Advice I Wish I Received When I First Started Truck Driving

Last week I asked the members of our truckers forum to think back on their careers. If they could travel back in time to when they first started driving, what advice would they give themselves? Their answers are below, covering a range of subjects and opinions.

Driving

  • Relax, don’t let the stupid crap cars and trucks do around you get your blood pressure up. After I realized this trucking became a lot more enjoyable.
  • Going faster doesn’t make you a better driver.
  • Don’t let other big mouth CB cowboys get to you on the radio. If some flatbed owner op comes along in the hammer lane doing 71 and a half mph on the radio cursing because everyone is in his way, turn the radio off and realize you’re not going slow, he is speeding.
  • Take it easy. That means let people in, don’t sweat other people cutting you off, don’t let the little things get to you, don’t be in a hurry (always a bad idea).
  • Don’t let those 4-wheelers behind you make you begin to panic and make you lose focus. They live here, you don’t. They know where they’re going. You don’t. They can always go around you.
  • Always pay attention. Be very patient.

Docking and Parking

  • Good, consistent backing ONLY comes with experience
  • I kick myself now for kicking myself back then for messing up backing. I realize now that I was just learning.
  • If that last open parking spot looks like it could be a pain to back in to, it probably is. Go find somewhere else to park and leave that spot for someone who either has better skills or worse judgement.

[click to read more…]

{ 2 comments }

Owner Operators Impress Customers with State-of-the-Art Shipment Tracking

Post image for Owner Operators Impress Customers with State-of-the-Art Shipment Tracking

Large trucking companies have widely offered online shipment tracking, allowing customers to check the status of their shipments at their convenience on services such as Swift Load Tracker, JB Hunt Quick Load Tracking, or Prime Load Tracing. Carriers have been hugely successful in using these systems to attract new customers, since shippers and consignees have come to expect the instant tracking updates that were popularized by FedEx and UPS. Tracking technology has been slow to trickle down to smaller fleets, as the cost of setting up and maintaining the infrastructure is typically in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

Owner-Operators have suddenly turned the tables in the past month, offering their customers an online tracking system that displays the exact location of their shipments, along with images of the freight and shipping documents. How? Drivers are downloading “See It Ship,” an app that uses the GPS and camera built in to smartphones to create an advanced shipment tracking system that operates from the driver’s own phone. Drivers simply give their shipment a name, and their customers receive a link to a map that shows the shipment’s location, as well as any images of shipping documents or freight that the driver uploads.

We really like the idea of independent truckers having free access to a technology that goes beyond what mega carriers are using. Let us know if you hear of other apps that help owner-operators.

{ 3 comments }

How Much Do Truckers Make? The Ultimate Guide to Truck Driver Salaries by State and Speciality



How much do truck drivers make

There are plenty of truck driving jobs to be found if you know what you are looking for.  However, many qualified truckers experience unnecessary difficulty during the search and give up before finding the right job because they are not organized.  Having everything you need ready and being informed will make it easier for you to find a trucking job.

Don’t feel tied to a recruiter

When you start looking for truck driver jobs, you will probably talk to a recruiter.  However, it is important to realize that recruiters are often working for just one company, so you will want to talk to different recruiters.  This will give you a better view of the spectrum of available truck driver jobs and find the one that best suits your style.  Be sure to keep track of the information that you hear from different recruiters so that you may easily reference the details later when there are multiple positions to consider.

Tell the truth

Whenever you are talking to a recruiter about a CDL job, or at a job interview, it is important to be honest from the very beginning.  Even if you have some negative information to share, it is better to put it out in the open yourself than to have it come to light later on.

Have your information ready

When you are applying to a number of trucking jobs, it is important to have some information ready.  Some of this may be on your resume, and if it isn’t, make sure that you have it handy.  You will need:

  • Your current CDL, which should be non-expired and have your correct home address
  • At least three years of work history, though more is sometimes wanted by recruiters.  If you were not driving during part of this period, be sure to have other professional references that can speak to your working character.
  • Names and contact information of all trucking companies and employers that you have worked for.  It is a good idea to talk to former employers beforehand to let them know you are using them as a reference.
  • If any of the former employers are unreachable or out of business, you should have other proof of work history.  This can include letters of reference, DOT numbers, and W2 tax forms from trucking jobs.
  • A copy of your driving record.
  • Proof of eligibility for work

Know what the recruiters know

Before you can obtain a job in the trucking industry your potential employer will run a background check.  This will include pulling any criminal records, copies of your driving records, your DAC report with previous truck driving jobs, accident history, and more.  It is important to know what is included in that report and be forthcoming with the information before the recruiter finds it.  If the recruiter believes that you were being dishonest or hiding something during the interview, it could cost you the job.  Also, if there is any information in the background check that is false, you will want to get it taken care of before interviewing.

