Boots for driving.

I wear gor-tex hiking boots with non-slip treads and carry a pair of Neos waterproof insulated overboots in the winter.

 

I wear a pair of Keen Hiking boots with hard toes. Never had a shipper bat an eyelash at that. I have read several comments about some shippers demanding steel toes. I drove a flatbed for several years and went into numerous steel mills, paper mills, etc.. and never ran into that only wear long pants, hard hats and safety glasses. Is this something new shippers are coming up with? If so then go to walmart and buy the cheapest steel toes you can and through them in the box under the sleeper and then deduct them from your taxes.

 

Seconding the Red Wings. Broke mine in a few years back and they're as comfortable as I need them to be. Find something you like that doesn't interfere with your driving and you should be good to go.

 

It depends on the warehouse. Some WANT you to wear boots. Some WANT you to wear steel toed. For me personally, I dress the part of a professional with, work pants or CLEAN jeans, work shirt, work jacket, gloves, and always boots.

For "driving purposes", I can whole heartedly agree on not having to wear boots, but at the very least, wear them into the warehouse and on the property.

Case in point, many years ago, I was in Roxboro, NC at the Alcoa plant.

There were shards of metal all over the yard. Driving alone was tricky. Then I had to walk into the plant, and not just the one building, but to another one next to it. All the time, these shards of metal all over the place. My work boots had "tougher" soles, than ordinary sneakers or tennis shoes would have ever had. Also while at the Alcoa plant, the dock worker had to pull up nails from the braces that "Ferletto steal" had nailed down. I had actually walked the trailer looking for nails that were broken, and still in the floor boards. What say anyone about the chances of stepping on a nail in tennis shoes???? I know, I DID, but I had work boots on!!!

Another case, I was at Ferletto Steel in Bridgeport, CT. I had to walk around the plant checking on my load. Again, metal on the floor.

For the tiny few minutes of an inconvenience to put on work boots, over a possible hospital trip and a Tetanus shot, and maybe time off from work, then to me at least, work boots are an excellent idea.

And even a "simple" drop and hook operation, one can trip up on a rock or piece of 2x4 in the dark. I'd rather not break a toe simply because I was too lazy to have work boots on.

 

Different companies have different policies. My company's policy is we are not allowed to work on the truck. Period. Like I said, that hasn't stopped me from fixing mudflaps, tightening hoses or whatever. I do all the work on my cars so it's not like I'm not mechanically inclined. Believe me, I'd much rather do the work myself instead of having to wait for a mechanic to get to me.

I've only been driving 2 yrs with 2 different companies. In that time I've only been required to be on a dock once, not counting having to go in for paperwork. No steel toes were required. Never had anyone who had a rule that steel toes were required to just be on the property. I do have a hard hat, safety glasses and vest since I've been required to wear those on occasion. I run all 48 states.

I've swept out trailers but I don't think of that as dock work.

So the bottom line is every company situation is different.

 

Wow where are these customers they're sending you? When I was in the referigerated division I never had to wear boots. And the same when I was doing dry van. Even now in flatbed I might put on my steel toes three or four times a month.

 

Mostly paper mills and factories.

 

I've had a pair Wolverines for a little over six months, they are already broken lol

 

I once changed a fuel filter while barefoot


Many looks ago I would change a filter if needed, now that's the mechanics job. We also would adjust our own brakes, before it was a really really bad idea to do so. In the litigious world we live in Today I wouldn't touch em.