Things are very slow right now in the industry. We have only been getting 2 to 3 loads a week. This last week we got less than 1,000 miles and we are a team in a straight truck. That is fact, not pretend 'doom and gloom' meant to discourage new drivers.
Living in a sleeper of a truck for weeks on end is hard even for those who have been in the business for years. Learning to sleep in a moving truck on a bumpy interstate is even harder. While the object is to keep the loads and truck moving, it is nice when you get the chance to spend the night parked somewhere and sleep on a bed that isn't moving. Don't get too comfortable though, there are those loads that come in a 2am, like one of ours did last week, and then you are on your way again.
You also have to learn to live without taking a shower for days at a time. Sure, it's easier to get a shower regularly when you aren't running as much, but when you are under load you don't have time to stop and shower. Truck stop showers also take some getting used to, and you have to learn to look past the fact that thousands of other truckers have used that same shower that you are about to step into naked. Just how well does that truck stop clean and sanitize their showers after each use?
You have to drive in all kinds of weather. Rain, fog, snow, sleet, ice, wind, hail, thunderstorms. The freight still has to be delivered. While you may be completely confident in your ability to control your truck in any weather, the real threat is the other drivers on the road who may not be as able to control their vehicle, and that applies to roads that are clear and dry as well. You have to learn to "drive" for everyone else on the road and anticipate what they will do next. You are the professional and you are the one that everyone will blame if something goes wrong.
It's a business, and you have to treat it as such. Keep up with paperwork, record keeping, receipts etc. Maintaining a professional appearance and attitude is also very important, even when the workers at the shipper or consignee are rude and give you attitude. Sometimes you just have to learn to bite your tongue. You are the professional.
I'm part of a team with my husband. We had to learn how to live together in a box, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 4 to 5 weeks (or more) at a time. You really learn a lot about yourself and the other person when you spend that much time in such close quarters. Sure, there's arguments, but you get over it and continue on. If you aren't sure that you can spend that much time with someone in such a small area with not much chance of time apart from one another, then either staying home or driving solo would be your best choice.
All of the above applies whether you are an owner/operator or you drive for a fleet owner. It's not an easy life out on the road. It's a lifestyle that you have to be willing to adapt to or you aren't going to be successful. Anyone thinking about getting into this business needs to consider all the different aspects of it very carefully before jumping in. While the "money" is a big part of it, there is a LOT more to it.
