life on the road - what keeps you going?

Posted by corriente6@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 17 comments

Been thinking a lot about how different life is out here compared to a normal job. Some days it feels peaceful driving for hours, but other days it gets pretty lonely, especially at night stops.

For those of you who’ve been trucking for a while, what keeps you motivated on the long hauls? Is it the money, the freedom, or something else?

How do you deal with the boredom or loneliness when you’re parked up for the night?

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No_Edge_7964@reddit

I love creating shareholder value for my company. It's the first thing I think about when I wake up and guides all my decision making throughout the day.

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No_Edge_7964@reddit

I'm just a cog in the machine who adores his purpose.

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homucifer666@reddit

Remembering that this is a means to an end. It's not a bad life though. You just have to make it instead of waiting for it to happen on its own.

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No_Edge_7964@reddit

The money definitely helps. I think most smart truckers have an exit plan, I know I do

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I took my dog with me over the road. Part of my trip planning was figuring out where I could stop, so that she wasnt being held captive in a moving vehicle all day. Saw some gorgeous and some ghetto rest areas this way. A lot of them have trails, ect. I guess my strategy was to add in some adventure, and things I enjoyed, every day.

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indytrucks@reddit

Caffeine nicotine and spite.

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ISayBeef@reddit

knowing at the end of the day i get to lay back and watch some Cory in the house

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AlphaFox616@reddit

R&B and Rap music helps me with night driving

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nasdawg77@reddit

Long story short if i can. Started in 98 drove til early 2000s and left to be with family. Injury in workplace that led me back to trucking ib 2014. Been driving ever since. I put it this way I hated every day going into a factory feeling like a prison to me. Trucking not even close to perfect but I sure enjoy it a hell of a more then ever being a 9 to 5. I find my peace, my thoughts, my bad days, my hood days, my life in that truck. Meet good and bad people. I rather not do anything else besides it til the day I say I'm done

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holysquish@reddit

I hate people so it works out

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potatocross@reddit

Im a day cab driver. I talk to my coworkers when on the road. Then I go home to my family. Couldn't pay me enough to be OTR, despite that one redditor telling me "You would go OTR for $1000/mile" Nah

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Cheah978@reddit

Honestly idk how u could be bored&lonely with all the tech and shit they got now, I can get food delivered from anywhere, u can FaceTime who ever on the planet at any time

After a shift of driving all I wanna do is eat shower and KO Try to Get a workout in the AM if I got it in me

For me tho i do it for the randomness of it all; i like my life feeling like a constant adventure, endless stories and experiences, makes life feel bigger and smaller at the same time, I use2 say if I found a place with decent food and good water pressure in the showers then it was a good day 💯

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Key_Objective4473@reddit

I'm not trucker myself but I design graphics for logistics companies so I hear about this stuff a lot from clients. They always tell me the freedom part is what hooked them - being your own boss on road, seeing different places instead of same office walls every day

For the lonely nights, maybe try finding hobby you can do in cab? I do nail art which sounds weird for a guy but it keeps my hands busy and mind focused. Some drivers I know are into podcasts or learning new language with apps. Prayer helps me too when things get tough, gives perspective on the bigger picture

The money probably nice but seems like the ones who last longest are the ones who genuinely love the lifestyle, not just chasing paychecks