Drug testing

Most reputable companies will do drug screening on potential and current employees.  If interested, the company may require you to take a drug test on the spot to prove that you are drug free.

{ 0 comments }

Making Semi-Trucks More Efficient

Share This:

Add this to your website/blog (620px Wide):

Add this to your website/blog (Preview, 196px Wide):

Infographic Article Text

{ 1 comment }

Hotshot Trucking vs. Expedited Freight: What’s The Difference?

Looking for more information about running an expedited freight company? Talk with hundreds of other drivers in our Hot Shot Trucking Forum.

Hauling expedited loads and hot shot freight is a choice job for many truckers.  Loads may be somewhat hard to find, and the loads that do get booked usually require the truck driver to run hard to meet the schedule, but the reward is premium rates and higher per mile pay.  Hotshot and expediting often get used interchangeably, which leads to a number of people getting confused and asking us for an explanation.

RickG kindly explains what it all means on the truck driver forum:

Expedite was sometimes referred to as hotshot. Currently expedite refers to vans, straight trucks and T/T’s delivering time sensitive freight. There are no set lanes. The trucks are on standby for immediate response. However, with the state of the economy expedite carriers are accepting regular LTL shipments to keep their trucks busy.
True hotshot is like flatbed expedite, mostly one ton or medium duty trucks pulling trailers and hauling time sensitive loads. There are many O/O’s with rigs like this running freight that pays lower rates and is not hotshot by the true definition.

jtrnr1951 shares his personal definition of hotshotting:

Hot Shot used to be-standing around Texas Iron Works, waiting for the drill part to be manufactured, then throwing it on the bed of the truck or trailer- and driving straight out to the [oil] well. NON-STOP !!!!
Made good money in the 1970′s running them 454 chevys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ask your questions about driving expedited freight and get answers on our Hot Shot Trucking Forum

{ 6 comments }

Saving Money and Fuel with Synthetic Lubricants

Choosing the best lubricants and oils for commercial trucks is a constant topic of debate amongst owner-operators.  A better product translates into money saved by decreasing wear and maintenance costs, and increasing fuel mileage.  The old conversation about choosing synthetic lubricants or non-synthetic oil was recently revived on the forum:

In my VN670 with 16 liter volvo engine I use Delvac fully synthetic oil since new.  Change interval 50000 miles (according to manual using mineral oil change interval 25000 miles).  Hope to see your comments soon guys.

My buddy also uses Delvac 1 in his truck, I think he said he changes oil around 60-75k, but changes the filters at 15-20k.
All the research I’ve read seems to suggest that you can use regular oil during the mild weather months (spring and fall) and use syn during the rest of the year, since syn oil’s increased resistance to temperature extremes helps the most then. But of course, using it all year round won’t hurt anything, and should help keep your engine cleaner (on the inside).

Some drivers discuss fuel mileage improvements:

I use Amsoil’s Heavy Duty Diesel full synthetic, and also use Amsoil throughout my truck for the transmission and axles. This is on a 2000 Volvo with Cummins N14.

When I first bought the truck, it came with what I’m sure was conventional oil. After switching, I immediately noticed that my truck was running cooler on hills. Where the fan would kick on at the top of the hill before, the temp wasn’t even getting close to that.
 Fuel economy also started to climb. I was getting an average of about 6.1-6.3, and now I post 7-7.5 pretty steady.
I have always used synthetics in my vehicles. After seeing a dyno test done by a Mustang publication years ago, it really changed my mind. The test Mustang actually got 5 extra hp at the rear wheels! Add to that the extended drain intervals, and it’s a no brainer. [click to read more…]

{ 1 comment }

← Previous Entries

Copyright © 2011 The Trucker's Report