TYLER (KYTX) - Ever thought about what it would be like to be a truck driver?
It's a pretty demanding job, and the American Trucking Association says nationwide, it's short 200,000 long haul truck drivers. That number is detrimental to other industries across the U.S. as it causes delays.
Long hours, weeks of driving, and the pressure of delivering goods to almost every industry in America. Being a trucker- is no easy gig.
We met Paul Fontenot at a truck stop in Tyler, but he's far from home.
"I'm from Baton Rouge, Louisiana."
He enjoys being a long haul trucker.
"It's good. I like seeing the country, and being on the road," Fontenot says.
But being on the road for weeks can get taxing.
"I choose to be out for five weeks because I get a longer time off," Fontenot says. "I get five days off after five weeks."
That's why the American Trucking Association says a lot of people have ditched the job.
"I'm no longer married and I don't have any kids so I don't have that problem," Fontenot says. "My trainer was married with kids and it was tough on him."
Driving the huge trucks isn't as easy as you think. You have to pass a whole lot of tests before getting in the driver's seat.
"I went to truck driving school in Ft. Worth, Texas and there were 28 of us, and only 12 graduated," Fontenot tells us.
Don Upchurch from Wynona has been a trucker for 16 years, hauling crude oil.
He says the shortage is detrimental for industries all over the country, that are now delayed on getting their products.
"Somebody's going to have to do it," Upchurch says.
Fontenot knows how important his job is the rest of the country.
"If there's no trucking coming into the store, they run out of product. Simple as that," he says.
As older truckers continue to retire, he hopes new people will jump on board, and get the flow of the industry back to normal.
The American Trucking Association says long haul truck drivers can make anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000 a year.
To become a driver you have to pass a four-week class, and have a clean driving record.
