After 47 years behind the wheel, I’ve been asked just about everything. Some questions fit neatly into categories like business, maintenance, or health. But others? They stand on their own. Here are a few I get often — and my straight answers.
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Q1: “What’s the one thing you wish you had known before you started trucking?”
That it’s not just a job — it’s a lifestyle. Trucking will shape your schedule, your relationships, even your identity. If you come into it thinking it’s just “another job,” you’ll burn out fast. I wish I had been told from day one that this is a career that takes your whole family with you — whether they’re in the truck or not.
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Q2: “What’s the best piece of advice for staying safe on the road?”
Always assume the other driver doesn’t see you. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been driving — the second you think you’re invincible is the second you’re at risk. Keep distance, manage your speed, and use your mirrors like your life depends on it…because it does.
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Q3: “How do you deal with loneliness?”
You learn to fill the silence with something meaningful. For me, it was talking on the phone with family when I could, listening to music, audiobooks, and later podcasts. But the truth? You’ll still get lonely. And that’s okay. Accept it, prepare for it, and don’t let it take you by surprise.
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Q4: “What makes or breaks a new driver?”
Attitude. Skills can be taught. Routes can be learned. But if a driver doesn’t respect the equipment, the schedule, or the people around them, they won’t last. On the flip side, if you show up eager to learn and stay humble, trucking will open doors you never imagined.
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> Pull Quote:
“Trucking doesn’t just test your driving. It tests your patience, your character, and your willpower.”
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Final Thoughts
This Q&A only scratches the surface — but that’s the point. These are the questions that don’t always come up in manuals or training, but every driver thinks about them sooner or later. If you’ve got more, I encourage you to ask them. Chances are, I’ve lived the answer. For more straight talk and Q&As pleased scroll on down to the blog for Q&As called The Author’s Corner.
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My Trucker Life 