Truckers.

When you think of a trucker, you might see this:

However, anytime I look to my left while we’re on the road, I see this:

Now let me lay some knowledge down for you.

Being a trucker is not easy work and sometimes you can encounter grizzly people. Lately I am very impressed with the whole job. Just think about it, when you are driving on the interstate and you see a big rig, a few things might cross your mind: fear of being hit, annoyance that they would be in your way when they slow down or that they are some sort of riff raff that is a grumbling necessity of the Earth. You are wrong on all accounts (and I’m not just saying this because I’m dating one). Also, before I continue let me reiterate that before this both of us attained Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education.

By federal regulations, a trucker cannot drive more than ten hours in a shift. On top of that, they have something called their 14 hour clock, meaning that in a 14 hour period, which includes driving and breaks, after 14 hours, they MUST shut down for at least 10 hours. Also, in a given week a driver cannot drive more than 70 hours. How does their company keep track? They digitally log their hours in a Qualcomm system, their main form of communication with their company. I’ve seen it happen where if the driver attempts to go over his hours at any given point it will start beeping at him like some crazy alarm.

Understand that 10 hour shift I spoke of earlier is NOT 10 hours of straight driving. It can be, but that is up to the driver’s discretion. What most people do is drive about 3-4 hours then take a break, maybe 15 minutes or so before getting back on the road. It’s normal for a solo driver to cover up to 500 miles in one shift. Now, if you were to drive in a team of two, you don’t have to worry about budgeting hours. In a team situation, they simply switch out, and can just keep driving. In a given week, a solo driver can get up to 2800-3000 miles, on a busy week. A team can go up to 7000. These guys get paid by the mile. The pay scale all depends on your individual situation, whether your company or lease and how long you’ve been doing it. I’ve noticed on average beginning truckers who are company and on a team can make .35/mile, and that’s on the low end. You do the math. They get paid weekly.

The main thing that is highlighted throughout this job is safety. Always wear a seatbelt. Be alert at all times, which is why the time restraints are set in place. They are held to such a higher standard that tickets for them start at the 300 dollar range and go up from there, not to mention the rates for offenses vary from state to state. So next time you are annoyed with a slow trucker, you might want to check your own speed. Also, consider the fact they are driving a vehicle capable of carrying up to 80,000 pounds. The weight is set because it is the max the HIGHWAY is able to handle. What happens if they have more than 80,000? You get this interesting effect where the concrete or asphalt actually bows. I’ve nearly tripped over tracks made in truck stop lots because of this. Frightening. What’s even more fascinating to me is when you have to make a turn or, even more scary, backing up in these things. They get much slower in turns because these vehicles are very top heavy and the best way to turn over is going too fast. Oh and remember the dancing ballerina hippo in Fantasia? That’s the best metaphor I can think of when seeing these guys back up into a dock for a load. It’s scary and graceful at the same time and I’m so incredibly proud of James when I see him do it. Just to give you an idea what he has to work with, think about it like this. The trailer is usually 53’ long (there are other types of trailers but they have their own physics to deal with). The bobtail (the cab) is about 18’ long. That’s 70+ feet of vehicle, which is almost ¼ the length of a football field!  

The important thing to remember here is that every time you go to a store for groceries, clothes, etc., remember that most likely the items you are buying came in on one of those rigs. What’s even more interesting is that it’s one of the few growing job fields in this economy. When James first heard about trucking, it was through an ad he heard on the radio and listings on the internet. At the time they had 100,000 openings when he signed up. He heard when he got out that number has increased to 150,000 and from what I’m seeing on the road, everyone, everywhere is looking for drivers. So, if you are hard up to find a job, are at least 22 and have 7 years driving experience (and a clean record), then I’m sure the trucking industry is interested in having you!

One last thing: should you choose to go the trucking route, make sure you are aware of contracts and what not. James chose C. R. England because they have their own trucking school, and he would be able to pay back his tuition through his paychecks without having to sign a contract. Most companies will look to sign you to a long term contract for that. More on C. R. England later.

Hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about the industry and I’ll be writing up new posts on the lifestyle soon!