Trucking industry appeals to young driver who aspires to experiences

David McCoy, 21, is a Diamond-status My Love Rewards member

You may have heard it in commercials that target young people: Millennials prefer experiences to material things. Yet there is little industry evidence that the next generation is considering trucking as a profession.

Meet David McCoy. He's 21 years old, and he makes no bones about why he became a professional driver.

"When I turned 18, my dad told me I needed to find a job. So I figured, 'Why not find a job that comes with a house?'" he said. "Why not get a paid vacation and tour America?"

To be perfectly fair, McCoy and every other professional driver work hard to make an honest living. While on the job, the trucker from New Braunfels, Texas, is relishing the chance to turn his work into a series of great experiences, too.

For example, he loves Washington state for its majesty, and he says that Pennsylvania is "just beautiful."

However, it's meeting people that makes his heart sing.

"People are more important than trees, and I love it here," McCoy said, referring to the Louisville area and points east.

McCoy started his driving career with C.R. England and has been with Swift Transportation for just under a year. He's a My Love Rewards member who just reached Diamond status this past month, and he said the word "genuine" comes to mind when he thinks of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores.

"When people say, 'Hi, welcome to Love's,' you can feel that it's genuine," McCoy said.

He said that Love's is committed to quality: quality people and quality service.

And McCoy isn't buying that young people aren't soon going to replenish drivers' seats across the country, keeping the transportation industry alive and well for a generation to come.

"I got this job to be surprised about where I go next," McCoy said.

He hasn't been disappointed thus far. Alas, he has a couple pieces of advice for any young person looking to become a professional driver.

"Determine beforehand if you want it to be a career or a temporary job," McCoy said.

His other piece of advice? Buy a CB radio.

"CBs are great for convenience and for avoiding gridlock," McCoy said.

We're delighted that McCoy has decided on trucking as his vocation, and we're confident the Clean Places, Friendly Faces he has come to know from Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores will be the hallmark of our locations nationwide well beyond his generation to the next!