Trucking is a lucrative business, but it’s also very demanding—there are tight deadlines, long hours, and lots of planning and coordination that go into being a good trucker. Here at REY Logistics, we know the business like the back of our hand, which is why we’ve put together this list of 5 top tips from experienced truck drivers that can help any trucker whether they’re a seasoned pro or still learning the ropes.
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Improve your people skills
The lonesome life of a trucker is well documented. But trucking isn’t as lonesome as you might think. You need to deal with despatchers, freight handlers, shippers, and other road users on a daily basis. If you have a short temper or poor attitude, you will quickly burn bridges that might be crucial for your career. If you’ve been trucking for a while and get easily riled up by slow freight handlers or stressed dispatchers, take steps to reduce this attitude—you might find it makes your job a little easier and will help you build bridges in the long run.
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Keep up with the exercise
We’re sure you don’t need to be reminded that the trucking life is full of unhealthy temptations. Fast food joints dot your path everywhere you go, and you spend long hours sitting down without doing much physical exercise. If you’ve been in the business a while, you may have realized that it’s a lifestyle that easily leads to gaining weight. Even more critically, health problems associated with this weight gain can affect your ability to do the job. If you’ve been trucking for a while and have succumbed to the temptations of the road, it’s a good idea to incorporate an exercise schedule and eating regime so you can keep healthy and able-bodied well into the future.
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Ask fellow truckers
Trucking can be a difficult business to progress in without the right knowledge and skills. Sometimes, truckers fall into bad habits or don’t realize there are better ways of doing certain things. It’s a great idea to chat with other truckers at truck stops about how they conduct their business. You may just find some simple tips and tricks that make your job much easier. As we all know, truckers are usually very open and down-to-earth people, and once you get them talking about trucking, the trick is usually getting them to stop!
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Get a good trucking GPS unit
If you’ve been trucking without a trucking GPS unit, then you need to seriously consider investing in one. It’s like a marathon runner not investing in good running shoes. A trucking GPS unit is an essential tool for any driver and without it, you’ll be less competitive than other drivers with one—it’s as simple as that. Many experienced truckers feel they don’t need a trucking GPS unit as they prefer to do it the old-fashioned way. But, as this technology has now become a standard part of trucking in the US, we’d highly recommend getting yourself one!
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Prioritize safety
Do you take corners too fast? Or try to push the speed restrictions to make up for the lost time? If this is something you do on a regular basis, we strongly recommend that you start taking road safety seriously. Most experienced truckers know of someone who was lost or seriously injured due to a wreck, and while it’s not always the trucker’s fault, keeping safe and taking the right precautions will certainly reduce the risk of serious injury or death to yourself and other road users.
Trucking has a lot to offer. But, it can be a tough career for even the savviest and most experienced drivers. Whether you are an owner-operator trucker or a company trucker, these tips will help you in your journey through your career.
Here at REY Logistics, we welcome experienced owner-operator truckers who want to take their career to the next level. Our drivers get incredible rates and generous benefits, including a $15,000 sign-on bonus, a $0.50+ per gallon fuel discount, Plate Program with 2290 and IFTA, and a 24/7 dispatcher.
Did we mention that many drivers earn over $7,000 per week with us? If you’re an experienced owner-operator trucker, contact us here at REY Logistics to find out how we can help you.