What runs through your head when you
see those big 18-wheelers on the road? Do you wonder about a trucker’s
life? Ever wonder if traveling from state to state is adventurous?
In Truckin’ Up!, author Donna Carver describes life on the
road for truckers.
Carver felt the excitement and naivety of an outsider. She jumped
aboard her husband’s truck and marveled at the idiosyncrasies in
a trucker's profession. A trucker’s life provides unique experiences.
Some are good experiences, like gabbing with friends on the CB radio
or seeing different parts of the country. Other times, truckers
deal with road rage from passenger cars, unfair police scrutiny,
and unreasonable expectations from dispatchers. Being away from
family makes truckers’ lives lonely. Truckers need to search for
comforts of home life, such as places for showers and truck stops
for sleeping or eating. Their job requires delivery within a specified
time, and that deadline causes a lot of stress and duress.
Communication over the CB radio is probably the biggest fascination
for people outside the trucking industry. We might enjoy figuring
out the meanings for "bears" and "ten-four." The CB radio is a vital
piece to a trucker’s work and life. Truckers communicate about good
rest stops, accident areas to be avoided, and changes in weather.
Truckers also use the CB to tell jokes, ward off loneliness, and
keep themselves awake.
In Truckin’ Up!, Florida-raised Carver shares pieces of
a trucker’s life. She genuinely wants to show the hassles, as well
as the uniqueness of a little-understood profession and life. A
large chapter includes many trucking jokes, ranging from innocent
to provocative. I enjoyed reading the section on truckers’ slang.
Truckin’ Up! will give you a fun afternoon of light reading.