Robert Hinman, 33, Afton, NY

Professional driving experience: 15 years

"It gets old, but if it's in your blood, you come back and find a way to make it work. There are a lot of ups and downs in this business. There's a lot of stress. Some people can handle it, and some people can't. Those that can't, fail."

John Stuart, 53, Peru, IN

Professional driving experience: 16 years

"The demands of the job eat some people up. It's you against the elements, you against time. There are some trucking outfits that really push drivers and the drivers just get tired of it. After a while, some of them decide it's not worth the fight."

Bethany Vanatta, 29, Findlay, OH

Professional driving experience: 4 years

"It takes a certain kind of person to be a truck driver. It takes someone who likes to be alone; someone who likes the freedom of the open road. Some people just can't handle it. I think a lot of people need a structured 9-to-5 job. Truckers don't."

Bob Burky, 42, Shelby, OH

Professional driving experience: 22 years

"I think a lot of guys who aren't succeeding are younger guys, and they would fail in any industry. I see a lot of young people out here who just don't want to work. They want the paycheck, but they aren't willing to put in the hard work that's required."

Herschell "Hershey Bar" Gordon, 47, Atwood, TN

Professional driving experience: 20 years

"I think a lot of the failure is due to a lack of business sense, education and plain old common sense. A business is a business. Company driver, owner-operator, whatever, you have to conduct yourself in a business manner. It's a lifestyle, but it's also a business. If you spend unwisely and you don’t pay attention to your expenses versus your income -- whether it's trucking, running a gas station or a restaurant -- you're going to fail."