Proper attire

I guess if you had dedicated contracts.

Being a flatbedder. All they cared about was the load being delivered..Some required boots.

 

Who said anything about a trash bag?

And if they didn't want to live that way. Why did they get in to the profession?

I explained trucking pretty clearly. There's no denying it..

It goes for all of us. Including you..

 

I was in an industrial plant that had huge signs outside the gate requiring everyone entering to use hardhats, long sleeves and long pants, steel-toed boots, and eye protection. Heres 2 guys in shorts, sandals and ratty t-shirts, carrying a WalMart bag, wandering around the plant.

They had just gotten out of their truck, bringing in a load. Their carrier's first, and last load to this customer. The shift supervisor working on my freight was not happy, and was on his radio getting them rounded up and sent out. The front office knew which carrier sent these boneheads in.

Theres a place and time for everything.

 

Crocs, ###less chaps, and of course a face mask. The boss demands it.


(Just kidding about the face mask)

 

Many shippers and receivers could care less about truck drivers. These days they don't even let us in the door anyway- there are signs posted on entrance doors to call phone numbers for door assignments and a worker comes out to pick up the bills and/or bring them to the driver.

Customers bother less and less to even provide facilities with many shippers/receivers putting up porta-potties instead of letting drivers in to use the restroom inside.

Doesn't matter how you're dressed- most shipping/receiving clerks think you're an idiot truck driver no matter what we look like.

But if wearing your shirt tucked in makes YOU feel special, then by all means- have at it. But just remember- ONLY YOU think you're special.

 

In the open deck world, we still shake hands with the customer. It's not a place for pajama bottoms and flip flops.

Edit:. I was telling my wife about this thread, and how some people seemed more than a little offended that you shouldn't be wearing pajamas and flip flops, and she said they probably wear them when they go to Walmart too, lmfao.

Yeah, it's none of my business, and we shouldn't judge. But I guess that's just one of my failings as a human. I think if you pull cheap freight, you're helping drive rates down, and spitting in the face of every trucker. I also believe that if people see your flip flop covered foot kicked up on the dash, you aren't just making yourself look bad. You're making us all look bad. While I'm on my soap box, turn off your high beams.

 

You’re on a completely different level. Everyone WE deal with is professional. The police escort is in uniform. Your civilian pilot cars had better be in full PPE. The guys in the bucket truck wear uniform. The site rep is in uniform. The rigging crew is in uniform. Your permit even tells you that you have to be courteous.

You do not deal with one person during your work day that isn’t dressed according to their profession.

Had a driver tell me that he allows his pilot cars to dress comfortably. Flip flops and shorts comfortable. I explained to him the job of the pilot car is the same as a flagger in a single lane construction zone. Same job=same look. You never see a flagger in flip flops and shorts. If they don’t have their gear on and they have to get out and direct traffic, that’s the driver’s ticket, not theirs.

 

I have always been amazed by the signs that say closed toe shoes only, no flip flops at grocery warehouses. There is typically a line in front of the sign with several people wearing flip flops. I would not be able to be so bold. Maybe that's the only type of shoe they own?

 

In their defense, it's hard to read the sign when you don't speak English.

 

I frequently wear track/sweat style pants while driving, going into truck stops, etc. Always switch to blue jeans when dealing with shippers and receivers, unless it’s some major warehouse that doesn’t give a crap anyways. They already dislike you whether or not you’re wearing a suit and tie. Flip flops are never acceptable regardless of season, personally. I drive with my shoes off so I just keep a pair of sneakers by the door to put on when I get out. Summer time let the cargo shorts commence.

I used to always wear jeans and boots driving no matter what, and I usually still do if running one of our day cabs locally. Over time I’ve discovered it makes very little difference in how you’re treated. But again I still switch to a more professional appearance when dealing with people who actually matter. I also pull vans so this isn’t quite as big of a deal