Enjoying Life OTR
Enjoying Life OTR is a podcast for drivers who want to make the most of life on the road—without overcomplicating things. Hosted by Cindy, a fun and curious driver who’s always finding great guests to speak on topics that matter to drivers. Brian, an old hand with a new plan, brings irreverent humor, real talk, and plenty of life applications to the mix. Together, they keep the conversations engaging, relevant, and, most importantly, entertaining.
Some episodes feature drivers sharing their experiences—the good, the tough, and the downright hilarious. Other times, guests bring fresh insights, useful strategies, or just a great story to help make life on the road a little smoother. One thing’s for sure—this is a podcast made for drivers, by people who get it.
If you love a good story, want to pick up a few life hacks, or just need a reminder that you’re not out here alone—this is the show for you.
#EnjoyingLifeOTR #HealthierTruckers
Enjoying Life OTR
#57 Behind the Wheel: Accidents, Trauma, and Resilience
Two Life-Changing Moments on the Road: How Robert Pound Overcame Unimaginable Tragedy
In this heartfelt episode, seasoned trucker Robert Pound opens up about the life-altering impact of two devastating accidents, sharing his story of resilience and strength with Cindy Tunstall, host of Enjoying Life OTR. Robert’s journey offers a powerful reminder that we often have no idea what others are enduring, a lesson that deeply moved Cindy. Together, they explore the hidden struggles of life behind the wheel and the profound sense of community that sustains drivers through tough times.
The conversation delves into the evolution of the trucking industry, from the camaraderie-filled days at classic truck stops like the Iron Skillet to the structured routines introduced by new technologies like electronic logging devices. Cindy, a newer face in trucking, and Robert, with over two decades of experience, share their unique perspectives on these changes and what they mean for today's drivers.
Beyond the challenges, this episode highlights the power of mentorship and the critical role of community. Cindy and Robert tackle misconceptions about road safety, the importance of proper training, and the dynamics of accidents involving four-wheelers. Their discussion reveals how the support of fellow drivers can be key to adapting safely to new technology and staying grounded during difficult moments.
This episode is not just about adversity; it’s about finding joy and building a healthier lifestyle on the road. Cindy and Robert share creative tips for staying active, accessing nutritious meals, and engaging with supportive online communities. Through stories of mentorship and shared experiences, they celebrate the strength and resilience of truckers everywhere—reminding us that for many, trucking is more than just a job; it’s a way of life.
Enjoying Life OTR—because LIVING WELL is worth the effort. We’re sparking curiosity, adventure, & resilience while honoring drivers and embracing a healthier trucking life. Discover creative life hacks & practical strategies to make the most of your time on the road. Join the movement!Explore, enjoy the food, snap the pic, and share tips on saving money along the way.
This podcast is for new and veteran drivers looking to stay mentally, physically, and financially strong while embracing the freedom of the road. We bring you real stories, expert advice, & practical tools to help you thrive, not just survive, in the trucking life.
Connect with Us: Join the Enjoying Life OTR Facebook Group – Share your journey, find trip recommendations, & connect with fellow drivers. Follow our Facebook page – Get the latest podcast episodes, trucking tips, & entertaining content. Visit our website – Explore our journey, see community highlights, and access resources for a healthier, more balanced OTR life.
For questions or to be a guest, email our host, Cindy Tunstall at EnjoyingLifeOTR@gmail.com #HealthierTruckers #EnjoyingLifeOTR #TruckerWellness #OTRLife #WorkLifeBalance
Enjoying Life OTR Conversations that inspire curiosity, adventure and resilience. We're honoring drivers and sharing their adventures and becoming healthier truckers. Stay tuned to discover creative life hacks and practical strategies for enhancing our well-being and making the most of our time on the road. Welcome to Enjoying Life, OTR.
Dino Grigoriadis:Buckle up, truckers. You're about to embark on a journey that'll make your next haul feel like a joyride. This is Dino, your roadie and guide on the side, bringing you another episode of Enjoying Life. Otr Folks, I just did a little eavesdropping on what felt like was one of the most interesting truck stop diner conversations between two industry pros that I've heard of in a while. Between two industry pros that I've heard of in a while. It's as if Cindy Tonstall and Robert Pound were sitting right across from each other, swapping stories about the wild changes in our world and diving deep into some of Robert's jaw-dropping experiences. Now I'm going to give you a little heads up. Robert doesn't hold back. He shares two recent traumatic accidents that'll remind you just how real the dangers of our job can be. But stick around, because this episode isn't just about the risks. It's a testament to the incredible resilience and strength it takes to be a professional driver, whether you're a seasoned road warrior or a greenhorn just getting your wheels dirty. This is one ride you don't want to miss.
Cindy Tunstall:Hey, robert, it's Cindy. Hi, cindy, how are you? I'm alright and you.
Robert Pound:Doing good. I kicked out a Bucky, so I'm in a good mood.
Cindy Tunstall:I'm surprised you tried.
Robert Pound:Yeah right, well, I'm bobtailing. I don't even have a trailer. I know that's the part that shocks me.
Cindy Tunstall:I drive a box truck, so I'm in Bailing. I don't even have a trailer. I know that's the part that shocks me. I drive a box truck, so I'm in Buc-ee's all the time, but I don't know why they don't let somebody Bobtail in there.
Robert Pound:It even says it on the picture. I just wanted to back through their front door.
Cindy Tunstall:You know, yeah, I know how many drivers have that response. I've had the Buc-ee Conversations many times living down south With drivers. I see the. I've had the Bucky conversations many times living down south, though with drivers.
Robert Pound:I see the 972 area, but I'm trying to remember exactly where Texas that is.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, Dallas area.
Robert Pound:Okay, so my dad's got the 214.
Cindy Tunstall:Oh, yeah, right.
Robert Pound:I lived out in Irving off of Valley View for a little while, yeah nice, I'm actually in Denton, so just north of Dallas. Yeah, I worked in Garland.
