The Source for Trucking News, Opinions and Trucking Jobs | Just a few random thoughts about what I do and who I am.

First and foremost - I am professional. Period. I try my hardest to be professional in all facets of this job that I truly love. I now own my own truck and am responsible for fuel costs, maintenance and repairs. I am responsible for over $100,000 or more of cargo that I am responsible for getting to it’s destination in one piece and on time. And more importantly I am responsible for the lives around me. Reckless as they may be. That’s just part of being professional. I can’t let the action of others determine how I feel or ultimately drive.

I get treated like dirt and looked down on like I was lower than scum.

It could be worse, I’m not wearing a name tag slinging burgers or a mop somewhere.

I have nothing, but I owe nothing.

Society needs me. Not every driver can be home every day or every weekend. I work weekends and holidays like they were any other day.

I can help someone in trouble along the road, I can kill a family of six in the blink of an eye.

Kids look up to me as their parents drive by cursing.

I’m tied between government regulations and trying to keep the customer happy and still make a living.

I can see the wonder and excitement in kids eyes as they stare upwards towards the cab, their arms pumping up and down pulling imaginary air horns, wanting to hear the real thing.

I am part of a culture that everyone sees, but no one understands.

Truckers still have that same mystique and romantic image of cowboys of long ago. Just like cowboys, people see the best of the job. The travel and adventure. The handling of a massive piece of equipment like it was another limb.

And like cowboys they don’t see the boredom and loneliness. The long hours, the hard work and small pay. I don’t get paid much, but I work a lot so it adds up.

The road turns from being a driver’s passion to a driver’s addiction. Just like any other addiction, it’s a love / hate relationship.

I have a several million coworkers, yet I work alone.

I am cursed when driving too slow, I am cursed when I’m driving too fast.

I am feared, I am respected, I am hated and despised. But I am still depended on to help others when asked.

I am King of the road with ethics of the Knights of the Roundtable. Yet I am looked on as killer and vagrant.

I am not responsible for my coworkers. But, when one of us makes a mistake, it is a mistake done by us all.

I am blamed if something is not on the store shelf. But I don’t get credit when the shelves are full.

I cause the accidents, I prevent the accidents. I can save a life or take a life.

No one watches over my shoulder, but I still have tremendous responsiblity. I am my own worst critic and slave driver.

If I made a list of positives and negatives about this job, the negatives list would be ten times longer then the positives. But I love the positives so much that the negatives aren’t that important.

My coworkers like myself, are independent, yet dependent on one another sometimes for survival. Most times just for companionship.

My mistakes can make the evening news. My accomplishments are taken for granted.

I have abandoned the material and “normal” world. I have nothing, yet I have everything.

I have not abandoned society. I work in order for society to be what it is, yet society has abandoned me.

I am not religious, yet I am incredibly spiritual. Seeing all the wonders of life as well as all the death and destruction, one can not help but believe there is someone higher and someplace better. I firmly believe that
I am unconditionally loved and forgiven in spite of the wrongs I have done. That Jesus died in order for me to have that love and forgiveness.

I have that love and forgiveness, understanding and acceptance in heaven. A little of that here on earth would be nice. I am finding out that finding someone to share the above mentioned life and to give that love and acceptance unconditionally must be asking even God too much. If it happens, it happens. If not I’ll still survive.

I am, and try to be the Simple Man. A man with honor and integrity. A Simple Man that knows the difference between materialism and realism and the importance of relationships. All relationships.

The importance of people and those relationships are first and foremost. The relationship of family and friends, to the janitor or waitresses. I feel that I treat everyone with the respect any human deserves until given reason not to.

Wayne Weisser, Driver.