I finally lived out one of my childhood fantasies, I drove a diesel truck!
Since I’m the Systems Admin where I work, it was my job to set up the network in our new Chicago office. Seeing that the cost of airfare has gone through the roof lately, I suggested that the company rent a car instead and I just drive out there. They had furniture to be delivered there from our office, so my boss’s assistant suggested we rent a truck and I drive all of it out there and pick up some stuff there that they wanted to bring back.
I was part of a small convoy for a while. I stopped at a few truck stops for Diesel Fuel and I even ate at a truck stop restaurant. Drove over 700 miles and over 400 dollars in diesel fuel. I hate to admit it, but it was pretty fun. Not sure I’d want to do it for a living though. Here’s the truck I drove.
My Dad and I drove a 26’ Penske truck of very similar design over 1500 miles (from northern Minnesota to Albuquerque New Mexico).
Granted it wasn’t cheap… the highest diesel fuel price I saw was 4.50 (back in May), but you get a lot more bang for your buck than if it were unleaded. It had so much power. You could hardly tell it was carrying well over 20,000 lbs including its own weight.
My only complaint - the seat was about as comfortable as a park bench. IF you ever need to move though, rent Pensky. Screw U-Haul.
The last time I drove any truck was in the army, back in '85 / 86. I often drove Samil 50 and Samil 20.
The little Samil 20 was good fun to mess around in the bush with. It had a convertable canvas roof and you could even lower the front windscreens. Three switched in front could turn it to front wheel drive / rear wheel drive or four wheel drive while on the go.
Samil 20:
I got to drive one when we moved my laboratory last year. It was a stick (manual) as well which even further cemented the diesel truck experience. I also had to back up into loading bays multiple times and use a lift truck to load and unload it. It was kind of neat being a chemist and doing all this equipment driving. I think it’s similar to an IT guy driving a truck.
Can you drive trucks with car-driver licenses?
Over here if you have car drivers license you can drive only cars.
We have several categories.
A - motorcycle
B - car
C - microbuses, small trucks, etc
D - buses, bigger trucks
and so on
driving a truck is the most boring job ever. watching that little while line strobe all the time gets very old. after you seen so many new places even new places get old. trucking is like one of those places that are nice to visit but you wouldn’t want to live there.
