Tips on how to be successful in trucking?

Never drive the truck like you would drive a car, drive the opposite. Always use common sense. If it don't look right, don't do it. Get out and look. Use the smith system.

 

1) Do not BELIEVE everything you read on the INTERNET.

2) Do not believe everything you hear on the CB or at the TRUCKSTOP.

3) Find a niche market in your area and persue it , no need to run coast to coast fighting for loads when POSSIBLY there is potential work close by.

4) If thinking of becoming an O/O know your true CPM and watch your exspenses such do not spend $ to wash the truck & trailer when forcast is rain for next 5 days , shop around for better rates on service / repairs ( that you cannot do yourself ) .

 

THE NUMBER ONE RULE:

Respect the vehicle you are driving. Respect its size, its weight, its capabilities, and its limitations.

Driving a truck is opposite of driving a car. Everything you do needs to be as slow, steady, and calculated as possible. Obviously you can't plan for every situation, but train yourself to constantly observe your current situation on the road and be ready to react as calmly and safely as possible. Keep a mental picture of everything around you, and check your mirrors every 5 to 10 seconds to update that picture. That way, if something bad happens in front of you, you'll know if the left lane is open for you to move into, or you'll know not to move over there because there is a vehicle there.

One thing that has kept me safe is that I always assume the other guy is going to do the stupidest thing possible, and I prepare for it. It's worked well for me so far.

Other than that, time management is probably the most difficult thing to learn in my opinion. Learn how to multitask, plan your trips, and calculate your hours. If you need to get fuel when you wake up off of your 10 hour break, pull into the pumps and then perform your pre trip at the same time. No point in taking 30 minutes to do what you can combine into a single 15 minutes. I know that seems fairly obvious, but teach yourself to think that way. "What things can I do at the same time?" Instead of sitting and watching TV at a shipper or receiver, finish your paperwork first. That's time you won't be wasting once you're loaded or unloaded, and you can get moving.

If you have any other specific questions, feel free to ask. There's a wealth of good knowledge coming from experienced drivers, most of whom take a lot of pride in helping out the new guy. Don't waste that resource.

 

learn how the truck works. im not talking about your hand and foot controls.

get away from tracking bs and talk to the old school guys.

most of the things in trucks are clueless, dont be one of them.

get away from mileage pay. learn about the business on a % pay scale or you will never get the freedom and pay you deserve.

 

Be friendly
Be patient
Be on time

If you see numbers plan for the lower income
Then mentally double your expenses.

Welcome

 

Beyond driving the truck you need to learn how to live and be happy in a small space and budget your personal expenses. One of the things I think really brings down newcomers is that they aren't prepared for organizing themselves in a truck that is roomy, but about the size of a bathroom. If you have prior experience camping, backpacking, or living aboard a small boat, then you have a better idea of what you are up against.

The second non-driving issue is personal expenses. Food is the number one personal expense, and if you plan on eating fast food, truck stop food, or restaurant food as your primary method of getting food, then you will have a very difficult time "making it" through the first year or two. You could easily spend over $200 per week doing that. Bring your own food and replenish the supply at Walmart about once a week when you are on the road, then you can bring your food costs down well below $100 per week. When I finished training I had four paychecks in the bank because I keep my personal expenses to a minimum.

After you finish training, then get a good 12V cooler (Koolatron or Coleman make good ones). They are pricey, but pay for themselves within one or two months when you consider how much you would spend for ice at $2.50 per bag at the truck stops. They are much cleaner and you don't end up with all your food floating in nasty smelling water at the end of the day.

Having food stocked in the truck also will give you much more freedom when it comes time to choose a place to spend the night. You don't need to find a truck stop, terminal, or a big box store parking lot. Rest areas or roadside pull outs become pleasant places to spend 10 hours.

 

Whatever company you are going with, learn their system, learn how to work it for your benefit.

 

Get ya a good "When I was a Navy SEAL sniper" story so you can fit in with all the other truckers in the truck stop lounges! Hah!

 

T H I N K







that's all......