Official open deck uniform

Coveralls vest, hard hat, and steel toe boots (when required) if not, then running shoes for strapping, or doing tarps.
Gym pants, shirt and running shoes when i drive. I use to wear jeans, but they are not as comfortable seating for hours driving.

 

I will be out at the grill this winter......Just have to shovel a path thru the snow! Can't beat the taste of a grilled NY strip in the winter time.

 

When I owned cranes one of the big contractors I worked with required for all trucks delivering on their site- hard hat, gloves, safety shoes, vest, "adequate outerwear" (6" sleeves, no shorts...), protective eye wear (not sunglasses unless they were OSHA), and 4-ways on all the time on site. No warnings, one time the driver and his company were gone forever!!!!! This outfit paid stupid big money, my guys were so scared at first they ate their lunches geared up (gloves on, too!) until the safety guy saw them and told them it was OK to gear down between whistles. Funny stuff.

 

The official hopper bottom uniform is:

Junk clothes for loading/unloading/mechanicing

Starched and pressed western shirt, wranglers and cowboy boots for eating dinner and telling lies at the truckstop.

Athletic shorts, Tshirt and flip flops for driving.

 

I have to say....as open deck drivers we are the ones with the most work ethic along with they heavy haul and over sized drivers . We secure what ever is put on our decks with the knowledge it will arrive at its destination and not damaged. When we have to tarp we make them look good. Every time I secure and tarp a load I don't want to hear anything about the crap job I did over the radio driving down the road, So I make it look good and correct. I want to look like I know what I'm doing. And dressing the part is the same. BUT as you know we see a lot of crap securement and tarp jobs going down the road each day . Are those the guys in flip flops you see while loading or unloading?

 

I wear shorts and sandals most of the summer...been known to don my board shorts, toss a towel, and suntan on portage 17 while -24C as well, but that's a story & pics for way more booze...I've had more than a few strange looks because of it. I don't work like that, but once I'm loaded & tied down, darn straight I get comfy for the drive.
I drive in my socks too, I have way better throttle control when I can feel it against my foot. That's an old drag racers trick, no hard soles, way more feedback.

 

I can't get my steel toes off fast enough when done loading. Well worn cowboy boots for me trucking up the road. They are just right when you can feel and count the pieces of gravel under your feet without looking. Mid summer or the dead of winter my feet never bother in them. Shorts? Flipflops? Sweatpants? Wouldn't be caught dead in them.

 

Lol, not what your afraid of, it's what a lot of customers require.
Use to haul a lot of CSX RR and they required PPE just to walk across the yard to a bathroom.

 

I got a pair of Fila slip on driving shoes to try out a while back, they work great- light & airy. Good enough to jump out for a walk around. Still change out if people are around, don't want to get any "cute shoes" comments.