From 2006, when I issued a Commercial Driver’s License, until January 31st, 2014, I struggled with whether I could finish each level I challenged myself to do. They became unforeseen milestones of accomplishments. I never thought I would drive cross country, and the initial idea of getting a CDL was to drive a school bus in the local town, where I was attempting to start a conventional class for computer and program concepts. But, there was a private promise to see the country I served for in the U.S. Army. I never knew how much of a “set back” from a permanent location this would become.

Somehow this “side job” idea never transpired, as the lifestyle of a commercial driver became the primary role. It started as a struggle to keep computing a focus, the current role of trucking and computers was not a practice, and almost every level. Paper was the main theme and sharing a netbook or laptop to show a Driver’s log, Bill of Lading, or even a planned route to a destination, was not an accepted concept. To be honest, many positions, such as a D.O.T. Inspection, still has  no use for seeing a trucker with a laptop of records, and it will be a a few more decades to bring security to a level of comfort for the Internal Revenue Agency.

But in many struggles, I found a way to make every passing moment a challenge, and with the “discipline” and focus of “completing a mission”, the battles that I confronted daily were my made up fight to build records and get away from papers piling up in a truck (my hording, and not simply discarding old work; waiting for the need to arise, and no longer have a document or record).

Coming up with the concept of a “paperless” truck never completely transpired fully, because there was so much added work and discipline involved in making it possible, but it was still a “win” over time, as all records of completed jobs, fueling, per diem, expenses of sorts, all became a routine in the last four years of trucking. The practice similar to logging every stop and go of the commercial vehicle, was a self trained focus to do the same from when a load was assigned, to mapping it out (using a mapping software), to fueling, and later as an Independent Contractor, all aspects of being a truck driver, that included recording my own DVIRR (maintenance records on a spreadsheet), records of scaling loads, and even tracking ATM withdrawals. Then, I advanced in making it a practice to take digital pictures of any new hook up of a trailer, while inspecting it as required by regulations. So, my records keeping that involved almost every aspect of logging, loads, income, expenses, maintenance, per diem, trip submitting (through electronic faxing, such as Transflo or TripPak), also include digital tracking of pretrip and recording damages found before assuming the trailer as in service and ready to roll.

In all honesty, I don’t see anyone attempting this to make what I have accomplished their daily duty and responsibility, but as a “Geek” who owns a truck, and a CDL, I needed to come up with every conceivable practice that a current driver might attempt but in a select area, such as simply tracking loads, or simply building records of scanned jobs for their own personal records. Others may just favor a mapping software, to not only express a favored route traveled, but make it their way of looking back at as a record, and detail issues on that given load, duty, or day. My goal was never to make any of this a future required activity in the trucking transportation lifestyle, and definitely not at my level, instead express a personal vision for any given individual driver the possibilities or records keeping on computer, instead of piling papers somewhere at home.

Over time, I do see drivers with computers, and using them for more than just email, internet surfing, and gaming. They are actually finding a purpose to utilize a computer in the everyday work life. So, even though I see things happening now (at small and limited levels), I feel my work is on the right track.

In my defense, I am not out to make this a future change in company policies, but more for the individual who has personally found motivation in keeping their own records on computers. If nothing else, the work I do is not for our generation of truckers, but for the next generations to come. As a folly, I find myself a pioneer in computing and trucking, and finding that next battle (for this civilian Soldiering) to keep real and important, the role of a personal computer in the next generation of trucking, and forge to make this the vision of possibilities for the individual trucker a direction for current times; and another notch in the trucking world, fighting to keep the lifestyle of trucking alive, and express that this industry is far from ever being the last generation of cowboys who still roam the ranges nationwide.

I went from an unwitting apprentice with a CDL, to experiencing many levels of trucking, such as OTR, Regional, Dedicated, pulling doubles, border crossings, Refrigerated, Lease Purchase, to Independent Trucking; and seven years later, I own the truck. I am shy of getting my own authority, and ponder whether to forge ahead. I am deciding that at this milestone, to take time down, and focus on the blogs, software “How To” concept video, make my own apps and software, before returning to the road. This will give me time to look back and tell my variation  of driving the highways, and even build my own software for the market. That truck might sit for awhile, but like drivers I have met, that truck will be a “tease”, and getting back in the “saddle” will come to me again. If nothing else, it will give me the opportunity to use my own products, and prove they work, and have a place in the industry, but at a personal and individual level, and not just a form of entertainment.

Finally, I did more than this article expresses, when it come to this “Professional Driver’s” daily routine…I left out the dash cam recording and records keeping, on a daily basis, and the gps tracking I did using the a second mapping software, as a part of my recorded role of records keeping. The work done seemed limitless, and the possibilities of a new (computing) territory with no boundaries. But what has been done, especially on a daily basis, was a success story in itself, since it was not a question of can it be done, rather it did get done, and it is part of this driver’s records in four parts; Trucking, Finance, Maintenance, and video tracking.

To those senior in the trucking industry, this work was not designed for you, since, most likely you are set in your ways. The the industry has always changed, and you have witnessed those changes, both good and bad. No, this isn’t for those with a routine they have mastered. But it is a blog that includes you to be informed, and see the possibilities of the future…to be entertained, and know that even at an individuals level, this lifestyle will always have a place to grow, evolve, explore, and master. This is a profession, and it will continue to be challenged. Just look forward to those future “kid” drivers, and be entertained to see how that make their place in this profession, whether it be simply not for you.

The computers will continue to become a personal and an individual interest, even in this profession. It offers more than just records for audit, finance, gaming, and entertainment. It will be explored as a form of communication, and staying in touch with family, friends, business, and leisure.  It also will offer a role, still not explored by me; the ability to be educated, and even a higher education for a degree…even for the future generation…driving that Pete, Kenworth, or “freight shaker”…the world of individual computing can be limitless, and it will be a new challenge to be explored. I call myself that “Computer Geek” who owns a truck and a CDL; I look to see that mirror image of a Pro Trucker who so happens to own a computer that does all his records keeping, and an important virtual tool in their work and personal life.