Big rigs

I'm married to a retired Teamster truck driver and one of my son's is a truck driver now.  My husband is the best driver I have ever known.  It always amazes me, he refuses to use cruise control when we're traveling, yet if you watch the speedometer, it will never vary unless he has to hit the brakes, even if he drives all day long.  He trained my son so needless to say he is the second best driver.

Truck driving and MT really have a lot in common.  My husband will tell you that there are 2 things that scare the holy hell out of him:  1)  The "cowboys," who want everyone to know they're behind the wheel of a big rig.  2)  People who have no regard for trucks at all.  Those big guys with 80,000 pounds of freight pushing them don't exactly stop on a dime.

My husband would tell you to make sure you go with a reputable school and one that has recruiters on site for hiring on completion of the course.  Otherwise, much like MT...the companies want 2 years OTR experience to even consider you.  Do your research well, both for the training and the company you go to work for.

I went with my husband once after he retired when he filled in for a friend for 30 days.  The experience was awesome.  Another poster said the truck stops were dirty.  That depends on the truck stop you go to..if you go to the el cheapo truck stops, expect el cheapo service.  We always went to the major ones and everything was always clean.  Granted you might not be able to choose the hour you get your shower but you can get it.  Just like MT, a lot of the experience you have, according to my husband and son, is dependent on the company you work for.  There are some he would tell you to avoid like the plague.

The previous poster who said her husband was a steel hauler; my husband said, the bad conditions were in large part due to what he was hauling.  Companies that use steel are usually in the worst part of town.  He was hauling mostly beef and once 40,000 pounds of frozen chocolate covered doughnuts from London, Ky, to Phoenix.  I must have gained 40 pounds just having those THINGS behind us without eating one!   We always spent the night in truck stops and I felt perfectly safe.  'Course I had my husband there with me.

As for the men's attitude toward women.  I can't argue with their logic, if women are going to be in this occupation, they expect (and rightfully so, according to me) them to be able to get their trailer into the dock...and that doesn't mean nose first.  My son said once he was waiting and waiting for a woman driver to get her trailer backed in and he said after about an hour waiting and having his road miles eaten up, he went over and asked her if she'd like him to put it in the dock, which he did.  So if you're gonna do it, do it....the WHOLE job.

Husband also suggested getting a CB and talking to the truckers who are on the road and you'll soon get the skinny on it.

Here's an information website for you http://www.teamster.org/  I'll just leave that by saying that we're enjoying retirement because of Teamster benefits.  $100/year of work x 30 years...do the math.  Health, dental and life insurance cost 0 dollars while he was working and now that he's retired we pay a mere $250/month for both of us.

Good luck!!!  If I was single and a LOT younger, I'd love to do it myself!

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