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Truckin’ Up!

by Donna Carver



      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.

The Book

PublishAmerica
May 1, 2003
Paperback
1-59286-674-3
Non-fiction - humor
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE: Some language and sexual situations

The Reviewer

Jennifer Akers
Reviewed 2006
NOTE:
© 2006 MyShelf.com