Why are transportation jobs looked down upon? (CDL, accountants, companies)

[Hemlock140]

I have a lot of respect for drivers, as I take the bus to work every day, and we stay at a truck stop whenever we are in Portland. Still, just making $50,000 is not a good reason for deserving respect. Being about the median U.S. income it's not a lot of money, but respect for a career involves doing something valuable to the rest of us. In fact, for me the reason for respecting these jobs is that they are willing to do hard, responsible work for so little money.

[usamathman]

Same reason why teachers are looked down upon.

Because no one wants to do the dirty work.

Drivers have one of the hardest, but most important jobs that can be had.

The turnover rate is extremely high.

[statisticsnerd]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I have a lot of respect for drivers, as I take the bus to work every day, and we stay at a truck stop whenever we are in Portland. Still, just making $50,000 is not a good reason for deserving respect. Being about the median U.S. income it's not a lot of money, but respect for a career involves doing something valuable to the rest of us. In fact, for me the reason for respecting these jobs is that they are willing to do hard, responsible work for so little money.

$53,046 is the median income for a household, not a single person. Average per capita is $28,155. That is the number you should be comparing to.

USA QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by fisheye

I made about $75K/year as a Teamster truck driver. I have been retired from trucking for the last 6 years. When I was driving I did not care if others looked down on my job - I was getting paid good money. Of course you have to work for that money - long nights on the road, weekends, holidays away from home. Also the job is hard on your body; trucks are designed to haul freight and not people. Then there is the stress factor and dangers of the job (it is one of the most dangerous jobs). Of course, if there is an accident; the truck driver is always at fault (your bigger, meaner and nastier than anybody else on the road).

That also reminds me if you want to be a trucker I'd recommend giving up alcohol. The penalties for DUI's/OUI's are much higher for truckers. A driver might have a suspended license but a trucker easily will get a suspected license.

[statisticsnerd]

Originally Posted by mdovell

That also reminds me if you want to be a trucker I'd recommend giving up alcohol. The penalties for DUI's/OUI's are much higher for truckers. A driver might have a suspended license but a trucker easily will get a suspected license.

Good. We don't need drunks on the road. Anyone convicted of DUI should have their license permanently revoked IMO.

For truckers, you also must not get into any accidents. It will cost you your job and make it very difficult to be hired elsewhere.

[rugrats2001]

Originally Posted by Europeanflava

And not respected like jobs such as teachers and police officers? I never understood it. The response is generally "because the pay sucks and your out on the road all day long". Hogwash. Top level truck drivers make well north of $50k a year. So again I ask why is transportation jobs whether its truck driving or taxi or even a school bus driver not respected by the masses and only anti social people/ nanny haters seem to prefer the field.

You are are asking why truck drivers aren't respected, then you paint them all as "anti social people / nanny haters". That's a really messed up thing to say about a group of hard-working men and women.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by statisticsnerd

Good. We don't need drunks on the road. Anyone convicted of DUI should have their license permanently revoked IMO.

For truckers, you also must not get into any accidents. It will cost you your job and make it very difficult to be hired elsewhere.

Just breaking any rear-view mirror was a reportable accident. The companies want you to bring their equipment back in the same condition that they gave it to you - even if it's a hunk of you know what!

At any time I could have been given a drug test while I was on duty. It was not worth sacrificing good money for a good time. Sometimes I drove for years without being tested and some times they would send me week after week.

Everything on commercial trucks is heavy and can kill if you are not careful and sometimes even when you are careful. I lost a friend to the wheel of another big truck. I was traveling north on I-81 in VA and waved to my friend going south five minutes before a truck wheel split him in half. It was one of those freak accidents. Another truck, five minutes behind me had just had a wheel put on at a truck stop. The truck driver never checked the lug nuts before he hit the road. The driver behind me lost the mounted tire and it went airborne when it hit the center divider. You figure that the tire was coming at my friend at about 120 MPH - his speed + the speed of the tire. One of these mounted tires probably weights between 250 to 300 pounds. I had another partner that got out of our truck to have a 2X4X8 miss his head by 6 inches - it came off a truck hauling lumber. That would have decapitated him at 65 MPH.

[supertrucker212]

If you bought it, a truck brought it.

I personally could never drive over-the-road, it would cut into my lifestyle too much. I'm a local truck driver, it's not as "easy" as what everyone thinks it is.
1. You can't stop on dime, like cars think you can
2. You can't swerve at the last second, like cars think you can
3. You're under more scrutiny from cops and insurance companies
4. Even locally my average day is 10-12 hours
5. You have more regulations to follow

Just to name a few. I'm glad to see that so many of you stuck up for truck drivers. I do think pop culture, paints truck drivers in too negative of a light. Not everyone of us are fat slobs with chew dripping down our chins. As far as the "low entry skill" I promise you 80% of these office chair sitting computer using degree toting intellectuals couldn't do the job.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by supertrucker212

If you bought it, a truck brought it.

I personally could never drive over-the-road, it would cut into my lifestyle too much. I'm a local truck driver, it's not as "easy" as what everyone thinks it is.
1. You can't stop on dime, like cars think you can
2. You can't swerve at the last second, like cars think you can
3. You're under more scrutiny from cops and insurance companies
4. Even locally my average day is 10-12 hours
5. You have more regulations to follow

Just to name a few. I'm glad to see that so many of you stuck up for truck drivers. I do think pop culture, paints truck drivers in too negative of a light. Not everyone of us are fat slobs with chew dripping down our chins. As far as the "low entry skill" I promise you 80% of these office chair sitting computer using degree toting intellectuals couldn't do the job.

We aren't? Gee; now I have to loose weight?

But seriously; that is one of our problems. At least for OTR or long haul. We do not get enough exercise. I know that local drivers, like you, got plenty. I got plenty when I worked the dock and yard. Long haul gets very little; except: Where is my next meal? We had to keep our wheels turning to make the big bucks. To do so meant that we sat, ate, sleep - not a very healthy lifestyle. Just one more danger to truck driving.

I never did like chew - but I kept my 64 oz Pepsi handy! I did put on about 30 pounds for fifteen years driving - I guess that wasn't too bad? For exercise I always tried to park as far away from the truck stop buffet as possible!

[Lodestar]

How about respect for anyone who works? These days that's a dwindling number.

One of the two most successful people in my graduating class made his living farming and driving truck. I've had enough experiences on the road with the "good guys" to think pretty highly of them. The long haul drivers also make great travel guides.

I'm unsure of the comment about anyone who has had a DUI never being allowed to drive truck again. I know a man who was fired for his amphetamine and alcohol problem and got help. He remained sober for the rest of his life. One time he told me that it seemed a little backwards to keep him from driving as he knew many of his fellow workers were still out there popping pills and drinking but hadn't ever gotten caught. Addiction is one of the hazards of the job, unfortunately.