Am I A Trucker

dhalltoyo

Veteran Expediter
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
truck·er [truhk-er]–noun
1. a person who drives a truck; truckdriver.
2. a person whose business is trucking goods.
[Origin: 1875–80; truck1 + -er1]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I happened to post on another forum and one of the members of that forum also happens to post here on EO too.

On the other forum he said, "I wouldn't call Mr. Hall a trucker. I think he drives a small van for FedEx."

According to the dictionary I am a trucker.

What say the EO members?

Of course, as terse as the comments were on the other forum maybe I should consider myself an operator.

1. a person who operates a machine, apparatus, or the like.
2. a person who manages a working or industrial establishment, enterprise, or system.

Maybe truckers just drive.

I was an Operating Engineer and I met many who could drive a piece of heavy equipment, but they couldn't operate it to produce the desired results.
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Do you accept others' perceptions & definitions of who you are as more reliable than your own?
 

dhalltoyo

Veteran Expediter
Of course not.

Just curious as to how someone could have the preception that anyone engaged in the delivery of goods is some how excluded from the industry based upon the type of vehicle they drive.
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
If someone dismisses you from consideration, based upon the size of your vehicle, it says more about their preconceived notions & ignorance, than your classification, IMO. Perhaps they don't know that you deal with carriers, shippers, consignees, truckstops, and all the other aspects of life on the road, same as those who drive bigger trucks. In which case, it's their ignorance that's being shown, not your inadequacy as a "truck driver", no?
 

Packmule

Expert Expediter
I am the CEO of my own company in the transportation industry.
Being a Driver is part of my day to day responsibilities as well as coordinating the Safe, on-time pickup and delivery of goods via use of a suitable vechicle for the job.

Truck driver? You decide what you are or what you want to be.

Danny
 

mrgoodtude

Not a Member
I would like to see a self proclaimed "trucker" live in a van for a year waiting all day for the one dispatch that has to run all night..
As for me I don't care for the term, it leaves me with the visual of a less than flattering picture of what we do and who we are.
Mike
 

arkjarhead

Veteran Expediter
Why does it matter what others say? What one person says a driver is may be totally different than what someone else says. If you ask me a real trucker is someone who operates a commercial motor vehicle in a safe and corteous manner. Just my thoughts though.
 

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
If you're serious about this, Rev, I suggest reading def #1. If you're only going by #2, then you can include pizza delivery, mailmen, and Fred G Sanford (the G stands for GET R DONE). Saying that, be proud of what you do. Driving a van comes with a lot more flexibility than driving a truck, both realistically and governmentally. Be happy you're not a trucker. Those days went out with deregulation.

Those of you who say to call it what you want... you can call a turd a rose, but it still smells like a turd. Not saying van drivers are turds here... just trying to make a point. Words MEAN THINGS! For example: the word marriage means something to me, regardless of what someone else wants me to believe. He11... to most truckers, I'm not a trucker either. Just something to think about...

-A bore is a person who opens his mouth and puts his feats in it. - Henry Ford
 

Packmule

Expert Expediter
Hey Hawkman,

I'll carry turds in my truck for the right rate. Business is Business!!
Would I then have to change the name to TurdVan instead of PackVan??
Or would it be Packofturdsvan?
Ha, Terry was just commenting today about odors in his Van, Man could I do a follow up comment on that post!
Like the old saying... Money Talks, :censoredsign: walks, but turds ride in my Truck for the right money.

Danny
 

KYoung

Expert Expediter
What is defined as a truck?

The definition used to define truck driver says a person who drives a truck, so how do they define truck? Does it mean pick-up, something with six wheels or more, or any vehicle used to transport goods or cargo from one location to another?

Ken
 

KYoung

Expert Expediter
Okay I went to thedictionary.com site and here is their defintion for truck
Truck–noun 1. any of various forms of vehicle for carrying goods and materials, usually consisting of a single self-propelled unit but also often composed of a trailer vehicle hauled by a tractor unit.
2. any of various wheeled frames used for transporting heavy objects.
3. Also called hand truck. a barrowlike frame with low wheels, a ledge at the bottom, and handles at the top, used to move heavy luggage, packages, cartons, etc.
4. a low, rectangular frame on which heavy boxes, crates, trunks, etc., are moved; a dolly.
5. a tiered framework on casters.
6. a group of two or more pairs of wheels in one frame, for supporting one end of a railroad car, locomotive, etc.
7. Movies. a dolly on which a camera is mounted.
8. British. a freight car having no top.
9. a small wooden wheel, cylinder, or roller, as on certain old-style gun carriages.
10. Nautical. a circular or square piece of wood fixed on the head of a mast or the top of a flagstaff, usually containing small holes for signal halyards.
–verb (used with object) 11. to transport by truck.
12. to put on a truck.
13. dolly (def. 11).
–verb (used without object) 14. to convey articles or goods on a truck.
15. to drive a truck.
16. dolly (def. 12).
–adjective 17. of, pertaining to, or for a truck or trucks: a truck drive; truck tires.

According to 1&2 a van is considered a truck, so people who drive vans are considered truck drivers, sorry, but I'm still a professional tourist.

Ken
Leam 4474
 

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
By def #2, that could be a hi-lo. By def #13, a person who pushes a dolly could be a truck driver. Looking at #2, what's the definition of heavy? It depends on what the definition of "is" is.

Just use some common sense... that's all. :)

-A bore is a person who opens his mouth and puts his feats in it. - Henry Ford
 

redytrk

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
By this definition a guy in a half ton Toyota delivering Pizza`s is a "Trucker"
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
A trucker is the person who is qualified to operate a commercial truck, either as an owner or for compensation as an employee, to transport a variety of goods that typically weigh more than a typical passenger car or light transport vehicle can transport.

I am not a trucker, I am a professional International Traveler.
 

60MPH

Expert Expediter
I am a vehicle owner/operator who just happens to haul freight for a living. I would hate to think that someone would think that I am one of those truck driving guys, what do they call them?? oh yea truckers, once upon a time I was a steering wheel holder and thought I was a supertrucker BUT I was never just a regular trucker. I am not saying regular truckers are bad, I just ain't never been regular for anything
 
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