Why...

15 years as a CDL holder and I've lost some passion for the business.  I like the daily challenges.  For example, Trying to get to Portland in a 63 mph truck while in 55 mph speed zones just to beat the midnight cutoff for payroll was a challenge.  All I wanted was a higher paycheck but nonetheless I'll get paid for those miles.  Cynicism abounds as I showed in my last post. (By the way, I still don't need any cheerleaders in my corner.)  The motoring public, as many of you can testify, is getting worse.  I mean, who has the sense to tailgate at 80 mph in rush hour Dallas traffic? Apparently, many people are getting their licenses to easily.

It all comes back to my "why" which is the ultimate reasons why I am out here.

I do it for the money.

There is not another occupation other than sales that can take a zero and put him into a comfortable life if he desires to fully understand the business.  Yes, with everything some will fail and some will not have the proficiency to handle it.  Anyone who is focused can maximize their potential.

When I started I was under pressure to move back to the South from Wisconsin.  I was certain that I would not be able to find employment that paid me what I was making at the time.  After the ex-wife resisted it for a long time she finally agreed to let me drive out there.  This was after she got laid off herself and didn't feel the need to stay in Wisconsin anymore.  It worked out.

My office is mobile and I don't have to interact with management every day.

If you're like me and prefer not to have someone breathing down you back all the time the trucking is a perfect choice for you.  I can't guarantee that you won't be hounded from a distance but it's a freeing feeling when you can move your "office" from place to place.  The scenery always changes and offers up different experiences.  Not to mention you always have a workplace with a view.

It can be real fun.

As I stated before, I like challenges.  The fun for me often comes with a objective I can meet or a new challenge.  New customers, new routes and even new equipment can have challenges on their own and anything that keeps it fresh for me will fire me up.

I believe in the cause and our mission and why we're important.

If anyone needs our support it's truckers. We leave our families so your families can have the things they need.  We're not out here joyriding; every truck driver has a priority to deliver what they are hauling and much of that affects many things that we do.  All the food in the grocery store gets there by truck from the warehouse.  All the food in the warehouse get there by truck from the manufacturer.  Gas in gas stations gets there from the terminals by truck.  A recent stat that has been quoted to me is that for every McDonald's hamburger sold there was at least 100 trucks involved from the slaughter of the cow to the making of your Big Mac.  Without trucks America doesn't eat well.

So tell me... What's you "why" for doing what you do?