Tips for the New Driver

You’ve made the decision to get on the open road and drive a truck. It’s a great and noble job that so many people and companies rely on. But as a new truck driver, there are some things to know before and while you get your feet wet in the business. The faster you understand them, the more successful you will be as a truck driver.

To prepare you for the job ahead, here are some important considerations to keep in mind that will get you through the initial stages of the trucking business with a trucking company Red Deer trusts like Nossack Transport Ltd.

What to Expect from Trucker Training

If you’ve already been through your CDL training, then you understand that it can be a little grueling and that maneuvering a truck takes practice. But if you have not been through formal training yet, don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t come naturally. There is more to trucking than just driving, as it can be a challenge to position a 70-foot-long truck just right for pickups, deliveries, and just parking in a rest area. These are all skills that you will eventually master and your training will ensure that you do.

Stay Flexible

Driving a truck is not always taking a load from point-A to point-B. Things happen and it’s up to you as the driver to handle anything that comes your way. That might include dealing with a canceled load after you’ve arrived for the pickup, being rerouted when you’re almost at your destination, and handling all kinds of road and weather conditions. Remember that you can only be on the road for so long during any given day and that communication with your dispatcher is critical.

When You’re Not Sure, Ask

In any new role, it’s important to do the job right but that doesn’t mean the process is clear. When something doesn’t make sense or you receive conflicting information, don’t guess. Check with the appropriate person and clarify so that you’re not stuck in a position where you’ve made the wrong choice and it affects so many other people down the line.

Stay Within Yourself

As a new truck driver, it’s easy to go beyond your capabilities after a couple of easy runs, but it’s important that you maintain the same level of focus and diligence. The next load might not be as simple as the last one, so stay on top of the instructions provided, and don’t over promise and under deliver. While failure is not what you’re looking for, ever, you certainly don’t want to stretch yourself too thin to succeed. That will only lead to burnout.

So learn from every experience while you’re out there, ask questions when you need to, seek insight from more experienced truck drivers, and always maintain the highest standard of safety. These are the ways you can improve as a driver, protect yourself from failure, and protect your truckload to gain confidence in yourself and from those you work for.