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t’s been said that trucking isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle and for the most part, that’s exactly what trucking is. A job is an activity where you go into work at a specific time, work a schedule, come home and live a life apart from the job; with trucking, you’re never away from the job, it’s omnipresent. There are few vocations that are also “lifestyle” That is the similarity amongst military service, farming and trucking. None have an “end of shift”. Even when you are sleeping, you are on duty. Even when you are off duty, you are on duty. There’s always something else to do. And while the level of stress for all is similar, each has somewhat different stressors. Possibly that’s why the ranks of truckers have so many who have previously served our military in one form of another and or have been farmers. I think I have an appreciation, having been raised on a farm, served in the military and many long years in trucking. Trucking isn’t a mind-numbing job as one of those repetitive manufacturing or office jobs might be. Trucking presents a totally different scenario almost every second of everyday, certainly the scenery changes as do the challenges caused by those with whom you share the road. Even though a truck driver is producing his or her 550 miles each day, he or she is never alone. There’s 8
constant interaction with the general public, in terms of road sharing. With the trucker’s communications devices, there is always a friendly voice to hear and sometimes a very critical voice. There is constant updating of road conditions and situations yet unseen. The advent of the Internet Age has developed even more communicative devices that allow even wider abilities to stay abreast of an ever-changing world. Also, ever increasingly, technology is “spying” on his or her every move. One of the downsides of both serving in the military and trucking is that you are away from loved ones and friends and family for extended periods of time. Another similarity is that neither pay very well. The major upside to both is that you get this incredible feeling of contribution. No other job with the possible exception of farming can possibly give one that sense of providing exactly what is needed when it is needed by whom it is needed and where it is needed and why it is needed. This is what people who haven’t been in either the military or in the trucking industry could possibly understand. While the people of world are in “give me more” mode, the military and truckers (and yes, farmers) experience something that can’t even be described or even understood by most. Strangely, there’s an enormous peace in the chaos, especially
G. Ray Gompf
24 Hour behind the scene, where no one elseAssistance seems Roadside to care. Another way that trucking is a lifestyle is that like it or not, the families are also part of trucking just because. Spouses have the step up more than most to be alone raising families, attending school functions, soccer matches, even attending extended family functions alone, without the trucking spouse. Children have to learn the trucking spouse is rarely at home and the most intimate contact is on the telephone. Spouses either have to make decisions alone or with their spouse on the telephone or other communication device. Families with jobs never think about the sacrifices those who choose lifestyle vocations suffer all for the good of everyone. Now, I know that many of you are, while agreeing with me, are thinking I’m forgetting about first responders, but I’m not. I writing this as I am focusing on the recent deaths of five police officers, three in Moncton; two in Las Vegas. The funeral of the three in Moncton is on television as I write. That being said, with all due respect, first responders sleep in their own beds and have a life outside their job. Their job is extremely critical to the well being of the community and I take nothing away from their task at hand but truckers and military have a much different lot in life and yes, it’s one July / august 2014