Preventables

I’ll give you a simple solution for your problem. In each of the instances when you hit something I’m guessing 99.99% chance you had that moment into your mind when you thought “I wonder if I’m clear, am I going to hit that trailer over there, not sure if I can quite make this turn, whatever it might be. That’s when the truck stops moving. And that’s when you get out and look. All of us out here have almost backed into or hit something at one point…The difference is we didn’t keep moving the vehicle. We stopped and made sure it was clear. Don’t let other drivers pressure you, Don’t care what the four wheelers think, if you’re making them wait for a few seconds. They’ll get over it. And they won’t be there if you smash into something anyhow. In certain situations tell yourself I’m gonna go slow. I’m gonna get out and look. There’s absolutely nothing embarrassing or wrong with getting out and looking. I still get out and do it occasionally If something don’t feel right or I’m not 1000% sure what’s on the backside of me when I’m backing in I get out and look. I’ll get out and look 3 or 4 times I don’t care. Heck, one time I was backing into the caves in Missouri blindside. Super tight. I got out and looked about 30 times before I got into the dock. I had to watch all sides of the trailer including the roof. Ridiculous but I never touched anything, and I got in there. That’s all that counts.

 

G go
O out
A and
L look.

 

Then stay at current employer, accident & incident free, for AT LEAST 1 year from last incident.

Not being careful is a habit. Break that habit or get out of trucking.

 

If you have no more incidents, your chances are positive.

 

Only you know if you are willing & able to pay more attention, be MORE careful, or just blame the world and walk away. You have to have an HONEST conversation with yourself & take an HONEST inventory of your attitude & skills. If you are willing to change AND you do change you can be very successful. Most newbies are not willing to do more than SAY they want better results & blame everything & everyone for what happened.

 

No. You are hirable somewhere but will that place be a place you want to work? You can eventually get hired almost anywhere. Every year since your last incident you are that much more hireable. Many newbies want to walk away from current job due to the embarrassment at the precise moment they are least hireable. Don't do that. Stay put, change your habits & show your company you are making professional progress. 90 day quitters are not in demand when hiring is almost at a standstill.

 

How did your company find out you swiped a trailer?

 

You could move the fifth wheel back, so you don't kill your side wings on the tractor. It would be harder to hit it. Not impossible.

Are driving tired/exhausted?

 

Wait a minute. Stop looking so far ahead. You've got a job now. You need to focus on the present instead of looking about whether you're hireable in the future. You're concentrating on what matters by posting this question. While you're driving, you need to be focusing on what's most important which is honing your skills. Many, if not all of us will hit ####. Some will admit it, some won't but this is how you improve. Do better.