Cindy Tunstall:Oh nice. I lived over there many moons ago. I started my podcast with a partner and I really was just interested in creating a community of people who are like me. I wanted to have my tribe of people that are finding ways to make this life an enjoyable life, because that's important to me as a person. But you know, and in trucking it's not always the case, so you know, there's just a lot of negative spin out there. So, and I partake in all of that as well, you know I'm in many trucking groups and you know I have a lot of trucking friends, obviously. But just thought, you know, I want to, you know, enjoy the opportunity to travel and enjoy my life out there, you know. So I was just looking to kind of surround myself with people that are doing that and I initially started the podcast. I wanted to honor drivers and share their stories, and I think you have a great story, so I think it's going to be really awesome right on.
Robert Pound:No, it's, it's. It's actually a little funny that you say that about you know, having fun and traveling. Uh, I just had this car, so. So my dad drove for 52 years and he just retired a couple years ago and I remember growing up riding with him in the truck and it used to be it and it used to be. It used to be a lot of fun. When I first started driving legally, it was a lot of fun. There's been so much change in this industry. I get a lot of pushback from people online like oh you old timers this and that you know the industry's changing. They're right, the industry is changing. It's changing a whole lot.
Cindy Tunstall:How long have you been driving, Robert?
Robert Pound:Oh, legally, yeah, legally About 20 years.
Cindy Tunstall:Okay, yeah, so you've seen a lot of changes, significant changes, in 20 years. Well, tell me about that. I mean, I talk to a lot of drivers that have a lot of experience, like you, and I'm a newbie in the industry I've only been driving four years so I mean I like the ELD, I like that there's limits on my drive time because I get tired and I don't want to mess with forging my logs and all that. So I see all those changes as really positive for me, especially I'm a little older, so you know I like a limit on my drive time. So, but, um, tell me about the changes and how that's affected you as a driver, because you know you said you started out feeling, you know, real positive, like I am, um, and that's kind of changed over the years.
Robert Pound:Tell me about that process so I remember back, uh, back before cell phones became a thing. I remember when phone banks were everywhere, you know. I remember when I remember when you could still smoke in a restaurant, you know, right, we used to go to Iron Skillet all the time. Go to the Iron Skillet, you know. Talk to other drivers. You know the stuff that everybody's you know, with that on the road, the fun everybody's having you know it was everybody's Dealing with out on the road, the fun everybody's having it was it really was a brotherhood Of truck drivers. You know everybody kind of Watched out for everybody. That's back when everybody had a CB In their truck too.
Robert Pound:Something happened. Hey, shooted over the CB. Hey, you know, accident up here, Mile mark 48, heading eastbound or whatever. It's not that way anymore. You know, driving around I see I get people want to be comfortable just sitting in his driver's seat. It's really rough on the body. What I see out here now is guys driving down the road with their feet kicked up on the dash. That's crazy. That's crazy to me. I'm like I don't now is guys driving down the road with their feet kicked up on the dash and watching their cell phones.
Cindy Tunstall:That's crazy to me. I'm like I don't know what you think is going to happen if you have to. It's crazy that you put your feet up there.
Robert Pound:That's one thing that really I don't get. Getting a Class A license is a lot easier one by putting automatic transmissions in these trucks. My biggest thing is, the major part of our job is always paying attention to what's going on in front of and around you. But they've put so many safety features in these trucks now and these guys rely on these safety features. It's like all the attention span of trucking has gone away. They just, I really think they believe that that truck is going to save them from an accident. But yet you see the videos on the news all the time and on the internet all the time, of guys that are looking, watching their phones and then they come up on dead stop traffic. That truck's not going to stop you fast enough. Yeah for sure You're talking about a computer. You need human interaction to be able to deal with with these situations and I I've just watched all this stuff go by the wayside. You know it's it's.
Robert Pound:We've been given a very bad name in recent years. A very bad name. I'm watching it while I'm going down the road. I grew up in this and I remember going with my dad and it was a blast. I used to have a blast. Now I'm just like I don't want my kid doing this. These guys are crazy. This is unsafe. I don't want my kid. I know my dad didn't want me to do it, but when I became a truck driver it didn't bother him all as bad as it would bother me if my kids became one now.
Cindy Tunstall:Well, as drivers like you, can I give you some pushback? I just like some of the stuff that you're saying kind of like like I noticed myself, even when I'm driving, like I used to be a person. You know, my personality is an optimistic man, I mean, I know that about me. But, um, I used to, when I was a, you know, just a four-wheeler and I was just driving, I mean I just had a lot of patience for people on the road and you know I'd be like man, they're having a bad day, they are not even paying attention. You know, I had compassion for people are just stupid. And of course then when you drive full time, you know, obviously you see a lot more stuff. So even for myself, I see a decline in my, my tolerance for, um, you know, for the stupid stuff we see. Wait, what Did y'all hear him call me a rookie? Yeah, he did. Yeah, I've been driving four and a half years In comparison. Sure, yeah, I'm a rookie, got my own authority, clean driving records, all good. But like I said, I'll take it no harm, no foul. So I mean, I understand, even watching the transition about what's happening in my mind. But I'll tell you, robert, I noticed it and a friend of mine called me out on it. It's like, cindy, what are you doing? I'm like I'm losing my mind out here. So I mean, I get it, you know. So I'm doing things that I think I'm losing my temper with people and I just got fed up. So I can appreciate that over the years, you know, the attitude changes and you kind of. Your patience has worn thin and it's no longer fun. But I got to jump in here and interrupt this conversation one more time. Well, interrupt my own ramblings is what I'm doing.
Cindy Tunstall:This interview had such a profound effect on me. I did this recording with Robert many, many days ago and it's still sitting on me, part of it. I regret honestly the rant that you're about to hear. So y'all just bear with me. The impact that it's had on me is because you know, we make some assumptions about people and based on how they're doing life out there, when we really just don't know the whole story. So y'all, just after you hear his story and kind of get to know him and you know, but you hear the after you hear the whole story, it changes how you would respond in a moment like this. So, hindsight's, 20, 20, that's what they say. Right, you know we all could look back and wish we had done something differently, but you know I'm working on it this season of my life, becoming a better listener and, um, you know, my goal of this podcast was always to honor drivers and to share their stories, and I was excited to share Robert's story, but, honestly, I regret this rant that you're about to hear.
