how do i make a good first impression

Want a good first impression?

They've already mentioned the parts about being clean and polite and punctual. Is more needed? Absolutely. Whenever drivers get together and start talking, there's always the Supertrucker. He's the end all and be all of trucking. How to you identify this person? Well in the first 5 minutes of you knowing this person, he will start volunteering his employment history...how long he's been driving and how long he's been at the company, his truck number...etc. If you don't know any better, you will be thinking, "Hey, this must be the best driver!" Wrong! He's probably just marginally better than you...and you're the rookie.

Since Mr Supertrucker isn't as good a driver as all of his years behind the wheel would indicate, he hides his shortcomings, through spreading discontent and negative talk. It's understandable that you are the new rookie and you are going to try to fit in. DO NOT JOIN IN ANY NEGATIVE TALK. None at all. If a conversation goes towards the negative, excuse yourself. If someone is griping about his wage, he should have the stones to say it to the boss, not in the drivers lounge or the break room. If the drivers talking about quitting, he should be having that conversation in the boss' office, not with you.

Negative talk spreads negative energy. No one likes a negative person.

 

That is very solid advice.

 

I am going to throw something else in on the above as well, when it comes to pay, it is up to you to figure out what is a good rate and what is not, especially if you go down the owner operator path.

There are lots of drivers who are going to whine about what they are making how it is not enough, and you know what quite frankly it is their fault for hauling it at that rate, it is their fault for not asking for more, it is their fault for saying yes when they should have said no.

At the same time when a driver tells you they are making really good money, a lot of the time they are full of it as well, you know why? When I find a load that pays really good money, I hush up about it, I shut up about it, I bit my tongue because I don't want to send other drivers after that same haul so I can keep hauling it and keep making that good money. When you get a guy going on about how much money he is making, he is just stroking himself in public trying to make himself feel good, I can guarantee you that is the guy in the room with money problems trying to snowjob himself into feeling like things are better than they actually are.

For instance up in Wichata Falls at the Chevron truck stop there years back I was in my shiny red Kenworth you see in my Avatar, I had a bed bugger in an arpin vanlines truck pull in next to me. He was driving an absolutely hammered, and I do mean hammered Freightliner with a flat top sleeper. probably a late 80's or early 90's truck, and he had the nerve to come in running his mouth to me about all the money he was making, he tried making me believe that he was taking home over 100k a year.

The whole time I am thinking to myself sure buddy, you probably only are going to gross 100K this year.

It was so obvious that he was so full of it that I was just disgusted. Worst part is I didn't even want to talk to the guy, he started talking to me because of my truck.

So keep that in mind when you are talking to people, there are some who will tell you the truth, and there are some who make things up as they go. The ones who make things up have a really hard time in this business, and they tend to bounce from company to company.

 

Listen to a couple guys here,2 log books should do it.Seriously though,no whineing,no excessive amount of brakes,do not be late for picking up or delivering loads unless weather related and then you call your dispatcher asap.COMMUNICATION is the key to a great dispatcher and company relationship.Do not complain about where they send you,just shut up and do your job.I mean that with respect by the way,lol.You follow the simple advice on this thread,you'll be successful during your carreer.If you sit waiting for a load,so be it just sit,your dispatcher knows you're sitting.Begging for a load could either cause you to sit some more or cause your dispatcher to be one unhappy camper.You do not want to get on their worst side because they'll be your worst nitemare.Patience and Communication is what its all about.

 

I run legal always everyday. Now with the current laws a driver cannot afford to be a cowboy anylonger. Too much liability. You can be charged for accident that are not your fault if they can prove that you missed your 30 minute break. Just not worth it. I would not work for a company that required me to run hot. I will make minor correction to a logbook but watch your timestamps.

 

Actually PJ you can't fudge anymore. ALL cell phones are pinged just like a Qualcom. If DOT really wants to they can find the truth. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I personally don't make money with HOS we have and mileage we can do legally in a week I'd get out of the business if I had any smarts. ESPECIALLY being an O/O . The truth is MOST wanna be home 4 or more and work 3 or less in a week. Then they cry not making money. Or has the industry changed since i been out a few years?

 

Nothing says that phone has to be on. That is going to be a lot of digging on their part, I say just don't do anything that makes them want to look at you that hard.