A reciever asked me Thursday, "why are you all dressed up? You're a truck driver." I responded that i didn't think that a polo shirt and jeans were "dressed up".

Am I confused here? I try to convey what I believe is an appropriate image. Am I not a professional driver? A doctor or lawyer is a professional, so is an airline pilot. If a ship's captain wore t-shirts and baggy pants we wouldn't trust them to get us safely across the water.

I am more comfortable getting up and putting on a shirt with a collar, pants that, if not creased, they are clean and fresh for the day. A little "Old Spice" helps. Febreze does too on the days when a shower isn't available.

When I walk into anyplace, truckstop, shipper, or reciever, I cringe. What I am seeing is apathy, a total (too strong a word?) disregard for others. I am a person who watches others, and take in what I see, hear, and smell. It's not good......

One of my usual fuel spots is the TA here in NH. One day, I asked about my fuel reciept, Beth handed it to me and said you guys at your company are some of the cleanest, most polite men that she deals with. I thanked her and made sure I contacted my company.
Why can't others be like that. Polite, friendly. "More flies with honey than vinegar."

I shall keep wearing my "anti-trucking" outfit of collared shirts along with pants that fit. I might even step up to a nicer jacket for the season.

Until other truckdrivers realize that they are in a professional setting and not a blue collar setting, our industry won't change.

Maybe some "professional" wages, would go a long way in purchasing something besides "blue collar" clothing.

Besides, the US Dept of Labor clearly states. Trucking is an unskilled labor.

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Insuring polititions fear that
which goes bump in the night.
Seek out their personal homes
and family members. -- SU 83
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I don't disagree with you. The industry would have a better image though if people would take pride.

While I understand the govermments assessment of unskilled labor, it doesn't seem to phase us as citizens to put (vote) some unskilled labor in our government.

I had a problem this week when a piece of eliptical pipe that I was hauling pushed the chock blocks out and slipped over onto its side making it a little wider than legal.

I know, I know...What does this have to do with this subject?

Here's the answer!

I couldn't find a rental company that would let me reset the load in their yard and I didn't want to pay to have the forklift delivered to a truckstop! So I saw a small used equipment company next to the interstate and pulled up in front and went in and told them what the problem was and asked if they could rent me a large forklift for an hour to reset the load. They said that they couldn't rent it but ( Pay attention, here it comes!!!) and I quote..."Since you're a cleancut,honest looking guy, We'll loan you a lift" Then the owner came out and assisted me in resetting the load. While he was helping me we chatted about stuff and one thing that came up was that he had drivers in there before asking for assistance and that they looked so unsavory and were so rude that he just sent them packin' I told him that in spite of being "cleancut" I could be the worst human in the world and he replied that my manners and appearance were indicators that I was O.K.

It might not be fair and it might be right but it is the way it is...
People make judgements based on first impressions! If I didn't look acceptable to them It would have been a very expensive day. Instead all it cost me was $100 that I gave him for his time and assistance (He tried to refuse but I insisted.)

Just food for thought...

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I'M A HIGH TECH REDNECK BUT I'M STILL FROM THE OLD SCHOOL...

REDD'S RIGHT: FLATBEDDIN' AIN'T FOR SISSIES!

I actually wear slacks and short sleeve dickies, when I'm not wearing my PJ's and house shoes.

I've been known to get out at a customer in either. I generally reserve the PJ's to customers who know me though.

__________________
Insuring polititions fear that
which goes bump in the night.
Seek out their personal homes
and family members. -- SU 83
__________________

Nice going man. That's how I try to roll too, and how I wish the rest of the world rolled.

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Just remember you can never change a "first impression" no matter how hard you try. I try to always present myself in a way that if i was the other guy I'm dealing with I would do business with me.

__________________
And this road goes on forever
I've been traveling all my life
I've seen the rain I've felt the thunder
But it never changed my mind
I'm going back to Carolina

We had a driver come into work last week delivering some furniture. The guy got out of his truck and he had his company uniform on. He was clean cut and was a nice guy. I had to move some pallets so that he could back into the loading dock. I didn't think anything about it until a lady that works in shipping and reciveing came up to me and mention how well he was dressed and his attention to personal hygiene. Aparently that driver made a big impression on the shipping dept. at work.

This has been true forever. Back in "the day" it was "Western wear" an all; but the commonality was that you took PRIDE in your appearance and PRIDE in what you were doing.

Today's crowd have been conditioned by the Entitlement age. They've been taught that they're owed everything with little or no effort on their part. You can see them everywhere.... "Why don't company XYZ run their operations to accomodate what I want".