Self improvement?

At the end of every day of driving I give myself a mental grade. Early on I'd focus on how well I was shifting and thinking back on the handful of shifts that went in like butter, then graduated to thinking of the few shifts each day I didn't get just right. I'd review the times I got too close in following distance or maybe I could have made room for someone merging on an on ramp. I still do this every day.

The times I get away from correct driving are the times I fail to shift "mental gears", when my plan for the day goes haywire because of a shipper or receiver or traffic or weather, etc. That's the time to dial it back and "go with the flow". If I can't make it to Amarillo today because something happened then set a new achievable goal and make it to Tucumcari.

Beyond that I'm planning to stretch myself. This coming week I transition from "door swinger" to flatbed, running some offroad to oil rigs. After a stretch of that I'll transition to HWH.

 

Don't get in a hurry! It wears on you mentally, physically and detrimental to job security. Secondly, do not drive tired or distracted.

 

Well, you're profile says you're happy, Lord knows how you changed that. I thought you had to order a hot pizza at a well known frozen take out pizza place, for the mods to change it.

I say, focus on getting safely to where you want to drink a few cold ones. With people that don't know your name, but ask you if you got your driveway put in yet.

And plan on driving slow thru construction, watch them race up thru the 55mph speed limit and slam on their brakes, heck, hope they crash and burn as they tailgAte and you can walk up and take a video of them burning and post on here.
But hold your phone sideways, to film video. I learned that from Robbie Motz. =3

 

Wild Murphy Transportation LLC ... hmm

 

Get a scan gauge and do your own PM's.

 

Wouldn't be the first time someone named a company after an animal

 

Continue learning. When you think you got it whipped get out of trucking.

 

if you do it right, you can't really do it wrong. lol, that didn't come out right. What I mean is if your focus is learning, you are going to win whether things go well or not. Because you learn more when they don't go so well. You can't fail at life, you can only live it.

 

Some years ago I had the opportunity to attend seminar on "Decision Driving". One of the most informative driving seminars I have ever been to. And the neat thing about Decision Driving is you don't have to attend a seminar to use the concept. In the big truck, car, makes no difference. And it makes you a more alert and safer driver.

Going down the road, you mentally call to yourself what is happening in front of you. Therefore you are calling your own attention to potential issues.

For example, say you are sitting at a light...you call out in your head what is going on...A pedestrian on the right curb, possibly walk in front. Light goes green, you call out, car coming out of gas station, ok car waiting, car passing on left possibly cut me off, car in front slowing-I know this from the puff of smoke from the exhaust when he lifted off gas...etc, etc.

Follow me? It keeps a driver alert.