Burned out

Posted by lemme-emi@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 38 comments

Always thought about driving ever since high school over a decade ago. Finally took the plunge and been driving OTR flatbed for a year now.

On one hand I’m so grateful for this opportunity. It’s been amazing to have steady employment, see some cool places, have time to myself to contemplate life, listen to hella audiobooks, etc

On the other hand I’m feeling so over it and antsy. I think I’m ready for a new adventure. Sitting this many hours a day is rough, even though I started working out more recently.

Also, I miss having people around. Never thought I’d say that haha.

Just needing to vent and wondering if other drivers deal with this too? Now that I have my year experience I’m thinking of jumping ship to some other new exciting career. Nice that I can always fall back on driving if I have to. Maybe it’s just the OTR life that’s driving me nuts and I should give local jobs a try? Idk lemme know what you think

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driver004@reddit

It’s one of the few times my background includes a lot of being locked in a room as a kid. Still sucks but I have a plus ten resistance to cabin fever

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the_clam_farmer@reddit

I'm the same way, as far as background goes, but going on 5 years in OTR, I find myself reaching out for community more than I used to.

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driver004@reddit

Why oh why did the truck stop bar ever die out, I only know of like one good one in Dallas

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shocktard@reddit

There’s a little bar and grill right next to the TA in Wildwood FL. Felt like I stepped back in time, the bar was packed with truckers. I just sat enjoying a rather tasty meal and eavesdropped on the conversations. Typical know it all trucker talk, but it was fun to get a taste of that old school atmosphere.

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driver004@reddit

I’ll keep that in mind next time I get stranded down there lol

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the_clam_farmer@reddit

I can imagine a few reasons lol. Rothsay, MN was the last one I was at. Was right nextdoor, nice places with TV's and pool tables.

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driver004@reddit

Place I know is called Texas rose resteraunt and club. Has some of its own truck parking and is across the street from a loves. Pretty chill place, food is pretty basic old school diner but it’s ok and priced right, always has beer lol

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driver004@reddit

lol sorry I have the social skills of a brick, rant came from how it seems like the places that are around are drowned out by endless tv which to me defeats the purpose

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driver004@reddit

Always with the TVs, back at the place that’s kinda my home there was a absolutely perfect in every way dive bar that only gave in to TVs during the Super Bowl. Had the absolute best wing sauce if you like spicey but not nuclear. Place made money hand over fist for decades just as a place to chill and maybe get some horseplay in.

Then the owners son took over and they ripped out the decor and plastered TVs everywhere, looked like a knock off Buffalo Wild Wings. AND THE FUCKING SAUCE CHANGED. Went bankrupt 3 years later pissed me right off as that all went down during my last ever deployment, first place I wanted to go after the army hospital let me out

EquivalentRude9364@reddit

Fuel Hauling is the way to go

Crazy-Cracka@reddit

I'm getting into CDL to get away from people 😅

flergityberg@reddit

OTR is hard; I really don’t get why it doesn’t pay better, given that you’re basically signing your life away. I drive nights now, which is its own sacrifice, but I got weekends off, make hella money, and I get back in my own apartment (which I can comfortably afford) every morning. I wouldn’t go back to OTR for anything at this point. If you have a year in, you should be able to find something else.

oasuke@reddit

Nope. I choose trucking because I prefer the solitude. I've always been this way. The older I get, the less I want to deal with people.

Neat-Big8950@reddit

Whelp, if Dart transport has any openings you won't be eligible. I have 20 years of OTR experience and I tried applying with them for a local position before settling on a garbage truck. The last job I had was delivering side by sides for BRP. I overwhelmingly went into New York City. About 3 years of that I got tired of it, wanted something local. Dart was hiring a day cab position. I put in an application, they called me back and told me I wasn't eligible. They don't count that as experience because I wasn't bumping docks and instead was unloading in parking lots or in streets (it's NYC). So yeah, get ready. That's the type of bullshit games this industry plays. And they bitch there's a driver shortage. Yeah, self induced.

AleTheMemeDaddy@reddit

Yup! Same here! Ever since I was a kid, I always saw the Petes and W900s and was like "how cool would it be to travel the country and get paid for it?"

For a very long time, I felt like I didnt belong in corporate because I should be driving. After driving, I still kept my CDL as a plan B, but I am now back in corporate and much happier than I was before, now feeling like I belong in corporate.

I realized that good money isnt everything in life. I still love driving, and I will forever love trucks and the experiences mine gave me, but I still choose to be at home where I get to go to the gym and eat healthier every day.

warwgn@reddit

I started local, with dedicated runs for my first 2 companies, on my first 7 years driving. I’m on regional company now, doing open board, and I’ve continuously expressed my desire for longer runs, saying I’m more than willing to do a reset on the road.

