$6 million dollar trucker...how to succeed in the transportation industry...

Discussion in 'Road Stories' started by ghostchild, Jan 20, 2012.

  1. ghostchild

    ghostchild Road Train Member

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    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7zNY0I5JNI&feature=related[/ame]



    Steve Austin (Lee Majors)...was an astronaut...he was good at it, but upon returning from mission, he crashed, was done, until they rebuilt him....

    A similuar scenerio many of us go through in our own lives or paths...
    We're on the right course initially, but then something goes wrong...and we crash and burn....

    We can either remain down, in the grave, or start rebuilding...and learning from past mistakes..

    I choose to rebuild...and to learn from past mistakes...like Steve Austin the astronaut...

    So this thread will be dedicated to 'How to succeed at trucking, the logistics community, or at anything in life'....

    It's simply time to turn the page...

    [​IMG]

    Some resent when people grow and learn...but other people rejoice in it...

    And I'm one who rejoices in it, for it shows humility...and a willingness to learn...
    And in order to grow, one has to be able to admit they played a role in their past...good or bad...they, we, I, played a major role in our own past as to where we are today...
    And again...that takes humility...(the opposite of pride or stubborness)...

    So...that being said...I want to begin this new chapter, journey...emphasizing attitude....

    For attitude will play a key factor on where we end up....

    So buckle up...cause we're about to go on one heck of a ride...
     
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  3. ghostchild

    ghostchild Road Train Member

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    If you decide to get into trucking, have a plan...

    I cannot emphasize this enough....
    You must have a plan in order to succeed in this industry...if you don't have a plan, you'll get blown around like desert sand and tumble weed, from company to company....

    [​IMG]


    Realize that you will change with time...no one stays the same their whole life...anticipate those changes...and what you'll want to do when you do change...

    Trucking is only one part of a wide very broad logistics community...trucking is a very small speck of that...yet very important part...

    And if your new...before you hire on with a company...consider some of the following..

    1. Upward growth mobility...
    a. can I become a trainer
    b. does company hire or promote from within?
    c. is there lateral transfers...driver to mechanic, driver to dispatcher ect ect...
    d. does company encourage 'school' or 'education' on the side?

    2. Does company offer lease to own opportunities or out right purchasing of truck opportunities?

    3. Does company have many regional offices or terminals, incase you want to move in the future and will simply be able to transfer...

    Back in the day...you could start off as a driver, and end up being training director....
    Ask these question before just taking any ole job....

    Also ask yourself

    1. Do I want to do the whole OTR thing....

    2. Or am I more interested in working local from the get go...class B or route driving?

    Many of these questions you might not know until you've been out there for a few months and had a time to test the waters...

    Bottom line to this post is to have a plan...know what you want to do with your CDL...

    You can be very successful as a driver...but you must have a plan...and faith in that plan...and stick to it...

    Whether it's to transfer into the admin side of logistics, or whether it's to become a fleet operator...you need a plan....
     
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  4. Hardlyevr

    Hardlyevr Road Train Member

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    I'll never forget years ago when Karl Malone said he was going to follow his dream and drive a big rig. Got himslef a fancy rig and trailer with a custom paint job, and said he was only going to do $3 a mile stuff, and that was back in the early/mid 90's. A couple years later I saw the tractor, the guy said he bought it for a song, and it had very few miles on it. A great plan is one thing, but a realistic one is even better!
     
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  5. ghostchild

    ghostchild Road Train Member

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    [​IMG]

    Yes...I remember Karl Malone...he's like the ZZ top of NBA basketball players in that he often gets over looked as being one of the greats...

    Unfortunalty his time in the league was shared with Micheal Jordan...and the Utah Jazzes two times making it to the finals, was...well...upseated by the Chicago Bulls...darn luck...

    [​IMG]

    If not for the Bulls, Malone would have two NBA rings...
    I remember those games, and how Dennis Rodmen would get under his skin...
    Those were the fun days of the NBA...

    But ye, your right hardlyevr...in that you do need to make sure your plan is achievable and realistic...

    Some of that is subjective, and has to do with enthusiasm...but a lot of it is also reality based...

    And that's why it does pay to listen to others...not saying you have to let others end be your end...but it does pay to listen and consider what others have already been through...

    As far as Malone..I wonder what he's doing these days??
     
  6. Hardlyevr

    Hardlyevr Road Train Member

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  7. ghostchild

    ghostchild Road Train Member

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    Attitude...

    That can't be emphasized enough...

    You need a bit of attitude, to succeed in this industry...good attitude that is, positive attitude...or you will fail...

    Perspective...or proper perspective, will help spurn a good attitude...

    Like Hardlyevr mentioned...having a realistic goal or perspective on what you can and cannot accomplish, will determine one attitude...

    The following is for more seasoned drivers....begin...

    For those who have been driving for 10 + years, and find themselves on a dead end street...attitude is key to rejuivinating a positive outlook...

    [​IMG]

    One thing I've observed about a lot of foreign drivers recently, is they are very hard working...and somemore traits I've noticed about them..

    1. Long term goal orientated
    2. Orginazed
    3. Hard working
    4. Know how to save money to achieve objective
    5. Are not materialistic (which allows them to save)
    6. Are hungry to succeed and make it
    7. Are willing to help others succeed and make it
    8. Don't complain much at all
    9. Still help each other
    10. Are very practical

    Just to name a few....in other words a lot of foreign drivers have adopted many of the traits or principles that most Americans use to have....

