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Trucking Isn’t What It Used To Be… [Video]

Kim | January 7, 2012 | 23 Replies

Stumbled across this video tonight and really wanted to give it a share. It was put on YouTube by Trucker Steve who seems to be a straight shooter and pretty darn good at putting helpful things out there for truckers.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been a trucker for a month or a 30 years+, this industry changes constantly. How has trucking changed since you started? How are those changes affecting you, your family and your life? Is trucking different than you expected it to be?

On the CDL Life Facebook wall we get a lot of talk about how trucking isn’t what it used to be. Give these drivers a listen and tell us what you think.

The credits on the video say it was created by White Line Films out of Canada in 2008.

Category: Entertainment

What's Your Opinion?

Jeff A. Davis says:

June 3, 2013 at 9:32 am

Public perception of Truckers has changed substantially over the years. Now, we’re seen as a nuisance instead of necessary. While I’ll agree that there are plenty of bad ones out there the statistics still clearly show that trucks are not the problem. We’re ridiculously over regulated while the motoring general public goes on about it’s usual business with no accountability or responsibility. I guess it makes perfect sense if you think about monetarily. Why pull over a car and make only a couple of hundred dollars when you can nail a truck that can get into the thousands? C$A 2010 has proved this point, it’s all about the $$$$ and is the biggest scam perpetrated on the trucking industry to date. Here in AZ you’ll seldom see a car pulled over, but trucks everywhere are off the side of the road, it’s an every day occurrence I see between here and Tucson.

Be careful out there this week, Roadscam 2013, er, I mean Roadcheck 2013 starts tomorrow, I personally took those three days off. My tolerance for this BS has hit an all time low and I just don’t want to be out there. See you all on Friday back on the road! Be safe…

Carrie Klein Noonan says:

June 2, 2013 at 11:32 pm

I know trucking has changed. It has changed both because of the Rules that have been put in place by people who don’t have any business putting the rules out there. They haven’t been in a big rig at all, for the biggest part of them. And then they wouldn’t need to just jump in one truck, it would have to be all of the different trucks. People have changed also. They don’t talk on the cb as much and the help isn’t there either. A lot of that boils down to the rules that have been enforced upon the drivers. They CAN’T stop a lot of the times b/c of the rules governing their driving time. The economy has made it hard on the drivers also, people have to try to make as much money they can on what rules have been enforced on them. I think that if the drivers have these rules, why don’t traveling salesmen have these rules? Or the 4wheelers that are doing hotshot loads? They can drive for as many hours as they need to. They get driver fatigue also. Also, it makes it hard when 4wheelers don’t care about the big trucks. But the driver of the big truck usually gets the ticket for something a 4wheeler did. There are a lot of things that are not fair for our drivers out there that is going on. Government putting mandates on something that they haven’t even been in to experience…how can they KNOW what is best? They don’t, because they don’t come down to our level and listen to our drivers. You get lots of harassment from all around and the pay is usually terrible for all of the stress and pressure from some companies. I am glad that my hubby has finally found someone worth while to work for and I hope it stays that way. But until we can get some of the kinks worked out of the rules, it is ALWAYS going to be hard. And yes, if trucking goes down, the country goes down. Trucks are the easiest way to get from point A to point B. A train, plane or boat can not take the load all of the way. It is sad. Drivers work really hard (the biggest part of them) and are just trying to provide income for their family and to keep other families from being inconvenienced, but yet our drivers are being strangled slowly…

Dan Studybaker says:

June 2, 2013 at 10:47 pm

We need Convoy and Bandit to get this show on the road.

Kevin Burton says:

April 11, 2013 at 1:02 pm

Been doing it for 26 years. Technology makes it effortless but a rookie attitude (‘the new breed of driver’) makes it difficult to stomach sometimes. After the house mortgage is paid, I’m going to take it down a few notches, probably. Maybe I’ll try out the lot lizard gig. JOKING! hahahaw

Larry Hutchinson says:

March 12, 2013 at 9:47 am

I think it is the drivers who have changed the industry, used to be you were a driver because you loved it. It isn’t always the case but most Big Companies have guys that are just out there driving because there is nothing better to do, and they hate doing it. Then they take that hate/aggravation and turn it loose on their fellow drivers.Plus, no one taught them the rules of the road.

Scott Shroads says:

March 12, 2013 at 8:02 am

Why am I only hearing the music?

William Stanfield says:

November 23, 2012 at 1:17 pm

I got my first chauffeurs license in 1960, in 1990 had to retest and get a CDL. Some say it used to be fun but now it’s just a job. I used to really enjoy being on the road, but I don’t think it’s now just a job, it’s more of a punishment for being an O/O. I’m happily retired today.

Harry Johnston says:

November 23, 2012 at 9:32 am

I seen a whole lot of fresh meat at a driving school tuesday! only if they knew what they are getting into.

Kenny Blankenship says:

