Introduction:
In a world where many find themselves trapped in stressful routines and burning out from monotonous work, the allure of trucking presents a refreshing alternative. Having experienced the confines of a traditional office job, I understand the toll it takes on one’s well-being. The desire for something more fulfilling and different led me on a journey that completely transformed my life. This blog post delves into my personal experience, highlighting how trucking offers a new, enjoyable way of life filled with variety, freedom, and serenity.
How I Used to Work: Stressed, Routinized, and Burnt Out
Before becoming a truck driver, I had a job that many would envy. I worked for the federal government so the job paid well and had great benefits. I was required to work 40 hours per week and the work schedule was similar to your typical 9 to 5 job. My co-workers and managers were very nice and very smart. At first, the job seemed perfect but over time the days seemed to run together. The problem was that most of my days were very similar. I performed the same routine of commuting to the cubicle, working my 8 hours, exercising, and then commuting home.
It was always the same routine. I began to feel like something was missing, like I wanted something more or different from my days. The routine became mundane and joyless. I began to feel like all of the meetings and the tedium of the bureaucratic processes were stripping away my soul. I tried everything from changing cities frequently to working from home a couple of days a week but they proved to be only temporary fixes and after a short time I would feel burnt out again.
Trucking Happy: Trucking offered a new enjoyable way of life full of variety, freedom, and serenity.
Then I discovered trucking and an entirely new way of working and life lay before me. As a truck driver, there was no longer the same routine. Each day was different. I awoke every day like James Bond awaiting a new mission. As a truck driver, my job is to explore the country, see new places every day and meet new people. Life instantly feels bigger and more expansive when you are gazing out at vast vistas as opposed to staring at the walls of a cubicle all day.
The mental fatigue that had accumulated over the last decade vanished, and I regained an energy and vitality that I had not felt in years.
For the first time I understood what people meant when they say things like “living the dream”, “no bad days”, and “when you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.”
I have heard truckers referred to as paid tourists. When done right, trucking really can be like driving an RV but getting paid. Most days I get a full night’s rest and don’t use an alarm. Most days I am able to exercise and I’m at my fittest level since college. As long as I deliver the load on time and follow Federal hours of service regulations1, most days I have complete freedom and autonomy over my schedule. Often, In my past jobs, when I had the money to travel I didn’t have the time and when I had plenty of time to travel I was short on money. That conundrum is solved with trucking because you make money while traveling. I have been able to go to music festivals, NYC bike tours, concerts, amusement parks, play golf, go to the beach, visit museums, and spend long, lazy days at cafes, bookstores, and libraries. On a couple of occasions, I’ve had passengers ride along.
I am obsessively punctual and even the thought of being late stresses me out. Even with this affliction, I have been able to drive in a calm manner that is full of serenity and peace.
Because I was escaping from the drudgery, and resulting mental fatigue, of a decade of office work not quite suited to me, when I became a truck driver I vowed to enjoy my day first and foremost. Of course I needed and wanted to make money too, but I vowed to never let the pursuit of it destroy the beautiful paradise trucking can be. As a result, I truck in a way that I can simply describe as happy.
Trucking happy: A new way to truck facilitated by technology
Technology has made trucking more accessible and more enjoyable for people who want to truck happy. The happy trucking life I enjoy was not always possible and I believe the following many new technologies make it possible:
- The physical demands of truck driving have been diminished. There is no longer a need to work a heavy clutch all day. Modern, automatic trucks make driving comfortable and nearly effortless.
- New federal regulations limiting trucker working hours and the accompanying electronic tracking devices have altered trucking culture and driving expectations, resulting in a better drive-life balance.
- The new digital brokers and digital load boards make finding, booking, and being paid four loads convenient and easy.
- Apps make navigation and locating parking and scenic spots and restaurants easy to find and remember.
- Audiobooks and listening to fast resources on the internet allow one to either be entertained or educated while driving. Want to learn a language or become an expert in a particular subject matter? You can do these things in a very short time when you are listening to it all day.
- The plethora of electric-style vehicles such as skateboards, scooters, bikes, one-wheelers, etc. opens up a world to truckers beyond the vicinity of the truck stops.
- Video calling and conferencing applications such as FaceTime and Zoom allow you to stay in contact with your family members and friends.
- QuickBooks makes managing your business from the road fairly easy.
- Online faxing makes faxing business documents from your computer convenient and easy.
Who are the potential new happy truckers?
When done the way I describe it–with an intentional approach to truck happy and enjoy a life of exploration–trucking can be for anyone. And when done this way it could also appeal to anyone. If we adopt this new happy way to truck, then a new way means new participants. Trucking happy can be for:
- The Explorer – for the person who craves more variety in life and loves traveling to new places and the novelty and excitement travel brings.
- For the early retirement RV’er who wants to make money and see the country while bridging the gap between working and full retirement.
- For the introverted and sensitive person overwhelmed by traditional office work and its resulting pace of life
- For the current trucker who wants a more enjoyable way to work and live
- For someone who wants an alternative to the modern way of life. Trucking can be minimalistic existence where you can ignore distractions so you can focus on just the things that you want to focus on.
- For the spiritual person who wants a new path to serenity. The open highway can be the ultimate meditation.
- For the quiet quitters.
- For people who want or need a brand new start in life.
- For those who want an alternative to the military
- For gap year students
- For entrepreneurs
- For digital nomads
- For those who want to escape white collar for light labor.
In Conclusion:
By embracing the joy of trucking happy and adopting an intentional and exploratory mindset, one can unlock a new world of possibilities, making trucking the best job one will ever have. Trucking happy is not limited to a specific group of people; it can be embraced by anyone seeking a fulfilling and alternative way of life. Whether you’re an explorer craving variety, an early retirement RV’er looking to bridge the gap between work and full retirement, an introverted individual seeking relief from traditional office environments, or a current trucker wanting a more enjoyable experience, trucking happy offers a solution. In the end, trucking happy represents a paradigm shift in the way we approach work and life. So, hop behind the wheel, hit the open road, and discover the happiness that trucking offers.