The Trucking Community

Is amazing, normal people like you and I, who do the 8-5 or all in one place kind of job just can't understand this moving, dynamic from one nation through another and back kind of community, at least I couldn't.

First of all the drivers who truck for the same company become buddies, if you see a truck going the other direction that has the same insignia you do, you grab the mike and chat. How's the weather, what about road delays, any cops, and then the more normal topics that you and I do in email or phone or lunch meetings, such as "how are you feeling", "did your get that we talked about last time", and other friendly chatter. Then there are the places you stop to fill up or get a bite or, like Sallie's. It was strange to have a clerk at the local convenience stop say to another, "O, she's with Dave." And the same chatter or familiarity was there.

Other neighbors include the broker who lines up the load to be picked up. He brought us breakfast while we waited to be loaded. Or the fish company, who regularly sees this driver or that one for a load of fish, it becomes "first name basis" Or there is the comraderie with the other guy who is also waiting to be unloaded, or staying around after you are unloaded, to help a driver back into a tight space, or swapping out (dropping your load and switching with another driver and returning back where you just came from) with another driver so he can make a family reunion.