The Long And Winding Road: A Peek Into A Truck Driver’s Way
There are a lot of people who are not morning persons. Some prefer staring on the ceiling for a few minutes before getting up. Some would cuddle with their partners or their pets beside them. Others would press off their alarms to have a few more minutes of sleep.
But for some people, time is gold. For truck drivers, it’s the start of another long day ahead of them. These are all normal for most local truck driving jobs. These hardworking truck drivers are not complaining, though. After all, it’s all part of their job.
A truck driver’s daily life
While most of us are still in deep slumber, a truck driver starts his day before the sun shines. He wakes up, gets a cup of hot coffee, and prepare for work. Upon arriving at the work site, he would check the weather and inspect the truck and deliverables he will drive for the entire day.
Long-haul truck drivers don’t have a definite work hour. Some may start their day before sunrise, while some begin theirs when others are about to sleep. It will depend on their assigned schedule. All in all, they would log in around 13 hours of the driving period, breaks included.
Breaks are essential because they will be on the road for hours. Within the 13-hour or so work period, they should have a few hours of break time. It will be divided into different times of the day so they can stretch their legs, eat lunch, and check the truck. After more than 10 hours, they would call it a day once they have completed the deliverables and logged in their required daily miles.
Truck drivers get paid either per hour or per mile. On average, truck drivers need to drive about 500 miles per day. That’s about 125,000 miles per year, and it goes longer for some drivers. Imagine the physical and mental capacity this job requires.
A rewarding job
Most truck drivers may work longer hours than those working in air-conditioned offices. They would also need to be physical and mentally capable to handle the long drive, lest driving a massive truck daily.
But the pay is not that bad either. On average, it starts around $35,000 annually with an increase every year. You also get to enjoy the different view while you’re on the road. Being a truck driver is not always work. You can take breaks and appreciate the scenery and food, and mingle with the locals.
Most drivers have a companion to help them with the unloading. Depending on workload, they can finish before nighttime. So, they still have time to go home and spend time with their families. Otherwise, they may have no choice but spend the night elsewhere although only on rare occasions.
A lot of people dream of working in big corporations while seated on their comfortable office desks. But some people do better outdoors, like truck drivers.
They are our unsung heroes. They deliver the items we need for our daily lives from the warehouse to retail stores. Without them, brands cannot reach their target customers. That said, we should respect everyone’s job as long as we work hard for it.
About the Author
Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.
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