The Passenger Seat

Some ass asked hubby that question today... one of the security guards at a distribution center that he pulls out of all the time.

It bothers me that truck drivers are looked at as doing nothing but "sitting on their asses all day."

I think the majority of the country takes for granted that product will always be there for them when they go shopping and never think about how it got there. But that's not all that's not taken into consideration... Do non-truckers ever consider that truck drivers have 14-hour work days? That there are countless things that they could be written up for and/or could lose their job? Keeping a the speed limit constantly so as not to get a ticket (so many tickets and you lose your job), making deliveries on time, keeping the truck between the lines, safely maneuvering an 80,000 lb. vehicle around thousands of ignorant four-wheelers every day (I really think there are too many drivers on the road that shouldn't have licenses and I think regular drivers should be required to take some kind of course on how to maneuver safely around 18-wheelers), backing the truck into tight spaces daily... all in all, basically having to be diligent in keeping the safety of him/herself and those around him. Sitting in one position for hours on end does take its toll physically. Being alert for such long periods takes its toll mentally. For over-the-road drivers, being away from family can add on to the stress. Josh (for example) gets 2-3 days off each month. I'd like to see some non-truckers try it and at the end, see if they consider the work "just sitting on their asses."

Trucking obviously isn't for everyone, and no complaints about trucking intended in what I said. I just wish people would have more consideration before they're so quick to look down on someone else.

Category: General