Say What?

Question: What do you like the most and the least about your job?

Jim Fowler, 38, Coldwater, MI  
Professional driving experience: 15 years  
“I like driving all over the place. I like seeing the whole country. My wife goes with me, so we’re together all the time. With the system we’re in, we can pick our loads, so we can travel just about wherever we want to go. The winter we pretty much spend in Texas and Florida, and we’ll go back to Michigan when it warms up in the spring. What’s not to like?”

David Kilby, 55, St. Clair, MI   
Professional driving experience: 20 years  
“I just retired, but when I was driving over the road, I liked the independence of it. Being your own boss. Hauling what you want when you want. Sleeping when you want. The trucking industry now, with this new hours of service rule, it ain’t no good. A lot of guys are trying to cheat in order to make a buck.”

Scott Thomas, 46, Hanna, IN
Professional driving experience: 23 years    
“I like seeing the country. I don’t know if I have any real dislikes. I don’t get stressed out over anything.”

Major Fulk, 48, Sanborn, IN  
Professional driving experience: 26 years  
“I’ve tried about half a dozen other jobs over the years, but I’ve always come back to trucks, so I must like it. I guess I just like being able to do my own thing. I enjoy it. What don’t I like? Some of these new regulations stink.”

Greg McMichael, 51, Beaumont, TX  
Professional driving experience: 6 years 
“I got out of the EMS business and into trucking because now I only have to put up with me. Now there have been times when I wanted to kick myself out of the truck, but it’s kind of hard to do. It’s got its bad points; it gets lonely out here on the road, especially late at night. I always have a co-pilot, though–God. He’s always sitting over there in that jump seat. Sometimes that’s what it takes to get us through.”