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The Long Haul: Reflections on Thirty Years of Trucking

Writer's picture: AdminAdmin

Updated: Oct 23, 2024

It's 2 AM on the Trans-Canada, and the dashboard lights cast a soft glow across my instruments. After 30 years behind the wheel, these quiet hours are when I do my best thinking. I've watched the highways change, the trucks evolve, and the industry I grew up in transform in ways that would have seemed impossible when I first earned my Class 1 license.


That first morning I climbed into my rig, dreams of freedom and adventure fueling my spirit, the road ahead seemed endless. Now, with retirement on the horizon, I find myself thinking less about the miles I've logged and more about the future facing the next generation of truckers.


From Paper Maps to Silicon Roads


That old Rand McNally atlas I started with, creased and coffee-stained, told stories of late-night wrong turns and lessons learned the hard way. These days, my cab looks more like NASA mission control – GPS tracking, electronic logs, engine diagnostics, and enough screens to make a pilot jealous. Sure, the technology makes the job easier in some ways. No more squinting at faded road signs or wrestling with paper logbooks.


But something's different now. When dispatchers can track every minute of your day and computers monitor your every move, it feels like we're losing something essential about this profession – that sense of independence, of figuring things out on your own.


The whispers about autonomous trucks grow louder each year. While I don't believe robots will replace drivers entirely – you try programming a computer to handle a jackknifed trailer in a prairie blizzard – it's clear that the industry is shifting beneath our wheels.


The Green Revolution Meets Reality


I remember when the biggest environmental concern was making sure your engine oil didn't leak. Now we're talking about electric semis and hydrogen fuel cells. Don't get me wrong – I've got grandkids, and I want them to inherit clean air and clear skies. But the reality of green trucking is complicated, especially for those of us running long-haul routes through remote areas.


Picture this: It's minus 40 in northern Ontario, you're hauling a full load, and your electric truck needs a charge. Where exactly are you supposed to plug in? The infrastructure isn't there yet, and for independent operators already struggling with tight margins, the cost of upgrading to these new technologies could be the final straw.


Still, change is inevitable. With diesel prices climbing faster than the Rockies and emissions regulations tightening like a mountain pass, we'll have to adapt. We always have.


The Missing Link


Here's what keeps me awake during those long night hauls: Who's going to drive these trucks – electric, autonomous, or otherwise – when my generation hangs up our keys? The average age of a Canadian trucker is pushing 50, and fresh faces are rare as hen's teeth.


I understand why. This job demands sacrifices that many aren't willing to make anymore. Every birthday party I missed, every wedding I couldn't attend, every Christmas dinner that got cold while I was stuck in a snowstorm – it all takes a toll. The industry's trying to adapt, offering better pay and more home time, but it's competing with jobs that let people sleep in their own beds every night.


Borders and Bureaucracy


Cross-border trucking used to be straightforward – a friendly wave, a few papers stamped, and you were on your way. Now? Between USMCA requirements, electronic logging mandates, and security protocols, sometimes it feels like you need a law degree alongside your trucking license.


This complexity isn't just red tape – it's reshaping how we work. The old-timers who could get by with a handshake and a smile are finding themselves in a world where documentation and digital compliance are as important as knowing how to back into a tight dock.


The Road Ahead


Some nights, when the stars are bright and the highway stretches empty before me, I wonder what trucking will look like in another 30 years. Will the romance of the open road survive in an age of automation? Will the camaraderie of truck stops persist when drivers are scattered between charging stations? Will the wisdom earned through millions of miles still matter in a world of algorithmic route planning?


What I do know is this: as long as people need food on their tables and goods in their stores, trucking will endure. It might look different – cleaner, smarter, more connected – but at its heart, this industry will always need people who understand that moving freight isn't just a job, it's a calling.


To the next generation: your challenges will be different from mine. Your trucks will be smarter, your routes more efficient, your impact on the environment lighter. But some things won't change – the satisfaction of a load delivered safely, the quiet pride in keeping the nation's supply lines moving, the brotherhood and sisterhood of the highway.


As for me? I've still got some miles left before I make my final delivery. But when that day comes, I'll know that while the industry is changing, its heart – the dedication, resilience, and pride of professional drivers – will keep beating strong, mile after mile, generation after generation.


The road goes on forever. It's just up to the next generation to decide how to travel it.

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