What Percentage of Truckers Are Roadgeeks

[adventurernumber1]

I've always wondered what percentage of truckers might be roadgeeks? Any thoughts or does anybody (possibly a trucker) think they know?

[Molandfreak]

It's definitely hard to know for sure. If you'd consider basically any road travel enthusiast to be a roadgeek, then it'd basically be all truckers. If you'd only consider someone who actively keeps up with construction projects (other than in areas where they're headed), keeps up to date on signage oddity/old sign sightings and actively searches for them, and sometimes goes out of the way to drive an old alignment/clinch a highway, then it's likely very few. The more I think about it, there's little research/clinching/etc I have actually done (though I have learned a lot since joining), so I'm definitely more of a travel enthusiast in general.

[Scott5114]

19.7915%. Exactly.

[jeffandnicole]

If you'd consider basically any road travel enthusiast to be a roadgeek, then it'd basically be all truckers.

I'm sure many truckers are doing it because it's the job available.  I would want to think that long-haul truckers are a bit more of a travel enthusiast than, say, a trucker that maintains the same local route everyday, but they're probably bored at seeing much of the same thing day in and day out also.  I can't see truckers that have to go thru NYC on a daily basis enjoying the roads whatsoever (oh yay, another 1 hour backup to pay a $100 toll.  And oh yay, I'm getting stopped again to have my cargo checked by dogs...)

[roadman65]

The way many truckers forget about where lane drops occur on interstates and make unsafe and illegal lane changes to avoid having to exit the road, I would say I agree with Jeff on this one.  Its not mainly for love of roads that they take the job, but because its a job! To many it is a chore to drive in traffic.  Many could care less about the roads itself as by the end of the day they are sick of them.

I am surprised that some on here do not consider it a career as you can do road trips each day and be in many different cities and states quite frequently.  For many in our hobby, it would be being paid for doing what you like 80 percent as the other 20 would be loading and unloading the cargo.  Unfortunately, you cannot travel all the roads as many roads are restricted to trucks (the NY Parkways, The Pulaski Skyway, many mountain roads and city streets) so you cannot clinch it all.  However, still you can do a lot.

[cjk374]

The same goes for railroaders.  The title of this thread can easily be changed to "What percentage of (enter career name here) are (hobbiest of said career)".  Alot of railroaders who were fans of the hobby become less interested in it once the hobby becomes a career.  The old hoghead engineer I worked with when I started always asked me when I was having a rough day at work, "It's alot different being a railfan than it is a railhand ain't it?!"

Indeed he was right.

[mrsman]

The trucker lifestyle isn't for everyone. 

I'm glad that I have a professional 9-5 type job and don't have to drive day and night.  I don't think I would enjoy driving as much if I did it every day.

Plus, it is not very conducive  to family life if you have to be away so frequently.

[J Route Z]

45%

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Count me in.

[hbelkins]

You were a roadgeek before you were a trucker, weren't you, Cullen?

We have a new roadgeek trucker. Ed Szuba from the Pittsburgh area (who may not be on this board, but whom many of you probably know from attending meets in the Ohio Valley area) recently took a job as a truck driver.

[SteveG1988]

If you'd consider basically any road travel enthusiast to be a roadgeek, then it'd basically be all truckers.

I'm sure many truckers are doing it because it's the job available.  I would want to think that long-haul truckers are a bit more of a travel enthusiast than, say, a trucker that maintains the same local route everyday, but they're probably bored at seeing much of the same thing day in and day out also.  I can't see truckers that have to go thru NYC on a daily basis enjoying the roads whatsoever (oh yay, another 1 hour backup to pay a $100 toll.  And oh yay, I'm getting stopped again to have my cargo checked by dogs...)

My company now pays 200 bucks if you have to do NYC.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

You were a roadgeek before you were a trucker, weren't you, Cullen?

Affirmative.  I found #roadgeek in 1999 and the rest is history.  Even at that time, becoming a trucker one day was on my mind, however.