noticed a part of the fun was back. Do you guys think I should switch to tall rubber or swap my axle rears for faster speed? I think if I drive at least 62 MPH (I'm in Canada), it'd more fun because I could do the same 500 miles a day in - probably - 8 hours. Any comments? By the way, I bought a FLIP High Definition camcorder and have been busy making movies about the trucking life ... If interested, check it out: YouTube - smd5231's Channel

Wow I would switch rears to 3.36, or atleat 3.55 if you do a lot of mountains.

The truck I drive now, has a C15, with 3.36 rears, 18 spd tranny, does 65 at 1350, 78 at 1500 ;)

Originally Posted by tracer:
How do you stay motivated?

That's easy. I don't have any other sources of income.
And speed, doesn't really matter, tho sometimes, I'll let it roll. ECM recorded 96.6 mph. Of course, you are going to pay for that fun, the same like you pay for everything else. The question is;- can you afford it?

Originally Posted by solo379:
That's easy. I don't have any other sources of income.
And speed, doesn't really matter, tho sometimes, I'll let it roll. ECM recorded 96.6 mph. Of course, you are going to pay for that fun, the same like you pay for everything else. The question is;- can you afford it?

:lol: Yeah, forgot about the obvious. Food, clothing and shelter keep me going, too.

How do I stay motivated?


Well, I do like to eat. :D