Truck drivers are an integral part of the nation’s economy. Without trucks and their drivers, the things we take for granted everyday would be luxury items. This is the reason why truck drivers are paid so much. They must all be rich then, right?
Well, unfortunately, the high numbers you see truck drivers pulling in are before their expenses are taken out. There are a lot of things they have to pay out of pocket for when they are driving as private contractors. They pay for the obvious things like fuel and truck repairs. They also pay for not so obvious things like speeding tickets and lawyers for truck drivers to help them reduce the fines.
Is it worth it to be a truck driver? In this article, we will go over some things to think about before you decide to become a truck driver.
Safety issues
It is not that safe to be on the road for the amount of time that truck drivers are. Highway safety is something that every truck driver is made aware of and does their best to maintain. However, these days there are a lot of distracted drivers out there that can make it unsafe to be on the road with trucks.
Add the fact that driving is boring and exhausting and that it is difficult to stay alert as a truck driver and you can see how safety is a perpetual issue.
Truck drivers are trained well in how to stay safe on the road, but those rigs are difficult to handle when things go wrong. It is not easy for even the most experienced truck driver to avoid an accident.
It gets lonely
Long haul truckers working as private contractors are the ones that make the most money. That comes at a cost though. For instance, many truckers leave their homes on a Sunday night and don’t come back until late Friday night or early Saturday morning.
It’s very difficult to maintain relationships and kids essentially grow up without much of a presence of one of the parents. It’s a reason that many truckers are divorced or never had a family to begin with.
In some cases, however, the truck driver brings his wife on the road after the kids are grown and they spend their days together that way.
Break downs mean lost income
Not only does a truck driver have to pay out of pocket for any repairs to the truck, but there is also a loss of income when the truck is being repaired. Sometimes it can take a week or more for the truck to be finished and out of the shop.
In the meantime, the truck driver has lost that income as his competition was getting the loads for that time he was at home. When you see those big numbers, remember that they don’t keep all of it and there are times when money gets tight just as the time waiting for the truck to be repaired.