Truck drivers a mixed lot - deal with them daily. A lot of drivers have absolutely no business on the damn road.
At the same time - a lot of people out there who are way too damn smart to be a long haul driver - but for whatever reason get drawn into the lifestyle.
Certain companies of course seem to draw the lowest class of drivers - but some of these owner/operators out there too are downright scary. The guys running 25 year old beat to shot equipment that gets parked every other time they get pulled over - do just enough to get it back on the highway.
There simply needs to be a higher bar to become a driver - but the lack of drivers and the shit pay some places offer ensure that will never happen.
Never driven a big rig - don’t think I’d ever want to try. Driven just about every other vehicle/equipment - but no way I’d want to be responsible for 80k pounds on an interstate with some of the nuts out there - both in rigs and 4 wheelers.
I'm a night person. And that's exactly what I did when possible. Drive at night when the road was mine less hazzards on the road. And I would have any space I wanted to park at the truckstop because everyone mostly sleeps at night. I would start to drive at about 9pm and see sunrise until 7am whenever possible. I made that a routine every day. Though some days I would cook the logbook and drive dirty for roughly 14 hours from Miami to Hammond Louisiana one of my regular stops. Truck driving isn't for everyone it's a rough life. You miss everything back home while on the road. You don't really get paid when the wheels aren't turning except when unloading so the pressure to keep on pushing and going to maximize profits is real. I think some drivers are literally getting fucked by getting very low slave drive wages especially company drivers.
I was never one to shy away from working hard. It is definitely a very profitable business. Some love it like I do and some hate it theres no in between.