By Ron Moore
Stafford County truck driver, columnist
Special to the Tribune

I was asked to participate in Career Day at Stafford High School. I only had a few weeks to prepare for it. There were about eight speakers sharing their professions with students, including law enforcement, emergency services, and various farm programs. The students had to choose the session that caught their interest.

I happened to have eleven young men in my group. The first thing I said was, “I apologize for being here on Career Day. Truck driving isn’t a career; it’s a job or a lifestyle. If you can walk away from the truck, it’s just a job.

But if you walk away, look back, and can’t wait to be on the road again, that’s a lifestyle.”

I shared that during the ten weeks I was off due to heart problems, all I wanted was to get back in the truck.

I told them how I started my trucking life. My first driving experience was hauling dead cattle, cattle guts, byproduct meat, tails, hides, and even a load of cattle heads. That was the opportunity I was given, and I took it.

From that point on, I had experience and could work anywhere I wanted. Do whatever it takes to get that first company to hire you as a driver. Without that, you’ll never get the chance to drive a semi.

I talked about some of the places I’ve been and the loads I’ve hauled. That’s when I wished I had pictures to share. I also mentioned that you don’t have to be a driver—there are many other roles in trucking, such as mechanics, dispatchers, load planners, and load brokers.

As soon as I walked out, my mind was already working on next year’s Career Day. I’m planning to use a PowerPoint presentation with videos and pictures to really show what trucking is all about. I’m already excited about going back.

After I was done, I headed to the hospital to get some blood drawn. I think the old saying “trucking is in your blood” is true—because I swear I saw some International and Kenworth in those vials!