Real Drivers Vs Fake Drivers - A Recruiter Speaks

Here is a talk by a company driver recruiter. He's interested in hiring "Real Drivers", but he can spot "Fake" ones, too.

I have seen both kinds of drivers posting on Trucking Truth. What kind of driver are you?

Real Drivers vs Fake Drivers (What Companies Look For in New Hires)

I forgot. Here are a couple of Canadian terms:

AZ ("A-Zed") license: US CDL

GTA: Greater Toronto Area

Good video. What has been concerning me was mentioned..I know we have to inspect the truck before each run. why ANYONE would ignore is crazy to me. I know nothing about mechanics and to honest im not wired to understand it. I want to make sure the truck is COMPLETELY safe before I drive it. I know they will teach me but are all of you understanding of the mechanics of a truck or is what they teach you on inspection enough? Tinkering and figuring out how things work ls just not something i comprehend

Don't worry, Tammy. You're not expected to be a mechanic. Maybe you can replace wiper blades or light bulbs, that's about it. The pre-trip trip is a matter of looking at things and making sure they're not broken or bent. (a bit more, but this gives you the idea.)

Learn the names of things - some of those you'll have to memorize.

Also, I show this video to all my classes. It's 15 minutes on truck air brakes. It's actually designed to show real newbies how air brakes work:

S-cam Air Brakes

Thanks ill watch it. I was looking at truck videos and some cabs are beautiful. I hope I can make and decorate my cab the way I want. I NEED my truck to feel like home. For me, thats whats going to make me succeed. How I live is everything. Its like full time camping alone and getting paid

Don't worry, Tammy. You're not expected to be a mechanic. Maybe you can replace wiper blades or light bulbs, that's about it. The pre-trip trip is a matter of looking at things and making sure they're not broken or bent. (a bit more, but this gives you the idea.)

Learn the names of things - some of those you'll have to memorize.

Also, I show this video to all my classes. It's 15 minutes on truck air brakes. It's actually designed to show real newbies how air brakes work:

S-cam Air Brakes

How am I supposed to know if the breaks are in good shape? I get the concept of the air brakes but this video gave me anxiety lol

Don't worry, Tammy. You're not expected to be a mechanic. Maybe you can replace wiper blades or light bulbs, that's about it. The pre-trip trip is a matter of looking at things and making sure they're not broken or bent. (a bit more, but this gives you the idea.)

Learn the names of things - some of those you'll have to memorize.

Also, I show this video to all my classes. It's 15 minutes on truck air brakes. It's actually designed to show real newbies how air brakes work:

S-cam Air Brakes

Watch those Pre-Trip videos. It's very important to know how to do the air brake tests in the cab. The S-cam video just shows you how it all works together - different than car hydraulic brakes.

This is one of those places when you must memorize the names of things and, again, make sure they're not bent or broken. Do not worry too much if you haven't started classes.

Here's a good pre-trip video: Class A Pre-Trip DEMO

While driving to the Boise VA, I listened to the Real/Fake video. I would say he has a pretty good grasp on truck drivers.

When I first came out on the road 7 years ago, it was about making money so I could pay bills off. After running illegal for a company that ultimately got shut down, I would only drive for a company with electronic logs. I made more money as before. Running for that company was standard, but it made me realize what I wanted while out here on the road. So when I go to companies, I don't even ask what the rate of pay is, because it really isn't that important. I have two requirements and so far this last company meets them very nicely. Because I am a good driver for them, they reward me with pay raises over and above the yearly pay increase. So, while I don't make near as much as some companies, I really like where I'm at and won't change unless something happens.

Laura

Fighting the data stream issues that seem to plague 'rural' residential locations, so I can't watch his video at this time. If Errol says it's good, I'm certain it's worth watching.

Tammy A. you asked about knowing how to tell if the brakes are ok. That is a great question! Depending on where you get your training, you'll either learn by reciting, or you will learn by doing and seeing. I have posted some photos before of brakes that are DEFINITELY not safe, but you have to get down on the ground and look underneath the equipment, upward and inside the wheel drums to see the conditions of the S-cams, the brake push rods, and the brake lines and shoes/linings before you'll really know. The big failing that many drivers have is a resistance to getting down on the ground and looking. Much like the US Secret Service training agents to identify counterfeit money - they never show them bad bills, only the real thing. You should see the right thing over, and over, and over, every day a couple of times a day for weeks, and when something is wrong, if you actually look, you'll spot it pretty quickly.

Broken brake shoes, with chunks of lining missing. S-cam brackets missing hardware or with loose hardware (grab it and pull/push/jiggle). Brake lines rubbing on frame components. Push rods that are over or under the 90 degree angle (think finger gun if you're not sure what a 90 is - met some guys from CPS that had no clue what a 90 was, but they knew that they were supposed to look for one because is what their trainer told them and missed a bunch until I got to crawl under a container chassis with them). Front bell of the brake housing rotted out, with brake spring visible through the holes. Broken brake springs inside the front housing under that rubber cap (broken spring means no braking impulse on that wheel set if the pressure drops out). Lots of things that will look wrong, but you first have to be down there to look at them. The time it takes to inspect these may add four of five minutes to your pre-trip. But not going to prison for a fatal that involved brakes on YOUR equipment is worth that five minutes. In what The Beloved calls "Mr. Curmudgeon's World", anyway.

End of my "Do the Pre-Trip and Post-Trip!" rant.

Good Luck to you as you move forward!

Can we just stop at the company we drive for and just bring the truck in for inspection when we have time off?