7 Tall Tales People Believe About Truckers and Trucking
Trucking and truckers are often seen in a different light, misunderstood and even mythologized. A big crusty man with a large belly and open shirt, eating his heart out at a gas station. Did we get the imagination right? Much can be attributed to how movies, television and even the news portray truckers in general. However, as with most things, there’s a lot more to trucking and truckers than these images that many have set in their minds.
Â
Truckers have to undergo rigorous training and pass specific examinations, along with inspections, to start their career in trucking. There’s immense pressure on them to maintain records, provide timely deliveries, and get tech-savvy with changing times.Â
Â
But this truth rarely finds a mention in mainstream media. It’s always the aforementioned image that plays on most minds. Some are hilarious, and some are out straight weird.
Â
Here, we debunk seven myths that people have believed about the trucking industry and truckers for years.
There Are No Shower Days
In essence, this one beats all other myths and tales around the trucking community. No shower days are as big of a myth as Albert Einstein failed math.Â
Long-haul truckers often have an in-built shower area in the vehicle, helping them keep themselves clean at all times while they hit the road. So next time you see a driver, don’t bother thinking about their bathing schedules; they’ve got it covered.
Trucking Is Not a Stable Career
Many people believe that trucking is not a stable career and doesn’t have high returns. As a matter of fact, on average, a trucker earns a high sum (average base salary per year –Â $81,121) which is equable to any white-collar job.Â
Due to a massive shortage of experienced drivers in the market, retirement doesn’t come early in the trucking industry. And this allows truckers to decide how long they want to keep working, making it a profitable career for them.
Trucking Is a No Woman’s Land
Truck drivers are usually visualized to be men in their thirties, behind the wheel, listening to rock or country music. But the times are changing. According to the American Trucking Association, women accounted for 7.8% of the workforce in 2021.
From knowing just five female truckers 41 years ago to over 200,000 trucking female professionals, the trucking industry has come too far.
Drivers Are Always on the Road
Truckers are always on the road. Well, not really. Are we always in our office? We all get off days, and in the trucking industry, off days are mandatory. This is to ensure that the health of a trucker is in check and they are not overburdened.Â
According to the official statement of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, truckers are allowed 14 hours of service in a day. It means that a driver can have a 14-hours driving window, an 11-hour driving limit, and a 30-minute break window.
Trucking Is Easy
Anyone can be a trucker; you get to drive all day. Well, there are other aspects associated with it as well. Truckers are professionals who have to get their commercial vehicle license, for starters.Â
Then there are strict rules around getting one. Someone who wants to pursue this career needs to have a lot of technical knowledge to enter the industry. Additionally, vehicle inspection and other formalities are strictly monitored in order to maintain safety and quality.
Truckers Are Rugged on the Road
Rugged drivers are a common sight in movies and TV shows, but in the modern world, nothing like that is even close to what truckers do. These days trucks have CCTV monitors and GPS that help them drive safely and precisely.
Such tech has reduced human error to a great extent and also helped in eliminating road accidents.Â
Wrapping Up
So, there you have it. The generally perceived image of truckers is not based on facts but fiction. A lot of safety and other mechanisms come into play to ensure the safety of drivers and their vehicles.
In all honesty, trucking is highly technical, but with the proper training, passion and persistence, it can be a lucrative career, paving the way for numerous opportunities.Â