Cindy Tunstall:So stay tuned, it'll be over soon and we'll get back to Robert's story, because it's a good one and you won't want to miss it. So just disregard the ramblings of a woman who is sticking her foot in her mouth right now. Well, I don't know, sticking my foot in my mouth is the right thing. That's about to happen. But I did regret going off on this rant because I hadn't heard the whole story yet and hell, what do I know? Like I said, I'm a rookie. One thing I would tell, but I don't want to tolerate that in myself. Though, robert, I want to take like I take responsibility for the change that's happened. I started doing some, I don't know, just to be proactive, because I don't want to be, I don't want to get jaded, I don't want to lose my compassion for humanity.
Cindy Tunstall:And obviously, you know these drivers out here, these four-wheelers especially, I mean they really just don't know, I mean nobody's pulling out in front of a semi, you know thinking, ah, screw you, dude. You know they're really not thinking that it's just really ignorant. I mean they just really do not know that they almost died. You know they just are that. You know we are in danger by the choice that they're making. I mean I don't think that it's malicious, I think it's stupidity, and you know they just never have they. Just, you know as much as we say, you know it takes a football field to stop a truck, but you know it just does not register.
Cindy Tunstall:I'm trying to really, you know, be aware of those thoughts and I'm trying to also appreciate when there's good drivers out there. We never talk about that, you know, even for myself, you know, I just I think I park on, you know, this guy that just did something foolish in front of me and my heart is racing, my adrenaline is racing now I, and my heart is racing, my adrenaline is racing now I'm angry, you know, and I'm you know that's a. It has a biological lasting effect on me. Where somebody does something good, that's a fleeting moment that passes really quickly and I don't park on those, I just don't. My body is responding to the danger and the fear and the stress that that guy just put me through. So I'm I don't know. I mean how, don't know how you learn to manage that? I'm in the process myself because I see the deterioration of my own attitude in my patient store drivers and I've only been driving four and a half years, so I get it.
Robert Pound:I've come to terms with. When somebody gets a regular either Class C or Class D license to drive a regular four-wheeler, they haven't been trained properly on how to drive around an 80,000 or more pound, 18 or more wheel vehicle, you know. So I've taken that into consideration a lot when dealing with four-wheelers. My concern is, you know, I know they've made school mandatory for truck drivers now to get their license. These guys have been trained and they still. It's like they once they got through school and did their time with their trainer, I was kind of like no, I'll do whatever I want and I think I really don't know, because I think they have a mindset that they're not going to get hurt.
Cindy Tunstall:What do you think is different from what you experienced as a new driver? Is it because you had spent time with a veteran driver for a longer period of time before you got behind the wing? Your dad, obviously, so. Do you think that that's what's different with the new driver? Because they're just coming in and they don't have that connection with somebody you know, a mentor? You had your dad, so I mean you obviously grew up in a culture appreciating the work because that was your family. So what? What do you think is lacking? Like what's the solution for the new driver? That's not having that type of indoctrination about the culture and the safety and the focus and, you know, really taking pride in the work that they're doing. Why do you? What's the solution? Do you have any?
Robert Pound:it's the mindset, it really is the mindset. You know this, this right here, is a lifestyle. It's. It's not just, you know, your regular average nine to five job. It's. It's not, you know, just sitting behind a steering wheel, like a lot of people think, striving, it's a complete lifestyle. I have five kids. You know I'm a wife, obviously, my parents, my family, who I stay away from for months at a time.
Robert Pound:You know that's hard and these new drivers that are coming into it is like, oh, it's just a job, just to put money in my pocket. Well, it's a lot more than that. Your job is not just for you, your job is for everybody. You know you have to make sure you're safe around everybody that drives next to you on the road. Because you're watching the phone, that could be a family in that vehicle next to you and because you're watching your phone you're not paying attention. When you blow a steer tire on that same side, it'll jerk your truck right into that car and then you just killed that family.
Robert Pound:You know it's a lifestyle, it's not just a job. That whole lifestyle mindset I'm watching it go by the wayside. It's just going and I don't know how to make these new guys understand. I'm driving up the road right now and every other truck I see is a guy on his phone or even a gal on their phone. The phones, I think, is the worst thing that's happened in this industry, especially these smartphones. It's not just okay, I gotta go from here to there and then that's it. I have to watch out for everybody on the road. I gotta watch out for other truck drivers yeah, I don't think they on the road now. I've got to watch out for other truck drivers. I don't think they can comprehend all this, that you can be driving an 80,000 pound missile down the road at 75 miles an hour, you come up over the top of an overpass and there's dead traffic on the other side.
Cindy Tunstall:You're gonna cause a lot of damage well, and trucking companies now are putting um cameras facing inside the cab, and I think that that's their. Their approach is because they want to stop their drivers from being on their phones and be able to call them out when there's distracted driving. What do you think about that as a solution? I know many drivers that have been driving for a long time, and even me. I have my own trucking company, so you know I'm the boss, so nobody's monitoring my behavior inside my cab. But what do you? You know, and probably why I have my own authority, but you know, honestly, I don't know if I would like that, but I think that's a great solution. I mean, I don't know of a better solution and nobody wants to do that either. I mean, would?
Robert Pound:you have a camera facing inside your cabin, so I actually do Okay, I was just curious. I will say this At first I was against it.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, I would be as well, but it is a good solution, right? Don't you see that as a good solution?
Robert Pound:Well it is. You know it can hold drivers accountable. But you know, when I watch these videos of these dash cams, of this dash cam footage look, I just watched one. When I woke up this morning, I was watching this phone, watching this phone and and I'm a little ahead of him he keeps looking at his phone. He looks up for a second and looks back at his phone and all of a sudden he looks up, drops his phone and he's already Right on top of the car that's in front of him. There's no way he's stopping doing over 70 miles an hour. So it's not gonna Just because the camera's there Is not gonna stop stupid people From doing stupid things.
