Truckers and time go together more than one might realize. Time matters in nearly every aspect of a trucker’s life. Your average Joe (or Jane) that works at a desk or in a store is concerned with start time, quitting time, and maybe lunch time (if it’s not too busy!). But for truckers and transporters, every minute of every day is planned, logged, calculated, watched, and more. The life of a trucker is unlike that of any other profession. For this, and many other reasons that you will see below, it takes a special kind of individual to be a trucker. Lots of people can drive a truck. But only a choice few can do it professionally, proficiently, and properly.
Here are some of the ways that time plays an important part in a trucker’s life. Also included are a number of factoids that need to be considered if you are thinking about becoming a trucker or transporter.
Yes, There Are Perks
Let’s get the good news out of the way. A trucker’s life and schedule do carry some undeniable perks. The camaraderie among truckers is deep and true. Brothers and sisters in this industry stick together and always come to the aid of their peers. The countryside view is another plus. Few people get to experience the landscape like an over-the-road- trucker. Driving comfort (and this may come as a surprise) is a factor that many truckers have mastered with ergonomic seats, a/c or heat controls, and more. Truckers are likely far more comfortable than you are, when you’re driving through mile after mile of highway, for a family vacation.
Time To Get Paid
Some truckers aren’t actually aware of what their annual income will be until the absolute year’s end. What you transport, how far you drive, how many days you drive (full time or part time), how much of your day you devote to driving (overnight hauls or home every night) – these all matter in the type of money you make. The longer you’re at it, the more experience you have, the more money you can command.
Additionally, some truckers get paid a straight hourly wage whereas others get paid by the load, the mile, or some other measure.
Lots Of Time Devoted To Work
Could you stand long days full of little but driving in solitude? Many welcome the opportunity. Others may have a distinct problem with it. Those days can begin excruciatingly early and end after everyone else has long been in bed. You may even need to drive all night long. Over an 8-day period, you could well be expected to put in 70 hours. The good news is that, after that, there is an extensive downtime requirement. After consecutive 14-hour driving days (11 hours of which you can actually drive), you may well want to let someone else do the driving during your time off – or not leave the house altogether!
Time logs are another important factor in trucking. You must keep very detailed logs of time spent on the road, maintenance records, weight, etc. There’s more paperwork than most people imagine.
Mickey Understands The Value Of Time
Mickey carries parts, accessories, trailers, vans, and more – all for the expressed purpose of making life better for you, our customer. We know that truckers and others in the transportation industry value their time. Time is money! That’s why we expedite every order to get it out to our consumers in as little time as possible. We also have numerous service centers scattered throughout the U.S. to make your repair times shorter and more convenient. Contact us at Mickey today if you have questions or would like to know more about Mickey Genuine Parts.