Professionalism, what does it mean?

IMHO Professionalism is

• Being courteous to not only to the 4 wheelers but to other drivers.
• Run the rig like it's yours even if you a company driver.
• Representing yourself (your company if you're company driver) with some class to the customers/shippers
• Watching the language on the C.B. including the "Sick Channel"

I could go on and on but you get the point. Drivers are no different than any other professional with the exception that our "office" rolls. You would stop going to a Doctor or Dentist who acted unprofessionally would you not? The same concept applies to ALL drivers.

 

that is a very good summary!!

 

That's great and it also includes the way you drive. A nice relaxed driver taking care of the equipment even if it was a company truck. Not running the pizz out of the engine and letting the truck work for you and not the other way around. Taking care of all the little things like dirty reflectors and a burned out clearance light. Keeping the cab clean and having no oil or grease anywhere that your hands go. Going back to being called " Knights of the Highway".

I don't know if anyone remembers because I was just a kid but going up Cajon Pass in CA before I-15 was built there was a coffee shop half way up the grade. There was a box on the wall that said "If any driver needs money there's $20 inside, just repay it when you can". My father told me that they told him only once was the $20 not repaid. So you can add honesty to professionism.

You could have a very long list on what it means to be a professional driver but a short look at it means, a good defensive law abiding driver with a very courteous attitude.

 

Remember this too, Truck stops and rest areas are not race tracks. There is no need to be going 40mph through them. The biggest thing was just mentioned above, take pride in what you do, how you look and how your equipment looks. Keep the trash off the dash. Your truck doesn't have to be all polished up, just keep it clean and most importantly straight. Also give the guy on the side of the road some breathing room if you can, if there is nobody beside you get over. If you want to pass me and it seems most company drivers do, then don't tailgate me until you get an open slot to pass and then cut back in 10 feet infront of me and expect me to flash my lights.

 

Do you remember when a guy could work at a shoe store (back when they had them) and make a living and it was considered a profession ???

What do you do? "I'm in sales, on the retail side, I sell shoes."

A couple of points to professionalism. I think most know what being professional is. The problem is that most are not because they choose not to be, often in very subtle ways at first, then cascading into full blown raunchyness. As far as drivers go, they are simply a reflection of our society as a whole.

People used to respect themselves and one another. They had pride in their jobs, their abilities, america and themselves.

At some point, in my opinion, an average 900 sq foot house wasn't enough. We watched T.V. and wanted to live the illusion. 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500 sq foot homes became, "the have to have" norm.

Marketing changed our sense of what success was and what it meant to be successful.

Further, many developed a sense of entitlement.

A few more rich people, many fewer middle class families, and many more working poor have led us to what we are today.

A nation of divided people, chasing an illusion and subscribing to the marketing that drives us to see ourselves as failures unless we are "wealthy and successful".

Many of todays truckers are total bums looking for a get rich quick, trip to fantasyland instead of an honest days work/fair days pay and being happy.

Companies or their managers and CEO's have succumbed to the same greedy entitlement, slash costs, and make more money.

Seldom do you hear: work more, work harder, to get ahead. Instead it is give me more, I need more pay, less work, more time off because I have all this crap I have to pay for so I can be "successful".

Selfish: Don't help a guy in need, I have to be somewhere more important.

Couple this with the "Walmart" philosophy of, Screw everybody, sell them cheap china crap, what do we care as long as "we get the dollar out of the wallet" and why pay a real living wage, if they'll work for peanuts then give them peanuts.

Trucking company philosophy, cut benefits, cut pay, run the 2% margin and reap the reward, we don't care what the driver looks like, if the service is really good, if he is making a good living and seeing and taking care of his family, heck if he'll work for peanuts, then give him peanuts.

Supply and demand: The manufacturing jobs went away, so there is a larger unemployed labor pool. *5% my left hind cheek, they only count the guys drawing unemployment... not the gajillion young people living in the inner cities.*

More labor equals less money for the labor because we underbid one another chasing the job. Why is turn over so high? Because it can be, you are no longer a valuable commodity. Too many willing to do it for less because they can't work in the local mill that is now in china or india.

To me it is a hand in hand thing we have collectively created and instilled in ourselves.

You want professionalism? You need to give and earn respect and be happy with yourself. You need to teach this to our children and teach them how to actually work and feel blessed.

We're toast for at least a generation and probably three. The rebellion will be televised but nobody will tune-in, instead they will watch
"The Simpson's" on syndicated re-runs.

I like my job, try to be professional, and am generally a very happy person, just not blind or wistful, I hope...

 

I'm out on the road for 14 days at a time and home for 2 days . I see alot of good and bad out there every day . Here's a few that I see more and more every trip out .

Truckstops are not the place to grab 5th gear and speed thru to get to the big road . Take your time and expect the worst while going thru at a easy pace .

If a driver flashes his lights for you to come over please flash your trailer lights . It is a common respect thing out there .

If a driver needs a little help backing in a spot why not get out of your truck and help a driver out . Don't wait till he runs a drivers hood over .

If you see a driver gearing up while on an on ramp , move over if you can . Don't make the situation worse by crowding him by staying in the right lane when possible .

If your at the pumps move your truck forward when your done fueling . If your going in for more than 5 minutes , please park the truck in the parking lot and go inside to do what you have to do .

If you see a driver that needs help and you can be some help to him or her why not help ? I find myself helping every time I can and believe me it feels good when you do something for others .

We all have a image to keep . That starts with safe equipment , clean image and well kept equipment even if it is not yours . Remember that truck makes you a living .

If one driver learns one thing from the above the road will be a better place .

Be safe out there drivers , and thanx for taking the time to read this .

 

Just a couple of personal items to add to all the great replies above.

A professional does the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do. This does not make it easier, cheaper or more "cool". Shippers and receivers are your customers, sell yourself to them as you would to someone buying any other product. Professionals have been there before and act like it. Professionals get the job done one way or another. If your job gets done every day and nobody notices you doing it, you are likely a professional or on the way to becoming one.

 

I personally always have dislike the term "professional driver" in the trucking industry..

Real definition of professional?
"Receiving training in"
well that would mean just about every 4 wheeler out there is a professional driver because most took drivers ED...


The term is simply used to make somebody feel better about themselves by making them feel important, that leading the driver to try to be a better driver by being cautious ext..

Far as the real definition it should have nothing to do with truck driving..
Simply should be "good drivers and bad drivers" cause driving a truck does not make you anymore "professional" then a guy in a 4 wheeler

 

I have to disagree with your viewpoint TJ.
A "professional" career was always long thought as degreed such as a Dr. or a lawyer. But the term can be expanded as to mean a mindset. We have professional soldiers who were not drafted and decided to make the military a career, resulting a better caliber of soldier not seen since WWII. Any job can be treated as professional as to how the person performs the job.
Why drive a truck if you are not going to represent yourself or your company as a professional?
The CDL class I went through for my training stressed professionalism. I remember that while driving with one of the instructors that he always stressed the importance of being courteous to other drivers. If you let a driver in even with heavy traffic, this will start a "chain reaction of goodwill" and will make a bad situation better for all of those driving. If you do the opposite, than it makes matters worse and that driver will cut-off the next and so on.

 

No problem, that's just my opinion... I do point out though even a soldier that was drafted was given training to become a shoulder.. this would lead to "receiving training in".

I don't like the term "professional" in trucking because for what it is supposed to represent, that being simply a good driver..

I do understand your point of view as well..