Robert Pound:I saw a saying you play stupid people from doing stupid things, right, you know. I saw a saying you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. The guy played a stupid game and I hope his prize is to go to jail. Yeah, yeah, I really do, because I know whoever's in that car is no longer on this earth. Yeah, yeah, it's tragic and I don't know how to make them comprehend. Like, dude, it's not just you that's out here. There's thousands of other people that you go around every day, tens of thousands possible and at any point, just because you want to watch some video, not pay attention to what's going on in front of you, snap, just snap your finger and end somebody's life that fast.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, well, we know that. You know the phones and social media are set up to create an addictive environment, and that's what we're seeing is happening create an addictive environment and that's what. That's what we're seeing is happening. And um, and you know, looking for that, um, dopamine hit when somebody likes or, you know, watch a funny video. But you're just constantly getting on there to see how people have engaged with your, with your social media. So I know that that's a big part of the problem and it is addictive behavior. And the social media algorithms are created to cause addictive behavior and cause us to get hooked on those and want to stay connected. And the whole system is designed to keep you engaged. But the which all sounds engagement sounds like it's good, we're staying connected to you, know other people who are on the road, but it's not in this situation. It obviously leads to risky behavior. I don't know what the solutions are, but um, it's, it's, it's scary. Well, there's there's.
Robert Pound:There's two parts to this issue too. Like you said, social media is one, you know, where people people get connected with it and then they're tied into it and then they're hooked on it and then they can't get away from it. And you brought up another good point About being bored while driving. Okay, so the other issue with this and I get a lot of pushback on this one Is that e-log. Okay, I was raised on a paper log and, as everybody knows because I don't know one person that I grew up around that didn't take and tear that paper log out and start anew.
Robert Pound:If we had, instead of in a 14 hour time period they did in a day, a 24 hour time period, say, you know, 14 or 15 hours of driving, things would be a lot different. You know that means you can stop and take a nap whenever you want to. You get bored. You can pull over and go for a walk. You know you can stop If you're really that hooked on your phone. You can stop for 10, 15 minutes and look at your phone, check your social media or whatever.
Cindy Tunstall:Oh, I see what you're saying. So the 14-hour clock is where you have issue with the e-log. Yes, you'd like to be able to divide your break, like take five hours here and then.
Robert Pound:So, like I still run a paper log and I know Brian you know Brian from Highway Freaks. Yeah, we've talked about it. I call the electronic tattletale Telling on me. You know what I'm saying? Hi there, this is Brian Guy, your road dog, host of Highway Freaks podcast, and you're enjoying life telling on me. Do you know what I'm saying? Hi there, this is Bri Guy, your Road Dogg host of Highway Freaks Podcast, and you're enjoying life. Otr with Cindy Tunstall. Join the movement.
Cindy Tunstall:What are you advocating for, Robert? What would you like to see happen with the e-logs? What's a better system?
Robert Pound:Instead of 14 hours, make it a longer time frame out of a couple hours of drive time in there. You know that will that will make it to where, instead of, people are looking like a robot going down the road because they're bored and they're tied to that clock. Hey, I'm tired. Hey, I'm bored. I need to stop for a minute. I've got to go take a nap for about an hour or so. You know they're not trying to race that 14-hour clock consistently. You know trying to get 11 hours every chance they get In that 14-hour period. That only, you know. After you do a pre-trip and you have to take your 30-minute break, you know you take a 14-hour clock, turn it down to almost a 13-hour clock and you're trying to get 11 hours in that time frame. And you know these guys are trying to race, race, race that clock.
Robert Pound:And I've seen a lot of accidents happen over that too. And you know we talked about the dash cams earlier and I'm going to bring this statistic up because I've followed this one Ever since the dash cams became popular and insurance started requiring owners to put them in their trucks. I know they everybody. Oh yeah, if there's a truck involved, it's the truck driver's fault. They found out that's not true. It's over 90% of truck accidents that involve a four-wheeler now are the four-wheeler's fault, so I don't have a problem with the dash cam.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, I haven't heard that statistic, but that's really encouraging, isn't it? It's a way to really, you know, cover your ass, so to speak. You know, I really like that. That's great to hear.
Robert Pound:Yeah, it's, you know it is. It is a good thing to hear, you know. My problem is that other possible 10% you know these are guys that they go through training and then they got to spend time with the trainer, which you know. I never dealt with a company trainer, like they say. You know, I had my dad. My dad taught me how to drive at a very young age, had my dad my dad taught me how to drive at a very young age and from what I'm hearing, I don't know if this is accurate or not but these guys come in and they got to ride with the trainer for two weeks to a month, which, first off, is not enough time.
Robert Pound:You know, when you go to school You're taught in a controlled environment For four weeks Out here on the road it's not a controlled environment. You have to learn all these different scenarios Pretty fast and One major one is winter time, Especially in the north. These new guys come in and they don't know how quick you can lose control of the truck, End up in a bigger wreck than you ever thought was possible. You know, I really believe that these guys should be riding with a Good trainer, and by good I mean I really believe that these guys should be riding with a good trainer, and by good I mean a trainer that's got experience out here, not just oh, you're able to go on your own, you can drive on your own for three months and now you become a trainer yourself. You know what I'm talking about. Have you heard that?
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, I have. I've actually talked to drivers that have you know, say that they're training and they have been driving less than you know a year and they're even still a little freaked out. Or I've heard the other side that you know a new driver is saying you know, my trainer is terrible at backing you know? I'm like what, Wait, what? You know? I'm like you know they're getting online and I appreciate you know social media for this. It's like they're getting online to ask for help and bedroom drivers. Of course they crush them at times, but I'm like give them a break. You know they're asking for help, so, um, that they're not getting, so, yeah, let's not roast them because they don't know. But, um, you know. So I see opportunity there to help and make a difference because you, because people are being trained by people that don't have any experience, which is also a little bit horrifying.
Robert Pound:Yeah, so yes, okay, you just said horrifying, and I like to use this one for an example when I park to go to sleep at night, I don't park at a truck stop anymore.
