Meet The Truck Driver

These massive trucks rolling up and down the interstates over mountains and through small towns all across the United States.

People in cars and pick-ups usually are cursing when caught behind these behemoth trucks, and act like they are running scared when in front of one. Did you actually ever meet a truck driver?

These are simple folks just like anyone else, only thing is they give up a lot to do the jobs that they do for everybody. Most truck drivers are gone for up to weeks at a time, yes sometimes if they are lucky they might get to stop by the house for a break of about 10 hours or so. Then, it is getting right back out on the road, pushing the limits to get yours and mine – consumer products that we need every day delivered to your favorite store.

We see these trucks every day, but you hardly ever see who is behind the wheel man or woman I bet it’s probably one of the nicest people you could have the pleasure of meeting – it’s a professional truck driver. These men and women that drive these massive beast of trucks are moms and dads, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters just like normal people. Most of the truck drivers usually have families that they have to be apart from, and may only see them two or three times a month. They have learned to deal with being apart from loved ones.

Most truck drivers if you were ever to see the inside of their trucks, have family pictures stuck up everywhere – or at least I did when I was driving. No it’s not so they won’t forget them, but it is a reminder that they have someone at home, and that they must get back home safely to see them. This is on the heart of every truck driver on the road – getting back home safely.

I wrote an article “Thank a Truck Driver” and have been asked a few times how one could go about doing this. Well, obviously I wouldn’t recommend going to the nearest truck stop and running up to their trucks. But there are several ways you can do this. The article wasn’t about giving a physical thank you to a truck driver. You can thank a truck driver by showing them courtesy while out on the highway with them. If you see a turn signal come on, don’t give the car gas and try to pass them, unless of course you are beside them. But let them merge over usually you will get a “flash of the tail lights” meaning thank you for letting them out.

Another way is to drive like you have some sense don’t hurry up and pass them only to slow down in front of them. Don’t yak on your cell phone in the left lane and forget you need of the exit to the right, and cut them off trying to hit your exit.

Here is one that always made me smile. If you have kids teach them to take their arm and pump it up and down while you are passing a truck driver this is the “international call” for a truck driver to blow his or her air horn. It always put a big smile on my face when a youngster would go pass wanting me to blow my air horn.

Here is another way, take a tablet and with a black magic marker write “Thank You” on it in big letters and as you pass have a passenger to hold it up to the window. I bet you will hear a blast from the air horn for that too. Also, when you teach the kids to do pump their arms also teach them to wave at the trucker after he or she blast the air horn.

Give these drivers the respect that they deserve, and I guarantee you it will be returned. Truck drivers may be classified as an unskilled laborer, but it takes a special kind of person to do what they do. Truckers are people too just remember that. Try to give them the space they need, don’t get up behind them with your bright lights on, don’t go past giving them the bird. You might be flipping off somebodies grandma or grandpa. Treat them the way that you would want to be treated and everything will turn out alright.

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