Headsets

I haven’t had a headset in years. The last one I had broke and I never replaced it. Gives me a good reason not to talk to anyone. LOL

 

I think it's BS that most trucking companies take for granted that drivers can cater to their every beck and call because they have invested their own hard earned $$$ into Bluetooth headsets, smartphones, and the like. That's why I don't answer my personal phone when my company tries to reach me. It's simple, if the company wants to pay my phone bill and/or provide me with such devices, I will use them for company business. Until then their argument is moot.

 

Trust me on this. Amazon is FULL of $50 knock offs and they work very well! I’ve had this one for a year now and it works great!

From Amazon for $39.00:

Limited-time deal: LEVN Bluetooth Headset with Microphone, Trucker Bluetooth Headset with AI Noise Cancelling & Mute Button, Wireless On-Ear Headphones 60 Hrs Working Time, for Trucker Home Office Remote Work Zoom

 

Yeah keep asking, but make a list of them and post a bunch at a time.

I want you to be a good driver but sometimes when you ask one question at a time, we may miss other important things that would help you.

 

Those trucker headsets are overkill, I have a Plantronics M70 like this that does the job nicely and takes up a lot less space. Having said that, I haven’t actually used it in the last five years because every truck I’ve driven has had hands free Bluetooth through the stereo and I haven’t needed anything in my ear.

 

You can spend $19-300 for Bluetooth headset/earbuds. You are NOT required to wear the BT headset 24/7 JUST IN CASE SOMEONE CALLS. I used $99 in Love's reward points earned before I went back OTR and I still have and use the headset (Blue Parrot B250) nearly 10 years later. That's a cost of about $10 per year for a great headset. If you don't waste your fueling/rewards points on food and drinks you can easily earn enough to get a free headset from the truck stop in several months. You can use the built-in BT connected to the truck's stereo.

You don't have to have every question answered before you get into trucking. In fact, it's impossible. EVERY driver doing this job works out the best way for them to make/receive calls, stay informed entertained (if they want), take showers, eat, etc. You will NOT be the only new driver to NEVER figure out solutions to those situations when/if you start driving.

 

Good advice.

 

As long as the OP doesn't expect to have every answer before he does something in trucking. As a confirmed over-thinker, you cannot know everything in advance. I switched from trying to learn everything AND THEN acting, to learning the few big things newbies only learn the hard way and then entering a new field like a wise man. I'm always on the lookout for a mentor. And I always ask, what do the newbies do wrong in this situation/location? Lots of overthinkers spend all of their time in a mental panic thinking about 3,847 things at once and never spend 3 minutes thinking about the next step toward their goal. NOBODY can think about more than a very few things at once. Think about the next few steps and make sure you understand why you are doing those steps.

 

I worked at one company where the safety dept was constantly reminding drivers to never talk on the phone while driving while dispatch was reminding drivers communication was the key to doing a good job. My compromise was to constantly complain about my crappy cellphone/network and not answer calls to the truck. I suspect most truck drivers are more like loners than socialites and NOT TALKING on the phone is more peaceful than talking on the phone. For the socialites they probably need to be talking to other people a lot more just to stay sane. I recommend getting a pet. You can have a constant companion and never lose an argument about where to eat or what radio station to hear.