This has been one of those weeks that truckers dread, especially those of us who own our own trucks. It is a week that we do not like and that we wish could have a do over. When you have the normal 9-5 job or at least the home everyday kind it is easier to deal with some situations.
One of the hardest things to adapt to in this lifestyle is having to handle stressful situations on the home front. Even with the technology of web cams and cell phones, it is still hard to interact electronically when the best option is face to face in person. It is important to remember this is a lifestyle and not a job. Even after all the years spent out here, these times seem to get harder and not easier. We are alone for hours each day and friends are few and far between. So when things go wrong in your personal life with either friends or family, dealing with it gets tough.
You can then add in another factor, mechanical. What makes this so hard is when it is out of your control. When you have that perfect dispatch, going right where you want to go, the opportunity to actually see someone you know and enjoy a little time away from the trucking world. The other hard part of the mechanical is the sheer cost. When you think of a major repair on your car being 3 digits, think 4 on a truck. What I am facing this week is just that scenario. We are going into the holidays and I had that dream cross country run that pays well and would allow me time with friends to blow off some steam. Then at the last minute things go wrong with the truck costing more than a weeks pay and the loss of the good paying load with benefits. I am now left with a large bill, a lonely hotel room, and no positive options for income in the short term. Now comes the hard part of knowing that there will be no Thanksgiving for me, because, i am now required to work to pay the bills and times at home just get more tense when I am not there.
So, when you are headed out to your dinner at Grandma's house, watching the parades on TV, or headed to the mall for Black Friday, and you see that truck rolling down the highway, give a wave and a little more room to the person making your holiday a little nicer.
