Stereotypes, in general, usually are never good. Even if a stereotype is a “positive” one, it can wind up being negative in one way or another, and trucker stereotypes are no exception. Negative stereotypes and misconceptions are hurtful to the entire integrity of the trucking profession. What most folks don’t realize is that truck drivers hold our country together. If it wasn’t for truckers, within days our entire infrastructure of society would crumble. Literally, truckers are what drive the U.S. economy! In a time where we are suffering from severe driver shortages, we need to stop letting people feed into these trucker stereotypes! Below we’ll take a look and debunk the most common truck driver stereotypes.
Debunking Common Trucker Stereotypes
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1. Truckers are Overweight and Lazy
Although it is true that many truckers are overweight due to the nature of the job, they aren’t the fat, lazy slobs that we see in movies. In fact, many truckers are utilizing truck stop gym sites, learning to eat well, avoiding junk food at truck stops, and motivating one another to lead healthy lifestyles on the road. It’s completely unfair to be thought of in a negative light based on weight. Just because some truckers are overweight doesn’t mean that we should think of the entire industry in that way.
2. Only Men are Truck Drivers
Sure, there are a lot more men than women in the trucking industry, but that isn’t to say that men make better truckers than women do. Women are equally as capable to drive a truck as men, and they’re just as proud of their jobs! More and more, ladies are stepping into trucking careers and loving them. Better yet, women and men in trucking get paid about equal wages, something that isn’t so common in other professions. Sure, trucking is a male-dominated industry, but stereotypes about women not being able to be truckers are outdated and downright sexist. It’s time to debunk this truck driver stereotype and give credit to all our amazing female truck drivers.
3. Truckers Hog the Road
“Truck drivers think they’re better than everyone else on the road because they’re in big rigs.” How many times have you heard this one? Many people assume that truckers don’t respect others on the road because of the size of their vehicles. In reality, truckers aren’t trying to make the road a pain in the “rear end” for four-wheelers, they’re just trying to be safe. Driving the speed limit, being cautious when the weather is iffy, and allowing for a safe following distance between other vehicles are all crucial for truckers. Most of the time, truckers are simply just doing their best to deliver their cargo in the safest way possible, not trying to hog the road or be an inconvenience to other drivers.
4. Truckers are Alcoholics and Druggies
The belief that truck drivers abuse drugs and alcohol, or solicit prostitutes or “lot lizards” at truck stops is flat-out false. Most trucking companies require their drivers to pass drug and alcohol tests before starting a job. So, this truck driver stereotype doesn’t hold a whole lot of weight. As for prostitution, it’s sometimes inevitable, but it’s not any more common in trucking than it is in any other industry.
5. Truckers Have Poor Hygiene
You might have smelled odd odors coming from some cabs at the truck stop before, but hey, most truckers are very clean! Many truckers take pride in keeping their cabs, clothes, and bodies fresh. Some people assume that truckers are dirty because they don’t have access to showers on the road. False! Most truck stop facilities are well-equipped with showers and, these days, a lot of companies are strict about enforcing that their employees are holding themselves to a standard in regard to cleanliness.
6. Truckers Have Foul Mouths
Another common truck driver stereotype is that they have foul mouths. Many would like to think the CB radio airwaves are filled with constant curses and inappropriate jokes. However, the CB radio is often used to communicate with other truckers in case of an emergency.
Alright, truckers, how many of these trucker stereotypes have you heard floating around? What do you do to combat these negative misconceptions? Let us know in the comments section below!
September 27, 2018
Thanks a lot for this Awesome post. Feel glad to read this post
Thank you for sharing this information who helpful for me.
February 5, 2019
I meet a trainer this evening that told me he hasn’t showered in over a week, pee’s in a bottle because he dosent want to walk into a truck stop, and said he usually washes his sheets every other month….. (shakes head…)
January 1, 2022
I used to work full-time at Pilot. Was called a ‘f****t’ & ‘q***r’ on many occasions by the drivers. One time we had to call Hazmat because somebody pooped on the floor & smeared blood around the stall walls. The lot had a lot of prostitutes working in it regularly & they would always go take team showers with the drivers. We had this one driver come in & spend his entire advance on scratch-offs. I watched him call his company & beg for another advance. They finally gave it to him & he used most of it for scratch-offs. Oh & don’t even get me started on all the ones that would mess themselves. We kept multiple cans of air freshener under the counters because of that. One day a driver came in with stool still in his pants. He got in line anyway instead of cleaning himself up & everybody behind him grew very upset over the smell. He acted like it was nothing, like making stool in his pants was par for the course. God help y’all. It’s enough to make people wanna just go full on “anarchist farmer-mode” so we don’t have to depend on y’all anymore.
June 23, 2022
You are giving examples of the exceptions, not the norm. I dealt with and insured truckers for over 20+ years and like ANY profession, it has good people and bad. I work in an office setting and have seen the same poor behavior from people in a non-trucking setting. I’m referring to the wiping feces on the wall, blood on stools, people relieving themselves on the bathroom floor. Absolutely ridiculous behavior from adults.
But, hey, if you dislike trucker so much, figure out a way to get ANYTHING you want or need without them (and without complaining about it). It doesn’t happen. People count on them, day and night. Everything you have was moved by a truck at some point.
Another thing that people don’t think about are the ridiculous schedules they keep, the precious time they miss with their families and sacrificing their health because of the difficult lifestyle. All of this to make our world go ’round. Try being grateful because without them, everything stops. EVERYTHING!
For the record, I am also married to a truck driver. He is nothing like you have described. I have multiple family members and friends that are also truck drivers. NONE of which even come close to your description of a normal truck driver. Stop stereotyping. Base your opinions on a per person basis, not by grouping everyone based on a profession. And next time you see one, THANK a trucker. Without them, you have nothing.