What important skills of truck driving did you learn after your first year of trucking?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by expedite_it, Dec 17, 2024.

  1. Star Rider

    Star Rider Road Train Member

    1,470
    12,040
    Sep 23, 2019
    Michigan
    0
    Company: New guy ran 5000 miles this week solo, He's a keeper! (Don't ask, don't tell)
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

    74,659
    169,662
    Aug 28, 2011
    Henderson, NV & Orient
    0
    " The old two log book-paper log days."
     
  4. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

    7,658
    7,739
    Sep 25, 2007
    Rosamond, SoCal
    0
    First if a truckdriver is talking he's probably lieing about something. Most of them refering to paperlog books never ran one. In my opinion Elogs is one of the best things that has happened to our industry in years, And I have been driving since the 80's ( close enough). And sometimes it gets in my way, so does life, get over it.

    If you have a legitmate question and posting ignor's or makes fun of it, then there the fools no you, if youy dont know ask.

    I learn new stuff all the time,I like watch other drivers approach difficult situations, so I can (hopefully) learn from them, I don't know maybe I already knew it and forgot, in any case I learn or relearn things on a regualr basis.

    If I driver as so much time on his hands as to sit and make fun of other drivers, he's not working hard enough.

    I have a question, is there an easy way to slide tandem's in icy/snowy slick weather. Up at G&P in Corrine a coupe of days ago, I hooked to a preload, and for the life of me could not get them to sldie upo to the 40' mark, So I pulled it down I15 to the rest area (wetter no snow) and slide them there. Yea even after years out here there is still something somewhere, looking to cause you grief.

    As far as dispositions of other drivers, I have difficulty comtrolling my own , no time to worry about the others playing the fool around me.

    Happy Trails to all Keep safe.

    Hey Chinatown, unloaded in your area earlier this week near Lamb and Nellis.
     
  5. drivingmissdaisy

    drivingmissdaisy Road Train Member

    1,947
    3,311
    Jun 10, 2019
    0
    Number 11.

    In difficult backing situations, watch others. You might get ideas on what to do. I've been driving for 8 years and I actually watched a rookie back into a dock in a way that I would have never thought of. It was how he set up for it, I was like hmmmm. Never thought of that.
     
  6. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

    1,646
    863
    Sep 8, 2012
    0
    I think that this is more a matter of preference rather than being inherently wise or foolish. My trainer was an expert trucker, and he would go ape poop if you were his student in a truck governed at 68, and you did not pass a truck going 66 or 67.
     
  7. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

    1,646
    863
    Sep 8, 2012
    0
    Like O. Henry's post, this is a matter of preference. My expert trainer when I started at Covenant would go ape poop if i tapped on the brakes for 30 seconds to let someone pass. He said "if they cannot go fast enough to pass you, they shouldn't have gotten in the hammer lane to try to pass you."
     
  8. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

    74,659
    169,662
    Aug 28, 2011
    Henderson, NV & Orient
    0
    Horrible trainer.
     
  9. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

    1,646
    863
    Sep 8, 2012
    0
    That's just your opinion.

    I suspect that my trainer has retired by now. But he was held in very high esteem at Covenant when I worked there.
     
  10. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

    13,248
    87,287
    Mar 19, 2014
    Arkansas
    0
    First year learning…
    If you can’t dodge it, ram it!
    If you don’t look above your brim you’ll hit your head. (Steel overhang on back of trailer)
     
    Feedman and hope not dumb twucker Thank this.
  11. expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

    1,646
    863
    Sep 8, 2012
    0
    This is kind of off topic because I knew this on my first day of trucking, but i cannot resist.

    I will lay my shower bag down on the bench seats in the truck stop showers because i have to lay the bag somewhere. However, I never touch the bench seats in truckstop showers because I think it's likely other drivers sit their bare buttocks on them.
     
    hope not dumb twucker Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.