[corodra]

No. I was a truck driver for almost a year.

The job pays like shit. You have to pay $2-5k for classes to get a CDL or get locked in with a company that trains you and you pay back at their variable rates of interest... oh and they "lose payments" often along with charging you high late fees.

They take anyone with a heartbeat. It's the ultimate form of equality. If you're dumb enough or desperate enough, they'll take you no matter your gender, race or self identifying whatever.

The job pays like crap, you're treated like crap and your body goes to shit real fast.

There are regulations, and most of them are pro-trucker, aimed to protect them from abuse by the company. Problem is, a majority of voters have this weird and incredibly stupid fantasy that trucker life equals a cowboy life. Thus, company lobbyists are able to easily manipulate the narrative to the media, public and Congress. Making sure truckers don't get a voice or have a leg to stand on. Most truckers aren't the brightest bulbs in the shed. I had to do it out of desperation from a spat of unemployment. I had a plan and a way out, unlike most of them. What really sucks, most truckers are really good people. They do the job in hopes of putting their families in a better situation. But because the companies run them down and they only get 3-5 days a month of home time, nothing works out as expected. A lot get divorced in their first year or so. Argue? Oh, what's that, there's no loads coming out of butt fuck nowhere Wyoming. Looks like you're stuck there for the week. Btw, you are paid based on miles driven when you have a load. Thus, in that situation, I didn't get a paycheck for the week.

And it's one of those jobs that people need to stay in their lane about. If you were never one, you actually don't know the shit they go through.

So no, it needs more regulation. The kind of regulations that puts a noose around the company's necks.

[dmode]

Wow. I had no idea it was this bad. And you didn’t even touch the hazards of actual driving for 8 hrs a day, often on tricky mountain passes, with heavy snow

[corodra]

It's a 14 hour window to drive 11 hours. It's not a 9-5. Everyday with 70 hour limit in a 7 day time period.

Quick look, they did change the rules since I quit in 2012. Looks like a 60/70 hour limit in a 7/8 day span.

Though, you're restart is a wonderful 34 hours time-off in... a loud truck stop in the middle of nowhere. Always.

Oh, but you are protected (and I believe the insurance companies help with this too) that if a driver says road conditions are too dangerous, the company can't force them to drive anymore. Doesn't stop them from punishing you afterwards with too little loads.