10 Things you Wish You knew when you were a rookie.

These two are especially true.

 

A-freekin-MEN. I was at the Wally D/C in Seymour, IN this week and watched a Werner try to back into a spot to drop his trailer. After 15-20 minutes he gave up and drove around the row and came in again (so another driver waiting behind him could back into different spot), after another 10-15 minutes of watching him try again I had to leave because my live unload was done and there was someone waiting for my dock. Oh, I forgot to mention...he had help the whole time. 2 different drivers went over and tried to help guide him in without success. How in the name of all that is holy did this guy ever get released from training...or even get his CDL in the 1st place. I know we all have days where we have a little trouble, but good God almighty.

The number one thing I wish I knew as a rookie...how to NOT become such a grumpy old man...

 

That the world ain't flat ??? Very curvey & hilly .

 

I grew up around truck drivers. My father as well as uncles on both sides drove trucks. So to be honest I was fortunate that I was shielded some in my early days. My father told me to remember several things.

1. Respect your equipment and keep it clean.
2. Keep your pickup and delivery appointments.
3. Sometimes the shortest route is not the best way.
4. A good dispatcher is worth their weight in gold.
And the most important one
5. Don't give your labor away for pocket change.

This is not 10 things, but I tried to live by them during my driving career.

 

The trainers and trainees we have is nothing more then the blind leading the blind.Saftey in trucking is not the number 1 priority.

 

Good luck! Pestoskey hey? Where are you gonna go to school? I'm from across the lake in escanaba.

 

Supersnackbar its interesting you bring up that Walmart DC. I made a live unload there in 2012. Another driver from my company came in just after me. He took so long to do his 45 the guys in the yard trucks were cussing him. I finally walked over to him asked him if he minded if I back it in. He got all offended started to cuss at me. I just shrugged it off and went into the traffic office. Afterward he came over to the TA and asked me if he should tell safety about hitting a trailer next to him. I just looked at him dumbfounded. I never answered his question. We all have bad days. I remember a day in NewYork near Buffalo when I was trying to back into a dock and was blinded by the sun. I smacked the dock so hard I knocked my laptop off my bunk. However you can tell the difference between somebody having a bad day from someone way over their head, and not really having any business being alone in charge of a tractor trailer.

 

1.) the money isn't there
2.) but there's plenty of work
3.) there are a LOT of drivers worse than you (unless you COMPLETLY suck)
4.) few people will care that you are not one of the drivers from #3
5.) recruiters lie
6.) brokers only care about the commission, if they care so much about on time delivery have them call the consignee
7.) dispatchers go home at night, anyone that tries to cozy up to you by telling you how their weekend was is a pinhead.
8.) books! A great way to kill time at a loading dock.
9.) having a place to park in NYC netted me another $5k, everyone else is scared and would rather fight over parking in south jersey and wish for loads from Kansas to Texas.
10.) the moment people start asking YOU for advice is when you realize how many unqualified people do this.

 

Nothing I already knew everything when I started just like most other folks starting now do.

 

If I only knew then that if I stayed in it longer than 1 1/2 to 2yrs. 99% percent chance I would be stuck in it my entire career.
Really wish I'd stayed a city driver
2Yrs city 23 long haul. It gets in your blood