November 23, 2012 at 1:17 am

I have been around the trucking industry since I was 6 years old. My dad bought his 1st truck in 1971 and I know/knew several of the guys he ran with regularly, they were like his OTR family and he occasionally brought them home to spend weekends at our house. I started driving in 1987. I drove OTR from ’87 till ’02. I worked for a smaller company and then worked as a O/O for another small company and in both cases I met and became friends with a lot of the guys I worked with like dad did. In 2002, for personal reasons, I had to get off the road and find local work which I did until spring of 2012. This past spring I sold my dump truck and drove a company truck for a short time then bought another road truck. In the first few weeks back OTR I couldn’t believe the changes that had taken place while I was running local. Yes, there were several changes in the laws but the changes that most stood out to me was the drivers. Trying to talk to some of the guys who work for the same company as you is something rare. When I started most guys were taught to drive by their dad, uncle or a close friend who they rode with for a while and learned not just how to drive but something about being a truck driver. This job was, for my dad and his friends and for me when I started, a lifestyle, not just a job. It was something you did not just to pay bills but because you liked and wanted to keep doing it. My theory on the change in drivers is this, the failing economy. Like I said, I grew up around trucks and the industry, learned to drive and other things by riding with dad. I think that since the economy started collapsing and more and more people lost factory jobs they found their last resort to pay the bills was truck driving school. As far as driving, I suppose that most schools are fine but, they only teach the basics i.e.’How to get the truck down the road’. To these folks trucking is a JOB not a career or a lifestyle. They go out, do a couple weeks take the truck to a yard somewhere and go home just like when they punched a time clock. I’m not complaining about them on a personal level. A lot of the ones I’ve met have been decent people but they aren’t truck drivers. They are people who drive trucks for a living. They don’t really take pride in what they do and in some cases they don’t even take pride in their own appearance. Makes me sick to see these guys walking around truck stops wearing cut off sweats, ragged Tshirts and flip-flops, looking more like bums than the professionals we are supposed to be. What happened to jeans and a button up shirt or at least a Tshirt that doesn’t look like a dust rag. I can’t imagine what a tourist in a truck stop must think of these people and the industry in general when they see them.

Carl Ward says:

November 23, 2012 at 12:32 am

you folks ain`t figuared it out yet? back in the good old dayz that’s long gone you could stop and help a trucker out when you could put it on manuel remember that? now with all the computer shit better not touch it and by the time you even think about pulling over for a truck he or she has a cell phone and help is on the way and true they won`t ans on the CB what? break what’s a CB those are the things u don`t use anylonger here but me a dictonary I cant spell for shit but I also know 10 hour of driving ain`t 10 hours its 700 miles outlaw trucking at its finest and you guys let a company tell u you can`t idle a truck between 50 and 72 72 feels like 82 in the heat of the day it isn`t the goverment its the company who`ll tell you the have a desk full of application in a heart beat, last big company I worked for was charger in 2000 when they went out of business I was so happy to see the suits wonder what happened I wont ever work for a company that has more then 50 trucks that guy needs me and we work together……………

David Ramsey says:

September 3, 2012 at 10:17 am

These gentlemen have it right. Ive been trucking for 33 years, and have seen a lot my self. Truckers are their own worst enemy. Politicians are next!

Butch Chrisley says:

September 3, 2012 at 11:47 am

with my 32 years out on the road, we need to band together, We do real good at crying about the problems but, not one of us will step up and take the leed! Iam no better myself, we all say why upset the cart it at least feeds us and pays the bills, Sad !! There was a time Trucking was FUN yes I said FUN! now its too much like a job.

Rick Manning says:

September 3, 2012 at 10:02 am

As I’ve said before if DOT and FMCSA Keep on pushing these regulations its going to get to the point where there is going to be a ton of freight to move in this country and not enough drivers to move it… many might not beleave this but without trucks this country would fail in a matter of months.. food shortages.. fuel shortages, Medical supply shortages hell even the treatment used in the water we drink would not be moved.. This not could but will end up in a huge problem for thisd country and I hope I’m one of the people still around to tell FMCSA I told you so… What also bothers me is that recent fuel shortage up in Michigan where the local law enforcement is talking about temporarly doing away with hours of service to get back on its feet fuel wise… I find it apauling that when there inconveinced the laws don’t matter But when a trucker cant find a safe place to sleep and needs to go over HOS by 15 min He is considered a criminal.. Its disqusting.. I agree with these guys on here as well as the drivers are diffrent.. I wasent around for the good old days of trucking but have heard plenty of the vetrens talk about it on the CB. I get on the CB whenever I see a truck on the side of the road weather I’m in my jeep or my big truck and If they need help I stop to help them out.. most of the time its only because they needed a wrench or something like that to fix a little problem on there truck but being a young driver (24) I try to do my best to help others out. Everyone else also must agree with me it depends on what part of the country you are in.. I’m from the NE and it sucks up here.. god forbid someone is inconveninced up here for 2 second while I back my truck into a street that I cant turn around on or god forbid you let that truck in front of you and slow down the line just a little.. when I was down south and out west the people were a lot diffrent towards trucks..

Isaac Dotterer says:

September 3, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Rick, you’ve been driving for 3 days. Stop trying…

Rick Manning says:

September 3, 2012 at 12:32 pm

I’ve been driving a year on and off…

Tom Rivers says:

September 4, 2012 at 6:02 am

I’m gonna buy you a dictionary

Kevin Burton says:

April 11, 2013 at 1:02 pm

Are you sleeping? There is already a shortage of drivers.

Kevin Burton says:

April 11, 2013 at 1:02 pm

You sound like a rookie, big time. Sometimes, well most of the time, saying less is better. Use your ears more and your mouth less.

Jeff A. Davis says:

June 3, 2013 at 9:32 am

Although worse case scenario, what Rick says is correct … doesn’t matter if you’ve been driving 3 days or 30 yrs.

Debieve Rann says:

September 3, 2012 at 10:02 am

iT IS A SAD THING INDEED that trucking has changed so much..the prob is that change is inevitable and if we don’t go with the flow of it we end up fighting it all the way..yes Government plays a big part in trucking but there has to be abide-able.. laws passed..right now trucking is so hard pressed under the feds thumbs that anything we truckers do is more scrutinized than ever…as an owner operator it’s hard to stay independent when you are being treated like a company driver..believe it or not its a big issue..also camaraderie is lost..no more being proud of what we do simply be we love to do it..power has disintegrated and slip ped into big brothers hands and there no getting it back! This is what sours me the most when I’m trucking I think my 34 yrs out here are definitely coming to an end..