The Complete Guide To A Career In Trucking
How are rookie drivers treated, and why is the right attitude so important?
Everyone's heard of people getting "the rookie treatment" when they are brand new at something. Truck drivers are no exception.
New drivers will generally be "rookies" for a year or so, until they REALLY learn to drive the truck without hitting anything, manage their time, and do all of the other things that will make them a successful driver.
Success as a truck driver depends mainly on the drivers attitude, and how they approach the trucking lifestyle. If you approach everything as a problem and get frustrated, you're going to have a frustrating time. The same applies if you just "roll with it", instead.
How long will I be considered a "rookie" driver, and what should I expect as a new driver?
Article - The Story Of Why So Many Rookie Drivers Fail And How To Avoid It
Every year thousands of people sabotage their truck driving career before it ever gets off the ground. They come into the trucking industry with bad information, the wrong attitude, and the wrong approach. They're doomed to failure before they even know how many wheels are on an 18 wheeler.
Forum - My life as a rookie truck driver
During the time on my own, I got stuck in the mud in a truck stop; ended up driving on a closed road; got lost, and stuck, AGAIN; jumped the king pin, for the first, and HOPEFULLY last time. I have just one question to ask...was it this BAD for other drivers in their first year? Heck, I'm still in my first month on my own.
Forum - When are you no longer a rookie?
It is typically a year. That is when, giving a clean safety record and DAC , a lot of companies will want to scoop you up. Like the others have said though, you have to be willing to learn every day. "experienced driver" is a label and nothing else.
Are Rookie truck drivers treated any differently than experienced drivers?
With the average age of today's drivers hovering around 50, it's harder to tell the rookies from the experienced drivers, but, just as in any aspect of life, you will find many people who are more than willing to help, and many who aren't.
If you are unsure, never be afraid to ask for advice. Again, you will have much more success in the end as a new driver if your approach is humble & inquisitive, rather than if it is boisterous & over-confident.
Article - Enduring The Rookie Treatment In Trucking
Over the years I've seen a million new guys and gals come into the trucking industry with not only the wrong perceptions of what the trucking industry is like, but with the attitude that everyone better treat them like kings and queens and roll out the red carpet or they're outta here.
Article - You Won't Get Anywhere In Trucking If You Can't Get Along With Your Support Personnel
Truckers are the last in a long line of people it takes to keep the freight move around this country. Not last in importance, but last in the order of things to be done.
Video - Down With Rookie Truck Drivers
How much will my attitude affect my success as a driver
Your ability to handle life on the road and its ever-changing circumstances, and your willingness to stick things out rather than quit when they get tough will be the main factor in your success as a truck driver. Anybody can be taught to drive a truck, and the rest is up to you.
Article - How Having A Great Attitude Earned Me A Second Chance
I hit the brakes, I had already hit the light pole, smack, head on with the front of my truck. It all happened in slow motion. My truck bounced off of it, and the pole fell right in the parking lot. My heart sank. I could not believe what had just happened.
Forum - Truck stop parking: Why are some people just stupid?
Unfortunately the trucker stereotype of loud-mouthed, small-minded jerks is alive and well in 2014 - there's plenty of em out there. You're obviously not going to get any kind of respect, consideration, or camaraderie from those types
Forum - One year over the road
You will be the deciding factor in your success at this career. I'm proud to be working at Western Express, one of the most maligned companies you can find on the trucking reviews. I've had great success here and I see no reason for it to change.
Article - Rookie Drivers: Surviving Your First 6 Months
When I finally did get out there, though, I found out real quick that being a new driver is a tough place to be. It ain't as easy as it looks, and your trainer ain't around to read the map, answer questions, or spot you when you back in to that dock
Forum - I'm Quitting CR England because of low miles
Well we've definitely nailed the problem down anyhow. You keep winding up with different dispatchers so you haven't even had much of a chance to prove yourself. But the real problem is that they've given you chances and you haven't made the most of em.
Forum - Rookie Truck Driver Blues
It is really hard for us to help people understand just how tough it is to get this thing started. I can't tell you how many three and four hundred dollar checks I got at first. When you first get started you are not even on anybodies radar yet.
Rookie truck drivers and personal responsibility:
Constantly striving to get better and taking responsibility for your actions and their results are the hallmarks of any successful, experienced, truck driver. Many companies will have near-zero tolerance for "rookie mistakes", like accidents, so take your first year as one, long, learning experience.
Slow and steady wins the rookie driver race, as they say.
Article - The Story Of Why So Many Rookie Drivers Fail And How To Avoid It
People who are successful in life get there in large part because they admit their shortcomings and try to improve in every way. They take the blame when they screw up and try to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Article - Rookie Drivers: Time Management Tips And Mileage Goals
So if you're considering becoming a truck driver or you've recently attended a truck driving school you'll want to have some reasonable mileage goals in mind to shoot for when you start running solo and some ways of managing your time well.
Forum - An Encouragement to Rookies
I had no idea it would be so hard in the beginning. Getting lost in the metro NYC area after 3 days being solo will rip the welcome mat from under your feet in a hurry. But all experiences are good experiences if you learn from them.
Forum - What are top 10-20 rookie / student driving mistakes in first 6-12 months?
Fueling too much. Some loads are very heavy. I've had one load where I had to throw away some chains just to make the weight. Fueling too much can put you overweight.
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