When you’re considering a career as a trucker, you may find that getting the information you need to start can be difficult. While there are many, many people who have made a successful and rewarding career out of trucking, there are many more memorable stories of truckers who have quit. Trucking can be an incredibly dangerous and challenging job, and if you walk into it unprepared, you are very likely to find yourself overwhelmed. With that in mind, we’ve put together some of the most commonly made mistakes and how to avoid them.
Researching Too Much
There is a line between researching too much and too little, and finding it can be difficult for many. Some new truckers will even consider making extensive spreadsheets with all sorts of information that may not actually be necessary or useful. The truth is that there are only a few things that a new trucker should pay attention to as many others will be too similar. What types of freight the company hauls, the expected pay scale, home time policies, and rider and pet policies are all more important factors.
Expecting Too Much From Training
While your new trucker training will be fairly extensive, it’s never going to cover as much as you want it to. You’ll likely be in a class, stuck with the methods that your company has always used, with no one-on-one training. But the truth is that most truck training can really only be learned on the job and takes time. In most classes, you can expect to cover basic book work so you can pass your tests, a small driving section for hands-on testing, and then a short period of driving with a trainer. Once these three things have happened, you’ll likely just have dispatcher check-ins and quarterly evaluations.
Not Preparing For The Unexpected
Because so much of the process of trucking is simply learned on the job, you have to expect that you’ll find yourself in a variety of tricky situations of all types. Maybe you’ll back into a receiving bay to find they’ve closed for the day, or pull into a lot to find it’s the wrong spot and now you need to perform a tricky reversal. There are thousands of situations you may find yourself in that only you can get yourself out of.
Baltimore Freight-Liner Western For All Your Trucking Needs
Whether you are looking to upgrade your fleet to tow trucks or simply interested in the latest trucking technology, you can rely on Baltimore Freightliner-Western Star. We have provided top-notch service for the trucking industry for 30 years and would love to assist you in buying a new top-of-the-line truck, finding the specialty parts you need, or repairing your truck. Give us a call toll-free at 800-832-7278 or locally at 410-685-4474, or contact us online. To find out more about what we are up to, follow us onFacebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Tags: rookie trucker, trucking lifestyle