So You Want to be a Truck Driver?

So You Want to be a Truck Driver

I drove a truck for the Army for three years over in Germany. Had lots of fun doing it over there. I spent one year as an Army dispatcher when I came back to the states. That was not fun. I still am bothered over how often people broke the rules and tried to blame it on me while I was dispatching. After the Army I did not drive for a few years. Once I did, I got in eight years before a DOT health regulation took me off the road.

I did spend part of my Over The Road driving as a trainer. I would take new drivers into my truck and let them drive for about two weeks to help them in finishing their training. I have mixed feelings about that time. Some of them I could tell were going to be good truck drivers. Some actually scared me. Some didn’t understand what being on the road was like.

If you want to be a truck driver, I suggest finding a school that is owned by a Trucking Company. Any other school is only out to get you to pass your Commercial Drivers License (CDL) test. Once they do that, they get some money from the Government. Even though they may have recruiters come and see you at their school, they really cannot guarantee you a job. A school that is owned by a trucking company will put you in a truck with a trainer once you have your CDL and will actually put you on their pay while you finish the training. You pass that training and you get your own truck to drive.

Your sitting there thinking, my that is simple. But that isn’t all. I’m writing this to let you know about being a truck driver. There is much more than just knowing how to drive, park and follow the rules and regulations. Some of what I am going to tell you here will help you get through your training.

During training you must remember that you are a trainee. You are not in charge. You are going to make a mistake and you are going to get chewed out for it. If you can’t take this, then you still got some growing up to do before you can really start any career. This is the best way to impress your trainer. Is to listen to them when you have upset them. I am speaking from experience when I say it is much better to be chewed out by your trainer than to deal with some upset driver that thinks you did something wrong on the road. Road rage is a growing problem out on the road. A good driver will keep their cool when dealing with others that are upset over what has happened on the road.