    Most of us Americans have lost those traits do to a variety of reasons...and is why the next strong middle class will consist of first and second generation foreigners working right here in the states...

    And sometimes haveing the right attitude means 'starting' over in your mind...going back to a time before pride entered the picture...

    Basically just starting over...and saying to yourself...'Ok, this time I'm going to do it right'...

    Learning from past mistakes, and not repeating them...

    If you've been in the industry for 10+ years, you should know by now what works and what doesn't work...the style of driving you prefer ect ect...
    And you should know by now what companies to work for and which ones to stay away from...

    Much has changed in the industry over the last 10 years...even how they hire...
    10 years ago they didn't do such extensive background checks...now they do...
    Now days they want to know everything about you from A-Z...but mainly they're checking to see if your a liability to them...in terms of Insurance.

    Insurance companies are pretty much the ones who dictate who companies can hire or not...
    10 years ago they didn't have this TSA...and point system...10 years ago you could practically make stuff up on your application...in todays information age...that's pretty much impossible to do...

    It's a different age now...so when you get hired, don't ever take that job for granted...you may not think much of that company that hired you...but they think the world of themselves...and they should, cause they are giving you, us, an opportunity to earn a check...

    Treat whatever company you work for with the utmost of respect...and if you do leave...leave on good terms...always...

    A few reasons why I'm still employable are the following...

    1. I've never abandoned a truck...
    2. Always polite and gracious to emplorer...
    3. No accidents...
    4. No moving violations...
    5. When hired, perform duties flawlessly, earn company money, regardless of how long I stay there, never damage equipment...
    6. No DUi's or other criminal violations...(very important not to have those)...

    In other words, when working, I'm a professional...and don't take unessisary risks...
    And I don't speed, not in truck or personal vehicle...cause recieving speeding tickets will come back to haunt you...

    [​IMG]

    Basically if your a driver...you're always on duty...always...cause what happens during your off time, will effect your employment...expecially in this industry...so guard your cdl and guard it well...no tickets!...and slow down...

    [​IMG]

    (couldn't resist this one)...

    Anyways...kind of drifting here...
    But basically just wanted to emphasize how important it is to have a good attitude in order to succeed...and if that means starting over in your mind, than so be it...

    Sometimes humility will open up many doors for you...

    10 year plus veteran drivers face a whole different set of obstacles than do those with less than a year under their belts...and I will address some of those in next post....
     
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  8. Hardlyevr

    Hardlyevr Road Train Member

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    Well, just on principle, I HATE to agree with another driver,:yes2557: but I must object to item #8 in the first list. Don't complain much! Jeez, I thought that complaining about absolutely everything was mandated in the official driver's work rules.
    If drivers can't complain, they might explode! (And some of them look pretty close to that already.)

    I guess the next thing you are going to suggest is that drivers start telling the truth?
     
  9. ghostchild

    ghostchild Road Train Member

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    Ye, I guess I should of said 'Don't complain around employer'....

    That's what I really meant to say...(and I'm sure you already know this)

    It's good and healthy to vent...heaven knows I sure do on here on my other thread...

    But it's not good to do so infront of employer...

    I'm the type of person who smiles up until the day I quit...

    I've learned by now that if I don't like the conditions of the job, it's not employers fault...all they did was hire you...cause you needed an income...

    That's why when I 'complain'...people who read my stuff will notice it's never company specific...rather it's over all conditions or enviornment I gripe against...

    Infact most of all the companies I've ever worked for have been wonderful...they all did what they were suppose to do...

    But as I started to change, I developed less and less tolerance for the OTR enviornment...what felt like freedom at first, soon felt like a leash...

    [​IMG]

    Yep, went from feeling free, and in control, back when I first started, to towards the end, feeling like I was on a leash, like I couldn't even go to the bathroom without getting dispatchers authorization to do so...


    But again...that's really not the companies fault...all industries have changed with the awakening of the information age, so naturally trucking companies were approached by all these tech companies who told them they could make their operating costs go way down ect ect....

    I can't blame truck companies for wanting to save money and fuel...not at all...

    None the less, because I tasted what it was like just pryor to the tech age being instituted into trucks...It was harder for me to adjust...

    Now if I just got hired 3 months ago, and this was all I knew...no sweat...cause you can't miss what you never had...

    In the old days they would just give you the keys and say go...
    And you call them when you got there...(of course trust was key)...

    And also many drivers violated that trust, sold fuel on the side, cheated here, cheated there...so dishonest drivers are part to blame for such a strict industry now as well...

    So all I'm saying is (to wrap this up)...is it's ok to complain and gripe, I just wouldn't advise doing so infront of employer, or taking your anger out on them...

    Only approach them if you have a solution to your gripe...
     
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  10. Hardlyevr

    Hardlyevr Road Train Member

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    I have told my company when asked after dealing with a stressfull customer, that I am always exceedingly polite around customers, no matter what. But I have warned the boss that if they ever hear me say "Have a nice day!" to a customer, it means I'm about to go POSTAL!
     
  11. mgt1085

    mgt1085 Medium Load Member

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    ill put up with the crap until they start yelling im not their child btw good posts
     
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