Robert Pound:I will park at an on-ramp in the middle of nowhere. I've seen and dealt with too many things in the recent years that have happened in a truck stop due to the lack of experience with backing up. And, like I said, when these guys are taught at school they're taught in a an open yard with cones, you know, and that's just not what we deal with Out here On the road. You know, these truck stops they're, they're tight. I got it. If I, if I ever have to park at one and I I catch a lot of hell for this I will pull Into a parking spot. I won't back in. I will pull in Because I thought If they hit something, I'd rather them hit the trailer than hit the front corner of my truck or my sleeper, which is going to put me down for weeks getting that stuff repaired. Yeah, but that is very. Maybe once every two weeks I'll stay at a truck stop.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, truck stops are scary to me because I think about a new driver at the end of a day and just the fact that it's been a stressful drive day for them, you know, because you know they're new to the pace and all of that. And then the level of anxiety and then having to do that with so many eyes watching, there's so much pressure on a new driver in that situation. I mean that's scary to me. Yeah, the scariest place to me to be literally for me as a driver being on the road, it's like the scariest spot for me is this is that truck stop? So I'm I'm totally agree with you you can do a lot of damage with those big rigs.
Robert Pound:So I'm like I get that yeah, I just I'll watch, you know, I'll watch guys come through there at like Mach 55. You know, like it's the petrol 5000 in a tractor trailer, see how fast you can get around there. You know, and I'm just like dude. First off, you don't need to be doing 8000 miles an hour through the parking lot of a truck stop. Second, when you try to back up, or when they try to back up their truck, you find out like and so this is a joke between me and my buddies oh, that's a Swift graduate right there. They can't back up and it's Swift, I would say. In my eyes, swift got the reputation for a reason, but it's not just them. All these massive companies go through the same stuff.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, they're just a really large trucking company, so they're going to have a large number of new drivers just because they're massive size.
Robert Pound:Yeah but they, I do. I watch these guys and it chokes off and I'm like did you get your CDL from a Cracker Jack box? Like what in the world? And then I have to remind myself okay, these guys are taught in a controlled environment. Their trainer was probably driving for three months before they started training them, so these guys really aren't going to have that great of an experience getting any experience coming into this industry.
Cindy Tunstall:You talk about the change in culture, how, like over the years, you know there's not this brotherhood. But I even hear I hear some of this from you know, drivers that have been driving, you know, for years, it's like, but they're still not getting out of the truck and helping that new guy. I do see it a lot honestly, but I think it's like, but they're still not getting out of the truck and helping that new guy. I do see it a lot honestly, but I think it's really great. But, um, you know, we're even blasting them on social media and posting truck fails.
Cindy Tunstall:And I hate those truck fails videos honestly because, like I think I don't. You know, I don't know what, nobody's learning a lesson watching that. You know, I wish that they were, but I don't think that they're effective in that. But you know, I'm like I don't know, I don't know what's changed about the brotherhood, like I don't know why people are. I don't see why the change in that either. I mean, I know a new driver's coming out and it's always going to. You know, maybe they're just less respectful of the drivers that have been driving longer and that's the reason that the change culturally and with the newer generation, they're not asking for help, or I'm not sure what the problem is there.
Robert Pound:So I have tried on multiple occasions to give advice or help out, and it's a better than attitude. They are better than everybody. I just I used the word with my wife. What's the word that I use to describe this generation? Stupid? They just entitled entitled.
Cindy Tunstall:I was thinking the word entitled. They use the word they.
Robert Pound:You know, you try to explain to them how to do something and they just stick their nose up at you or cuss you out. Or you know, like I know out. Or you know like I know what I'm doing, like no, I'm trying to explain to you what you're doing wrong, but you don't want to listen, and you know. So now, why do I want to help them? You know, if they're better than, or they're that entitled, I guess go figure it out, and then, when you end up tearing up somebody's truck, you're gonna realize that I guess you didn't know what you were talking about.
Cindy Tunstall:You know well, robert, I will say to you just keep trying, you know, and if they give you some pushback, get back in your truck and move on. You know, but keep trying. You have a lot of wisdom to to share and um, and if somebody's you know not, like you said, not receptive, you can just move on. But um, don't stop being a great guy because you're getting some pushback from a younger generation, because they're still needed out there, and um, don't let it make you, um, not willing to help other people. That would be receptive, because I know that a lot of drivers still are. I've been just watching what's happening on social media so many people asking for help. So, anyway, don't give up on them, robert.
Robert Pound:We need you to keep mentoring well, you know, I remember when truck drivers used to get a lot of respect. You know people understood that. You know grocery store shelves wouldn't. When truck drivers used to get a lot of respect, you know people understood that. You know grocery store shelves wouldn't be stopped. You know people's stuff wouldn't be moved around, their cars wouldn't show up Because you know if a truck driver didn't holler. But that mentality is gone. I had somebody tell me the other day that was a couple weeks ago we don't need truck drivers. The grocery store has everything that we need.
Cindy Tunstall:Oh Lord, what did you say? Oh my gosh.
Robert Pound:My response was the grocery store has a farm in the back, has a ranch back there, has a big pond, apparently for all the fish and the magic. I guess magic shows up. All the canned box food, right? Oh, my word? No, they just have everything that we need. We don't need you guys, Okay, Okay, Okay, we don't need you guys, Okay, I mean, if that's really how you feel, I just I don't know how you think that, but whatever, whatever you know and and there's people that really believe this I don't, I don't know where we've gone completely wrong. Right, that's crazy. Well, like I told you earlier, you know you're down there in Texas. You know that's Bucky's town down. That way, you used to be able to go there with a truck, no problem to Bucky's. You know you can go in and get your food and get fuel there, and now you get kicked out of Buc-ee's with a bobtail, like what the heck is going on? Where do they think their stuff comes from? Like the magic fairy.
Cindy Tunstall:Well, the whole Buc-ee's thing. I don't have a problem because this is what I think about as a business person. I think their parking lots aren't graded for big trucks and um, so there's that, but um, and then I also think I wonder what has made them lead to that decision. I think probably. You know people leaving piss bottles on the ground and not picking up their stuff. So I mean, I think there's probably a reason for that. I mean, I don't think it's great. You know, I wish there was a solution.
