What new drivers should know

I'd like to mention, please dont tail gate cars or try to bully them because they are doing the speed limit and you can go faster. I have seen so much of this lately that it's sickening.

If you just have to do a 2 mph pass and you see a line of cars approaching you from behind, please let them pass instead of cutting them of making them wait for no reason, because you couldn't be patient and respectful of others.

Please dont flash your brights at a Driver who is passing you at night. Dim them instead. This is such a common sense item that I cant fathom why people dont get it. You KNOW the other driver is going to be looking in his mirror to check where you are and you're going to bright him?

Please be respectful to your customers. They, like you, maybe new to their positions or they may have had a really bad day. Not only can you aggravate the situation, but you can also make it difficult for other drivers showing up behind you. To a shipper/receiver, all truckers are lumped together. The name on the side of the truck means nothing. Sugar gets better results than pi$$ and vinegar

Keep good paperwork! Save your receits and make sure that you are sending your paperwork in correctly. If you can, get a printer and make copies of everything.

You are going to spend a lot of time waiting. There is no way around it and its going to be the same at any beginning company you train at. Give your first company a full year, 2 if you can. You're not going to be anything special until you get a few years under you, preferably with one employer.

Stop looking at your weekly pay and miles. Start looking at it monthly. That will be more accurate and less stressful. You're going to have good weeks and back weeks, but when you add them together, it equals out.

Winter time is slooooooow. Save you money and be prepared in case your pay drops. If you can, save up enough for 3-4 months worth of bills and you have nothing to worry about and can relax the whole winter.

Dont worry about trying to find the perfect company in your first one. Use this to learn about your pprofession and develope your skills

 

http://www.smith-system.com/

Just think this is one of the better places to have people learn how to add to their skills.

 

Read the signs at your shippers/receivers, they were put up for a reason.

Don't "trash talk" your company at shipper's/receivers, it's very unprofessional.

Try to be clean and presentable at your shipper/receivers. ( even in Flatbed you can be clean when your get their and by wearing coveralls clean when you get your paperwork, baby wipes do wonders for dirty hands and faces )

remember no matter how bad your day has been, someone else could be having a worse one.

HELP your fellow truckers out when you can!!!! Don't sit in your truck and laugh at the "newbie" trying to back in the tight spot, get out and guide him in, give him pointers etc.

I have helped 20 yr truckers out with E-longs they have never used before or don't know well. My husband has gotten tips on backing in, which he didn't do much of til the last two yr's.

 

Yeah, get out and help my noob ### and we will laugh at me together, LOL

 

Not to throw your garbage and piss bottles out in the truckstop parking lot,don't piss there either.Dress like a professional.Most important ACT LIKE A PROFFESSIONAL.

 

Oh about dimin lights my truck don't let me. My headlights are always on. Even my flash switch does high beams lol

 

My truck (Volvo) is also equipped with daytime running lights but they are not as bright as my nighttime headlights. In the event someone who passes me seems to be waiting for a signal to move in front of me, or is jammed up and looks as if he could use some help, I reach over & turn off my headlights. It takes a second or two for the truck to transition from 'headlight bright' to 'running light dim' but that seems to do the trick.

 

I really appreciate you taking the time to give this sage advice. I definitely appreciate it