Long Haul Truck Driver: The Community

There is an entire world that operates on a totally different level from what most people consider normal. It's the world of long haul trucking. This separate world has its' different communities, a developed language, and its' own rules of etiquette.

Community, as defined in Webster, is a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural. This is true within the trucking community. Truck drivers watch over each other as they are traveling by reporting issues in their traveling neighborhood, such as; problems with a truck/trailer, police reports, and other driving obstacles.

The truck driving community will also govern in their close knit community. When a truck driver makes an error in judgment the other drivers' are quick to put out a CB radio alert on the truck in question. One incident, in particular, was when a truck ran another truck completely off the interstate and kept going. Within minutes the CB chatter was ramped with a description of the truck, company name, and direction the truck was traveling. Approximately twenty minutes, after the incident, the driver was located at a truck stop and reported to the authorities.

The language used in this community has developed over many years through the use of CB radios. You will hear police officers referred to as "Smokey", weigh stations are "chicken coops", and the white and yellow lines on the roadway is referred to the "mustard and mayonnaise".

Truck drivers are quick to let each other know of unusual activity at truck stops or on the roadways. They are equally quick to help each other in times of trouble, such as breakdowns or accidents.

Interstate rules of etiquette are astounding. It is common to wave or "speak" to a driver as you pass them which is a display of camaraderie. The trucks hazard lights are used as a visual tool too let the rest of the neighborhood know you are backing up. This very common practice is used in all trucking areas where backing is necessary.

Truck drivers also give into the lighter loaded truck or faster truck. The slower driver or heavier truck will move out of the way of the lighter or faster truck. Momentum is the name of the game on the road. Momentum equates to speed which equates to making a delivery on time.

The days of "Smokey and the Bandit" and "Convoy" are long gone, however the trucking community continues to be a world unto itself. To a long haul driver, their truck is their home and truck stops are their neighborhoods. The common cultural bond is being a long haul truck driver. It is not simply a job.