Failure, why? How to prevent it?

First you have to be willing to give it a chance. It might suck at first while someone adjusts and learns, but it does get better. Look at any experienced driver that gets frustrated and quits. They always come back because it gets in your blood. In a sense you marry the job and the lifestyle. For better for worse. In sickness and in health.

The CDL is cash in your pocket. There is so many aspects of trucking you have to find your niche whether it be long haul, local, dump truck, garbage truck, reefer, van, heavy haul, tanker, LTL..... You might hate one but love the other.
So you can't give up because the first year sucks. Me? I was so exhilarated seeing the country my first year all the rest didn't matter. Others get home sick, hate all the stuff that comes with the driving or other numerous reasons. That all can change after you get some experience. It's kind of hard to set a career path until you find your niche. So experiment with some jobs. You'll know it when you find it.

If you don't have it now you will, that is patience. You also have to be easy going to overcome the times of stress or literally speaking, you'll drive yourself crazy. That's why you hear drivers are thick skinned because they are. All problems are short lived. Take it as a grain of salt and deal with the next one. I see drivers all the time that have one bad experience with a dispatcher and they dwell on that problem. Things slowly get worse and worse until their bubble pops, the snowball effect. Don't do that crap. Deal with the problem and move on to the next. Quitting is your last option. If you absolutely have a personality conflict with a dispatcher request a new one. My last company I went through three dispatchers that sucked, two got fired, the forth was a dream dispatcher which I stayed with for two years until the company moved and that dispatcher quit. When you find the right one you work as a team. Take care of them and they'll take care of you. Take the bad with the good. What matters is that W-2 and not just one bad week.

I guess what I'm saying is give the first year or two a chance. Then things get a whole lot better once you start figuring out the system. The money gets better, the miles feel shorter and you meet a whole bunch of trucking friends. Meanwhile you are traveling everywhere and seeing everything a normal person doesn't get a chance to do.

Another problem I see with some newbs is they get that money in their pocket and it's like one big toy store out there. Don't forget why you are out there and set your financial goals. Some drivers complain they are broke and live off cash advances week by week and they have no one to blame but themselves.

 

Jesus...that back up LOW HANGIN bridge was painful to look at.

 

That was my reaction too. I mean, it really hurt to watch (and listen to) that guy tear up the truck. I know he's not driving anymore and I'll bet not a day goes by that he doesn't think about the bridge and what he did to the truck.

 

Once you get past all the bs in training and learning the job at a real basic level ... you will begin to make money... it's going to come down to a couple of real items on your part that will make you or break you ...

remember the mistakes that cost you money ... believe me there are plenty
keep the left door closed ... this is extremely hard for some drivers ...
trust no one... and question everything

 

That guy didn't think. Though that is more extreme than most there are countless threads on here by people who made the same basic mistake with less serious results.

 

Assuming the driver did not get out and check his surroundings. It sure looks like a u-turn could have been made after backing up a short distance and turning in the wider part of the road that is noticeable right at the start of the video.

 

Oh... I like this one -

1 - don't think you are special or deserving of some special consideration.

2 - this is only a customer driven industry, we service people who want things moved cheaply and there is a lot of competition for that money. Do not think for a moment a customer will use your company because they are the only game in town so do what you have to do to keep that customer happy within reason.

Thinking you know it all and acting like it. Closed minded idiots are one problem we have, the other mistake is not wanting to learn - even to do a proper pre-trip or knowing how to check the oil.

Being willing to be flexible and willing to scarifice a little money to do something extra when it is needed. THIS does not mean that you need to be a floor mat or do everything a dispatcher or supervisor wants you to do, learn the difference.

Also learn how to ask questions, learn how to drive safely and learn how to be respectful of others even if they are not respectful to you.

Yes, I wouldn't be here is my first choice but if I had to, I would have done this thing in 1980 when I was talked out of it.

 

I trained for Schneider Bulk. I only had two guys fail. Both just were not cut out for this job, there was literally nothing they could have done about it. The world just moved too fast for them. They needed a very slow pace, routine oriented job with few distractions. It just is what it is. Most people that fail, fail because of attitude problems. Those people never made it to a trainers truck. Have a good attitude and pay attention, those are the only things you have control over. If you just can't do the job then so be it, but you will probably be okay.

 

Broken concentration in this business could be deadly but you always want to keep a cool head in all situations, especially when driving. You will be challenged many times during your career but you can meet the challenge by keeping your composure.



Driving at night has its appeal due the fact that there is less traffic to mitigate the "idiot factor" on the roads.

As far as HAZMAT, I intend to get every certification except passenger from the get-go for I plan on going straight into tanker if at all possible. I find tanker appealing because I am highly safety oriented, have excellent situational awareness, am meticulous and have been told more than once that I excel under pressure, also I have a great deal of common sense. I was laden with much responsibility as a young child and due to that I am comfortable with it, of course the times when I can be free of it can be quite liberating.

That being said, I do find the prospect of hazmat/tanker intimidating and that will fuel my awareness and keep me on my toes.[/QUOTE]


I prefer driving at night, always have. Cant do it all the time but I used to do it when I could. As for your certifications, getting all is the way to go, then you can handle anything that comes your way. Good Luck!