My current regional gig pays more than the 2 previous local gigs too.

chillary_shank@reddit

Shit I’m in the opposite boat, I’m ready to go regional/OTR this local shit is kicking my ass.

Matlovestruck@reddit

A year OTR will do that to you. The isolation hits different than you expect when you first start.

Local is a completely different world. Home every night, actual routine, you can have a gym membership you actually use. A lot of guys who burn out on OTR find local resets everything. Worth trying before you leave the industry entirely, especially with a year of flatbed under your belt which opens a lot of doors.

maroonblood94@reddit

I went local LTL after a year of OTR flatbed. Local almost has me burned out more than OTR. The pay is better than OTR and so are the benefits, but the commute + traffic + less time off than OTR + night shift is killing me.

nerdy-steez@reddit

I’m currently in this situation now, long commute plus just getting started in line haul. Literally said this week otr was easier in some ways. Almost want to get out completely.

Gr00veChild@reddit

Yeah I was local and I personally didn't feel as rested either. Definitely seems to depend on the gig.

ShamedSalesman@reddit

Better to get out now than later. With the rise of AI the job is going to be automated sooner than you'd think. It's only stable until they find a way to save money.

Actual-Media897@reddit

Try going local as a pick up and delivery driver. You'll interact with people all day and have different challenges on a daily basis. Gets the heart pumping when you're trying to back into a dock that requires you holding 4 lanes of traffic. Lol

BearGaymer64@reddit

Im almost out of training and i know that i might not have a platform to stand on here but, im already feeling burned out. Soon i'll be in teams with someone and i kind of want to scream right now. I already miss my friends, my partner.... hell my cellphone has become my only friend really. Im so tired, im anxious as hell.... starting to think maybe im not cut out for it... someone please help.

I think for most people training pushes you to your wits end, hang in there driver. Not saying it might still not be something you don't enjoy, but just a reminder training isn't always easy. This is definitely one of those "jobs" you really have to enjoy, but also be an adaptable and responsible person. A frequent joke among drivers is we quickly forget how mad we were the previous day/week etc lol. Hell, I had a kinda shitty day yesterday (just a pile of shit day) getting some sleep knocked most of that annoyance out, the mountains will fix the rest 🤘🏻 Figure out what your motivation is, and the little things you really enjoy out here and try to lean on them.

With tears in my eyes, i thank you so much. Its feels very nice to be heard about this. I have wanted to say something but not sure who to go to that would understand. Im doing my best to hang in there. Again, thank you so much.

astro_skull@reddit

I'm almost in my 3rd year. And am now starting to get this itch. I don't want to go back yet. I just look at the money I'm saving weekly.

RoamingNomadSoul@reddit

How much were you able to stack in 3 years?

I had some debt to payoff before I really started saving. My first two years were at a Mega so the pay was inconsistent. I also spent a little. Starting this February I'm close to 20k. From 10k.

Nice, same situation as well. My first year and a half was paying off credit card debt student loan debt and my car loan and the next 10 months I was able to save roughly $2500-$3500 a month. My only bills now is a phone bill and groceries so far I have 20,000 saved up in almost 2 years of trucking.as

Back when I decided to take the plunge and cut off by myself took 2 years of almost total grinding to get to a place where I felt stable enough to be in that happy take time off when I want to more or less place, shit sucked out months at a time eating canned soup and ramen

ahowls@reddit

One of the exact same reasons I got out, the Solitude starts to get to you.. the novelty wears off and you just want to connect with someone...

Believe it or not I've been working at a pizza joint and have been so much more satisfied with my life cuz I have co-workers to talk to and build relationships with and there's a bunch of women that work there too

It's really nuts when trucking gives you the solitude you thought you wanted in a potentially unlimited amount.

blackmankitteh@reddit

i got lucky and got hired with a fuel company straight out of school. I was a hostler at fedex before so i knew people who had an in to a few local companies.

But I knew i couldnt do OTR. you all have my respect.

Smoke-A-Beer@reddit

Go local. I deliver steel locally, home every night, good pay every weekend off. I know my customers by name and they know me by name.

You fuckers around this site are just about the only people I really interact with, everyone else is dead or somewhere nobody knows lol

kingsnow18@reddit

Same

st_psilocybin@reddit

I only lasted 7 months and I'm local LOL. Plenty of people don't stick with it for too long, this industry has extremely high turnover. You are definitely not alone. You sound like you dont hate it as much as I did so maybe stick with it a little longer and see if it's just a phase