Robert Pound:I love Buc-ee's, you know, but I wonder what's led them to make that decision, corporately, I mean you know, well, I was just, you know, and that's the thing I was just fixing to get at is when, back in the day, you know, I guess, a guy going on the road they're pissing a bottle, they're throwing the trash. You know that doesn't? I don't even Walmart's kicking us out now. Yeah, have you noticed that? Yeah, sure, walmart doesn't even want the truck drivers around anymore. Yeah, and like I told my mom, I said I don't blame them. I don't blame them because I mean, who wants to have? I wouldn't want one of my employees spending all day going to pick up people's crap bags and piss bottles. You know, and I guess there's been a massive change in this industry. You know, I still see a lot of the old-timers, you know respected, in places like the truck stop parking lot and you know, if they stop somewhere they don't throw their trash all over the place.
Robert Pound:I got a picture the other day. I was in Idaho. I think it was like a week and a half ago or two weeks ago. I was in Idaho. I stopped on a on-ramp Middle of the night. When I woke up, my mom called me up. I stepped out of my truck. I was like holy cow, this is terrible. There was trash everywhere. I mean everywhere. It was just disgusting and all I can say is this is why nobody wants truck drivers around anymore. Look at this crap. This is bullshit.
Cindy Tunstall:It's a big cycle, right? So drivers aren't feeling appreciated. So then they're like, uh, you know, screw y'all, I'm just gonna dump this here, you don't care about me and you're not appreciating. This creates this cycle. So we, as drivers, have to be intentional not to jump in that cycle and not let us not be changed. You know, like I'm cleaning up after myself, obviously, and um, I'm just, I'm I'm.
Cindy Tunstall:I think we need to pay attention to where our character is shifting because of the things that are happening outside, because we can only control ourselves. Right, I could be the kind of person I want to be. I don't want to be a hostile, angry driver. You know. I don't want to be flipping people off. You know I don't want to be cussing at somebody that does something stupid and, you know, staying mad for the next hour and replaying that stupidity all day. I'm feeling like nobody cares about me out there. I have to be proactive to think about, catch those thoughts in my head and be intentional about how I'm going to continue to be a great person and contribute in this industry and everywhere I am. That's kind of the person I want to be right. I want to make a. I want to make the world a better place. Where I can, you know I want to help people out. Like I look at social media and all the stuff that's happening on there and I look for there's people that say just the dumbest things on there. I'm just like, are you kidding me? And I want to just blast them. My first thought is like, okay, I want to join in with all the people that are roasting. And then I have to just take a minute and go no, that's not the kind of person I am. I'm a person that likes to help people that are struggling. So I go okay, I can see why you're getting roasted here with this question, but can I just give you some feedback? And I give some good feedback and obviously it's perceived really well from that person. But you know I have to be intentional to monitor my character and the kind of person that I want to be, and I'm still hopeful that you know it's going to still continue to get better.
Cindy Tunstall:And I have kids too, so that generation that's, you know, entitled. My kids aren't that way. You know my kids are, you know, in their 20s and you know I have three girls and one's in early 30s and one's in her. Then the other two are in their 20s and you know they're great human beings, they are really on a mission to make the world a better place and they don't have that entitled attitude. So I have my own kids to remind me that that whole generation does not need to be written off, because I have great kids.
Cindy Tunstall:Not that it was anything that I did, I just, you know, it just happens that you know they're good people but, um, and I'm grateful for that, but it reminds me I don't need to buy into that mindset that they're all, and I'm sure you think that about your kids. You know, like you have great kids and you know they're doing, they're making, you know, contribution in the world and I'm sure and, um, you know cause you've been, you've influenced them in that way. So we still have the ability to counteract some of that other stuff and, um, it's part of why I do the show.
Cindy Tunstall:Honestly, I think I want to. You know, I want to be, I want to give voice to people like you that have some positive things to contribute, and to be able to give you a voice, to be able to share some wisdom and experience and some ideas about things that we could do differently and then also be a champion of people that are still doing great work out there. You know I want to honor your story and I want to give you voice, to be able to speak to people that maybe think differently than you and I do, and I really value that. So I'm glad you were able to come on the show. I want to shift gears a little bit, if it's OK. Sure, I know you face some. You've been driving a long time and you've faced some challenges out here on the road and even some tragedy. Do you have anything that comes to mind that you might want to talk about with our audience on some of your more challenging?
Robert Pound:situations. Well, I was talking to Brian. He says you're really into the health uh, the health, healthy part of driving a truck. Yeah, is that right.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, well, I want to be proactive, to kind of inspire each other to you know, take care of ourselves. Out here, you know, drivers live 16 years long, shorter lifespan than most americans. 16 years, I mean, think about that's a lot of time cut off our lives because our lifestyle we're not active in the food that we eat, and so I just want to inspire people to make better choices, and that's important to me.
Robert Pound:Yeah, like right now I'm parked in front of a petrol, I'm getting ready to go in here and eat the iron skillet. Like right now I'm parked in front of a Petro, I'm getting ready to go in here and eat the iron skillet. But you know, like I said, I grew up on 76 truck stops Petros. You know, if it had a sit-down restaurant like the iron skillet, that's where we ate.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah.
Robert Pound:And anymore they're. They're pulling out these restaurants and replace them with, you know, taco Bell, mcdonald's, parties, just toxic food, terrible, this is just terrible. And you know people are like well, you know, you could just meal prep at your house. No, I can't meal prep too much. Right, yeah, that's you know. And then Walmart doesn't want us in there, so we can't park there and go get food, and grocery stores don't want us here unless we're delivering food to them.
Cindy Tunstall:Well, one thing that I've talked about in our communities is that, you know, there's also technology that's been helping, like apps like Instacart, because you can be parked at a truck stop and do an Instacart order, or even Walmart delivery, and they can deliver to your truck. There is a fee, there's a cost, but there are options. That's a part of why I value our community. We're trying to share ideas, ideas like that, you know, solutions to the problems that we face, because the problem with the fast food, I mean, it's a real issue that's impacting the lives and shortening the lives of drivers. So, um, that's the kind of thing that we're sharing. We have two facebook groups enjoying life, otr and also healthier truckers, and both of those communities are really, um, you know, trying to focus on being proactive and coming up with solutions so that we can have a longer, healthier life. And, um, you know, there's a lot of great ideas being shared, so I'd love for you to be a part of our communities I appreciate that yeah, a lot of good things are happening.
