Trucker Etiquette (that's Manners)

I'll be adding to the list periodically.

1. When being passed by a truck turn your lights off and on if at night the opposite in daylight, to indicate when to safely pull in.

2. When passing a truck and the driver indicates with his lights it's safe to pull in tap your brakes twice to say thank you.

3. Because of the auto brake feature on newer trucks do not pull in after passing until signalled it's safe so as not to trigger the #^&%$# brake system in the truck you passed.

4. When passing on a multi lane highway do not pull in until signaled by the truck's headlights.

5. When meeting oncoming traffic at night dim your lights a minimum of 1/4 mile away. Don't be a douche if someone flicks their lights at you. It's not personal, your lights appear bright to them and they're checking to see if you could turn them down.

6. Move over when you see a truck on the shoulder if possible. If not slow down to 45. (Or whatever your state requires.)

7. Don' t slide your tandems on the scale and then leave your truck sitting on the scale to go in and get your scale ticket.

8. If you have a slow truck, a heavy load or see traffic coming fast, do not turn on to a 2 lane highway when you know you'll be a rolling roadblock leading a line of ticked off drivers.

9. When passing a truck leave a full truck length, minimum, before pulling back in to the lane in front.

10. If you're on a two lane highway and you're being passed by a truck that's just a bit faster than you back off a little so they can get back in quicker.

 

(1) Shower, you're still nearly human
(2) Brush your teeth, nobody wants to smell your breath anymore than they do your BO
(3) Learn how to dress like a professional. I'm not saying you HAVE to wear polos or western shirts, but you shouldn't look like a welfare slob in terry cloth pants and a stretched out shirt where your belly hangs below it like an ### crack on your stomach.
(4) Show courtesy, hold that door for the people right behind you as you enter. Speak politely to people you encounter, you know, act like a professional.

 

1. When being passed by a truck turn your lights off and on if at night the opposite in daylight, to indicate when to safely pull in.

2. When passing a truck and the driver indicates with his lights it's safe to pull in tap your brakes twice to say thank you.

3. Because of the auto brake feature on newer trucks do not pull in after passing until signalled it's safe so as not to trigger the #^&%$# brake system in the truck you passed.

4. When passing on a multi lane highway do not pull in until signaled by the truck's headlights.

5. When meeting oncoming traffic at night dim your lights a minimum of 1/4 mile away. Don't be a douche if someone flicks their lights at you. It's not personal, your lights appear bright to them and they're checking to see if you could turn them down.

6. Move over when you see a truck on the shoulder if possible. If not slow down to 45. (Or whatever your state requires.)

7. Don' t slide your tandems on the scale and then leave your truck sitting on the scale to go in and get your scale ticket.

8. If you have a slow truck, a heavy load or see traffic coming fast, do not turn on to a 2 lane highway when you know you'll be a rolling roadblock leading a line of ticked off drivers.

9. When passing a truck leave a full truck length, minimum, before pulling back in to the lane in front.

10. If you're on a two lane highway and you're being passed by a truck that's just a bit faster than you back off a little so they can get back in quicker.

11. If you are 1 mile or less from your exit you dont have time to pass another truck and you will miss your exit if you do.

12. Know where the scales are. If you're passing and miss the exit be prepared to be pulled over and spend YOUR money. Your company isn't going to pay for your poor planning.

13. Just turning on your turn signal doesn't require anyone to make room for you. Pay attention and find your space.

14. Lazy jerks hang out in the middle lane just because there is a middle lane.

15. Yield to backing trucks

16. Use your 4-ways on when backing.

17. There is no reason to leave your truck parked at a fuel pump. Pull forward before you leave the truck.

18. There are few legitimate reason to leave your truck while you are parked behind another truck at the fuel pump. Crapping yourself is the only legitimate reason to do so. Get back to your truck ASAP.


19. There is no reason TO EVER TAKE A 30 MINUTE BREAK AT THE FUEL PUMP! EVER!

20. Don't park on the road's shoulder for anything but an emergency. You being sleepy is not an emergency.

 

Why is he passing when he knows his exit is near? You shouldn’t be passing anyone if your exit is 5 miles or less. Assuming everyone is doing 55+.

 

Yep, and at night when you're waiting for that truck to back in turn off your headlights. And turn your headlights off while you're backing in.

Be courteous to 4 wheelers as well as trucks. They aren't out to get you, they just want to get where they're going the same as you.

 

If I gotta pass a 4wheeler in my slow ### governed truck hauling 70k+ then they ain't trying to go nowhere

 

Sure but there's many other scenarios involving 4's.

Don't fight them when they want to change lanes.
Flash your lights or wave to thank them when they move over to let you merge on the highway.
Don't tailgate them when they're running in the middle lane too slow.
etc.

 

Things I do:
1. Usually, if a truck is passing me, I will at least turn off my cruise control or let off the accelerator and slow down a tad to let him get passed. I do this, in my opinion, for safety reasons. When you get 2 trucks that close to each other, the chances of something not nice happening increase. Add to that a line of other vehicles trying to get by and you've got a bunch of tail gaters and vehicles all way too close together. Screw it, if you are passing me, you are going faster than me, I'd much rather have you in front of me going on your way leaving me alone.
2. If I am on a 2 lane highway and a truck comes up behind me wanting to pass, I'll get on my CB and try to let him know that as soon as he gets out to pass me, I'll slow down and let him by. Often, they aren't on CB at all, but I will slow down and help them get passed me on a 2 lane!
3. If a truck is going faster than me on a straight away and we get to a hill and I am lighter and faster on a hill, I'll usually just tuck in behind him and slow down. Saves the hassle of them having to pass me again and chances are, they'll want to faster down the hill on the other side than me.
4. If I am on a 2 lane and get a line of vehicles behind me, I'll do my best to pull over and let everyone by me as soon as I safely can. Usually when we get to a town where an additional lane or shoulder exists. I simply don't want a line of vehicles behind me making me nervous and frazzled trying to get me to go faster than I am comfortable with.

I'm not preaching that everyone should drive like I do. This is just the things I do. I know I am not the only SOB on the road and others need to get where they want to go. I lost very very little time and milage trying to get out of others way.

 

I’ve done the same in my governed truck slowing down behind a heavier truck up a hill. I’ve also slowed dow to let other governed trucks past me so they don’t clog the hammer lane.

But the flip side is sometimes I’m on a tight schedule with a light load and I’m going up that hill and the faster truck will have to pass me as many times as it takes.

I try not to be a douche unless I have to though.