Understanding Life In The Trucking Industry

You can read this article in 7 minutes
|

4.11.2019

It is a known fact that, as a truck driver, you don’t get to have a 9-to-5 job, and weekends and holidays will not work the same way as for everyone else. Being in the truck industry, one might spend weeks at a time on the road. It is not your usual job, it comes with its own difficulties, and it’s a line of work that requires being on the same page with the entire family before even thinking of taking the job.

However, these are just some general, known aspects of the job. There is a lot more to it and that you should be aware of.

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

The first step to becoming a truck driver is the CDL, an obligatory document for the job. You’d have to apply for the license first. The CDL has different categories, called “classes”: Class A, Class B, and Class C. Each of the classes allow for a different type of vehicle:

Class A – vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GVWR) over 26,000 pounds if the towed vehicle weight more than 10,000 pounds.

Class B – single vehicles that are not hitched to any trailers.

Class C – a single vehicle with a GVWR below 26,000 or vehicles towing other vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds; vehicles transporting only as many as 16 people (including the driver).

The training for the CDL only takes about a month, and it can be done through workshops or courses. However, practice makes perfect, and it does take some time to get used to driving such a big, heavy vehicle.

The Beginnings

In the first few months working on the road, it will take some time for you to get the ball rolling. It is not unusual for companies to give schedules and loads that aren’t so hot or desirable. This can go on throughout the first year in the company, especially if it’s your first experience. It takes time for them to get to know you and see how trustworthy you are. The bigger the client and the demands, the better and more experienced the driver has to be. Once they see you can handle the better jobs, you’ll go up on their list of priorities.

Routine

Although you’re not working at an office and might not have many appointments and meetings, working on the road requires discipline and a healthy routine, as well defined as possible. No, you might not be able to know what you will be doing at every hour, and each time might be different in terms of that. But the tasks and their order should be figured out ahead of time. And this is not just about time for meals, showers, and 8 hours of sleep. Other daily tasks should include:

Pre-trip inspection – An important step before hitting the road to make sure everything is okay and in good condition, for your own safety and the well-keeping of the merchandise you are carrying. While you do have to pass tests such as the CDL air brake test before driving, it is vital to be constantly checking everything regularly, since parts wear out with time.

Live unload – During this period, while people are unloading, you should make sure to count everything and check where it was put for your report. Again, all for your own protection. This might take some time, but if you have your list ready, it should be a breeze. And this time should be taken into consideration when planning your route and order of stops.

Post-trip inspection – Once you get to where you’re going to stay overnight or your final stop, make sure to check your truck again. This way, if anything happened on that day, you’ll have a greater chance of knowing how and when, since you did the inspection in the morning before starting. This also gives you time to figure out what to do in case of a more serious problem before it’s time to get ready to leave for work again.

Paperwork and workflow – All done, everything checked, all stops has been made. Now, it is time to write it all down to keep track of everything you did and everything that needs to be done. While it is called “paperwork”, many companies are now betting on technology and apps to make everyone’s jobs easier. Now, you can also take time to plan out the next day, do you can just wake up and be ready to go the day after.

Keeping Contact

Since you’re on the road for long hours and driving, it can be easy to get too into it and distance yourself from the “outside world”, so to speak. And worse of all is that most drivers don’t realize they’ve become alienated from their loved ones’ lives and of what’s happening in the world. So it is important to make sure that you take some time every day to call or talk to people, read on the news, or even just watch some TV. Having these moments every day is important to make sure your family and friends also hear from you. Everyone needs to have these moments to feel as normal as possible since this is a job with an unusual schedule and daily routine.

Every job comes with its own peculiarities and demands, and it wouldn’t be different from truck driving. The best pa rt of the job, however, is that you can get a salary with figures as great as any office job – or even greater. It is not a job for everyone, but it is a job that anyone can appreciate! Do it right, and you can have a long-lasting, successful career.
 

Tags