Cindy Tunstall:So I mean I know, I know it's the whole taco bell thing is like there's a problem, because then even McDonald's a lot of toxic food coming out of there is not good for your body. But there are some options and technology and some different apps are working to meet the needs of drivers. We just have to surround ourselves with people that are looking for those solutions, because there's a lot of good things that are happening and all the talk about community and all of that and the camaraderie and the brotherhood I mean I love community. That's real important to me. It's a personal value of mine to have good community right. So I mean I'm using social media as a way to help provide that for me and get like-minded drivers like you know, like that think, like you want to make the world a better place and do good work and you know, interested in making good, positive changes and sharing those ideas with each other to inspire each other.
Cindy Tunstall:Ok, robert, before we end this conversation, I know that you've had a tragic accident on the road and I wondered if you would mind sharing that with our audience. Is that something that we could talk about? Sure, well, tell me about what happened, if you don't mind, and as much as you want to share or not, I want to be sensitive to the tragic nature of the story. So tell us as much as you want to share and I'll let you have the floor.
Robert Pound:So the only thing it actually happened when I was at home. I was in my pickup and I have my girlfriend with me at the time and we're going to meet my friends, go get something to eat and cruising down the road, it was about 8 30 at and the street at the time had no streetlights on it. It was all dark. I was doing about 53 and a 50, and out of nowhere, there was a guy on a bike in my headlights. There was a guy on a bike in my headlights and I slammed on the brakes and I cut the wheel severe away from him and Chuck started sliding and he was out of my headlights and he at the time he was probably about a hundred foot in front of me and then he was about he was back in my headlights again. He was about 10 foot in front of me and then he was about he was back in my headlights again he was about 10 foot in front of me and I still remember that guy looking at me right before I hit him.
Robert Pound:Oh, wow, wow, yeah, it was. My truck was a 93 F 350 as a tank. Wow, yeah, he was instantly gone, instantly. Um, while the truck was still moving and or still sliding. I jumped out of the truck after I hit him. I tugged and rolled and got up and started running after the guy. While he was in the air my truck hit a billboard. My girlfriend was still in the truck and I ran up and tried pumping on the guy's chest. I had people come up and say there's no use, there's no use.
Cindy Tunstall:Oh wow, I can't even imagine that, how you get through something like that, cannot even imagine it.
Robert Pound:It took me a little while to understand it was an accident. I went at first. I went two weeks after the accident and I went and talked to the guy's wife and kids. I went to talk to the guy's wife and kids and I had a panic attack. They called an ambulance on me and I went back a week after that and I was able to sit down and talk with them. That was very, very hard, hard, one of the hardest conversations I've ever had in my life.
Cindy Tunstall:Were they receptive to talk to you or did it take some convincing? Or they were eager to talk to you.
Robert Pound:No, they were willing to talk to me. They found out that I was a mover At the time, my dad, my dad he's a mover for an Atlas Van Lines agent his whole life. When they found out, they come to find out, he was a mover himself. He was a joke driver too, oh wow. And he had some difficulties with his license and everything. And you know he had a few problems in life, like a lot of you know there's a lot of driver's car problems, yeah, but I was just blown away by how close, you know, we were as far as the like. I talked about the brotherhood of trucking. You know, you got the brotherhood of trucking and then you got the moving brotherhood too. You know, to add on to that, I was wow, you know it's. I really it would, I really it would. I really think it would have been a lot worse had I not been paying attention. I was in an accident Back in December 2022. That accident happened back in In 2010, that that fatal bike accident.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah.
Robert Pound:I was in another accident here December 2022. And I truly believe the guy wasn't paying attention. I just got to the office and I was talking to our safety coordinator. I was talking to our safety coordinator, I was Talking to her. You know, if anything ever happened to me, you know, I just don't know what I would do, like I would be Devastated, you know, if I had to leave my kids behind and my wife. And then she had asked me If I could do her a favor to go recover her truck. So she told me on the way down it was my friend's truck that we were going to recover and I said, okay, what's going on? She said I can't tell you, so we get down there and come to find out he had passed away a couple hours before we got there. Oh no, and his truck from a heart attack.
Cindy Tunstall:Oh my gosh, that was your friend.
Robert Pound:It was my friend, oh, robert, and she told me she said she had because she saved the corner. She had to watch the dash cam footage of it all happening. Oh, wow. So she's already on edge and you know he had the truck off the side of the highway. He had triangles out, had flashes on, and when we got there I started the truck and I told the safety coordinator. I said you, I mean, my friend was kind of a pig so he couldn't stand inside of the truck and I'm six foot tall, about 350. My friend was kind of a pig so couldn't stand inside the truck and I'm six foot tall, about 350 pounds, so I'm a big guy. Yeah, my friend was like five foot two, about 130 pounds, so he had his seat all the way up against the steering wheel.
Robert Pound:I can't fit in there. I'm standing on the driver's side steps, I'm putting seat covers on for our safety coordinator. You know she's about five two, so she can fit in a seat though. But I'm I'm standing there and I'm watching traffic and I'm, you know, closing the door when I come by the best I can around my back and I'm watching and she keeps telling me like you didn't close the door. I can't close the door. I can't stand in the truck. There's stuff all over the floor. So I'm standing there and I look back and I watch the truck, tractor, trailer across the line. Okay, he'll fix it. I've. I've stuck my head in the door and I tore the seat cover off and I peeked back around the exhaust. What I did? He was behind the truck.
Cindy Tunstall:Oh, my gosh. This is when you're standing in the door. What's that? This is when you're standing in the door.
Robert Pound:I was standing on the driver's side steps oh my gosh, and he hit us. I screamed, I was like whoa, whoa and I tried to jump in the truck. And when I tried to jump in the truck and when I tried to jump in, it was the same time he hit us and my legs kicked out. And then I grabbed the door and slammed my legs on the door and as soon as I got it closed as far as I could, he took the door off the truck.
Cindy Tunstall:Oh my gosh.
Robert Pound:And Come to find out that he was doing An 85 and a 70. And the only way this could have happened was him not paying attention. Yeah, yeah. But I would say if he was another half inch closer to the truck he would have jerked me right out of the truck.
