The worst part about being a trucker is a general lack of respect for the trade. [View all]

[Tobin S.]

You can get jerked around by anyone at any time, seemingly, when you are just trying to do your job. From law enforcement, to the motoring public, to shippers and receivers, to the management at the trucking companies, it's a never-ending experience of having somebody straight up your ass.

Respect is hard to come by for the American trucker. Many trucking companies have a turnover rate in excess of 100% every year in their driving forces. They could probably cut that rate in half if they started treating truckers with honesty and respect.

I just spent another day of getting jerked around in the course of trying to do a good job. I told the management where I work that I'm going to be graduating from college in December. I think that just made matters worse. That's okay. It's just four more months, then they can try to find someone else to do what I do for them, which won't be easy.

I just took a human resources management class at school. It's been found that reasons relating to respect are the main reasons for turnover. It can even trump a very good compensation package.