Cindy Tunstall:Wow, how do you get through something like that, robert? Both of those stories are horrific. I mean, how do you get through something like that, robert? Both of those stories are horrific. I mean, how do you, I mean, did you have to get? I mean, did you have PTSD? I mean like for real, like I mean legitimately, how did you get through that?
Robert Pound:So the first accident, I didn't really think of any PTSD. I didn't really think of any PTSD. I get nervous when there's bikes on the side of the road and stuff People riding bikes. I go around them and I was really. No, oh, we didn't grab the steering wheel and tan stuff, but I'm getting close to bikes and I wouldn't really call that PTSD, just more alert. Yeah, this one right here, this one has played hell. This accident right here played hell with me and it still does.
Cindy Tunstall:So I got released back to work after a year and a half of being off Wow, and what was that process like, what was happening during that time to help you be able to get back through it? Do you mind sharing that?
Robert Pound:So I had a fractured ankle and FMCSA wanted me to get released by a psychiatrist because the nature of the accident, before I go back to work, before I go back to work, and they had me on all kinds of anxiety medicine and depression medicine and this medicine and that medicine, and then I started talking to my pastor at church and I just stopped all the medicine and then my psychiatrist released me back about the end of March. But because of the nature of the medications I had to wait until they were completely out of my system before I could go back to work. So I wasn't actually able to return back to work until June 1st. I was broke down A week and a half. Well, two weeks ago I was broke down About 100 miles west Of Cheyenne, wyoming, and that Safety coordinator, the lady that was there with me During that wreck, she's on the phone with me.
Robert Pound:She had to sit on the phone with me for three hours. I just I couldn't. I couldn't believe that the PTSD was stuck with me like this. I was losing my mind because I'm on the side of the highway. Yeah, wow.
Cindy Tunstall:Understandably, understandably.
Robert Pound:Understandably. I was watching trucks you know some coming over the line and I just really lose it and it makes me wonder if I'll be able to keep doing this.
Cindy Tunstall:Well, I understand that when you talked about the accident I, my first thought was I don't know how you get back in the truck after that. Um, I, so I. It is traumatic and um, it's obviously having, um, you know, it's that trauma still in your body. You know you're still experiencing the response from that. And and what are your plans now? What to do about all of that trauma? Are you considering counseling? Or I don't even know what you would, what the plan would be to go forward in a healthy way.
Cindy Tunstall:I'm considering a couple things maybe doing my own truck driving school, uh, or becoming a tow truck driver well, I can't even imagine doing um tow truck, having to deal with accidents on the side of the road after what you've been through, I know. But the idea of a truck driving school, I you know, cause you're passionate about the industry, you know, so I can see you really doing well with that. But, um, you know, and I don't rule out counseling I mean, I know people are funny about counseling, but you know, it may be, may be just the thing you need. There's online options now so you could maybe talk to somebody about that and dealing with that trauma, because it's definitely um, I can't even I, I literally can't even imagine getting through something like that. But there are options that will help you. And, um, I'm glad that to hear that you're able to still drive and work.
Robert Pound:And, um, because you've been through a lot, been through a lot, yeah, well, if I decide to do a tow truck driver, it's going to be, you know, we're looking at moving to a very rural area, um, you know, away from any major cities, so I don't have to deal with, uh, the interstate traffic and all that. Yeah, but it's it really made me think about what's more important in my life and I have to say, my family is number one to me. Yeah, and the fact that I almost left them behind it really makes me think.
Cindy Tunstall:Yeah, and the fact that I almost left them behind, yeah, it really makes me think yeah, one thing I love about the idea of you being having a truck driving school it's like you have such a passion for the industry and you have so much wisdom and experience to share with an upcoming generation, and I can see why you'd want to make a change at this season of your life and um, but I'm grateful for all the safe driving years that you've had on the road, robert and um, all of us are and um, I would be curious to see what your next steps are and I hope that we'll be able to stay in touch.
Cindy Tunstall:I think you have a lot of good years ahead of you and a lot to offer our communities and um, obviously, making the world a better place, but safe miles on the road you've got. They've had some tragedy, but you've also had thousands and thousands of safe miles on the road. So, um, I'm grateful for you personally. So, on behalf of all the drivers that have been on the road with you, I'm grateful for you personally. So, on behalf of all the drivers that have been on the road with you, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for paying attention, thank you for caring about this industry and all that you've done over the years to be safe and to help make this um our roads safer and delivering the products and things that we need. I'm truly grateful for you. It's really been an honor to share your story.
Robert Pound:Well, I appreciate you too, and I really appreciate what you're doing.
Cindy Tunstall:Well, do you have anything else that you'd like to share with our audience before we wrap up? I want to value your time. I know that you ready to take a break.
Robert Pound:Just make sure you be safe out there. Just be safe out there. You know, don't get in a hurry. It's not worth it. But now, like I said, we've got to watch out for everybody. It's not just four-wheelers anymore, it's a lot of these new drivers that are coming in. Better watch out for them well.
Cindy Tunstall:Thanks for coming on, robert. I appreciate you taking the time to spend with me and I have no words to say how meaningful this was for me. I'm truly grateful, truly honored to get to talk to you and grateful for you. I appreciate.
Robert Pound:I appreciate that, Sandy, I really do.
Dino Grigoriadis:And there you have it, folks a journey through time, technology and the triumphs and losses of trucking. We've covered everything from the good old days of the brotherhood on the road to the modern maze of ELDs and in-cab cameras. We've talked safety, training and the vital importance of mentorship in our industry. Now, if you've enjoyed this pit stop into the world of professional driving, do us a solid, wherever you're listening from, just leave us a review. Your words could be the GPS that guides other drivers into our little community of road warriors. And hey, if you're itching for more connections with great drivers like Robert, come on over to our Enjoying Life OTR Facebook group. We've got the coffee on and the stories flowing. This is Dino signing off, reminding you that life on the road is what you make it, so make it awesome. Keep on trucking and remember the only thing we take serious around here is safety and making sure we get home to our loved ones and finding the next best piece of pie on our route.
