Changing The Face of The Trucking Industry

These problems can lead to broken families, poor job performance and increase safety risks on the highway.

Here are some ways that those concern can contribute changing the face of the trucking industry.

Four Wheelers - Please read through the information on the site to get in the minds of the truckers. If you have any questions ask. Most of the time you might think we are being mean when we do certain things on the highway or in city driving. It's just that a big truck is operated differently than four wheelers.

We have to take opportunity to make certain moves when we can, many of you won't give us a break to make turns, etc when needed. You speed up on us, you don't use your turn signal when approaching or making a turn, etc.

Give us a break on the road in your travels, pause for us when you see us waiting to make a turn instead of speeding up. Let us out in traffic on busy streets sometimes (like good drivers do for you). When we signal to change lanes let us over. Stop breaking your necks to get in front of us only to break excessively to exit, it's dangerous and stupid plus it wastes your fuel and increases wear and tear on your car. We are just trying to deliver the freight you want at the stores.

Also, understand that everything you see in the movies or hear in the old truckers songs don't describe the average trucker. It's entertainment. Those characters represent a very small fraction of wanna be rebels in the trucking industry.

The stories you hear about truckers who make bad decisions on the road which lead to destroying the home does not represent the majority of married truckers. They are the small percentage of drivers who think little of themselves or their family in the first place who happen to be truckers.

When you hear someone referring to all truckers being trashy correct them and let people know that most truckers character and morals are not much different than that of the average citizen.

Also remember that half of CB talk is just that talk. CB is entertainment for many truckers and is probably where you can find the most negative display of attitude and conversation because of it's ability to grant anonymity. If people who were truckers were given the same type of media you would likely witness the same type of display. It's hardly a reflection of the character of most people who use it or don't.

Future Truckers - Be sure that trucking is something that you want to do before you make a final decision to become a trucker.

Truckers life is not for everyone as you will find as you browse the site. If you decide to drive make sure you take some of the suggestions that these guys give here about how to conduct yourself to make trucking a career not just a job. Don't become what you see on the movies or hear on the radio. Basically handle the job like your are working for your very own company. Deliver on time, be courteous when driving and interacting with customers and don't trash where you park or pee!

Truckers - I know no there are those clowns who trash the bathrooms and parking lots with trash. You have seen the results just like I have. If by any chance you catch another driver in the act please say something to him or her. Let them know how ignorant they are and how hard they make it for themselves and others. They make it easy for people to think the worst about truckers and this has a impact on how people in and out of the industry interacts with truckers on the highway and doing business sometimes consciously and sometimes subconsciously.

How do we expect to get treated better at our companies with these idiots out there acting like they were raised outside in a cave?

Stop dumping your ashtrays on the ground and throwing cigarettes out of the window. It seems like no big deal, but it is completely unnecessary and ugly. The fact that so many drivers think it's no big deal makes it a big deal. It's trashy, it ridiculous, it's nasty.

We have to pay more attention to ways to improve our image and make the changes we need to make as individuals if we expect to be treated differently by others.

Also remember that because you are away from home doesn't give you the freedom to stray from your family commitments. Don't fool yourself and think you can have women on the road and it won't effect your relationship with your family. Ever now and then a trucker will stray because it seems safe being away from home. Any intimate relationships will draw attention from your family and it may also cause you to become suspicious of your spouse for no reason.

There are a small percentage of truckers who feel that because they are so far from home that they will get away with. It's never as easy as it seems or without consequences. Usually it ends up causing a destroyed family and costing a whole lot of money and depression. Even though this is a small fraction of truckers talk of this behavior spreads like wildfire and is why most women feel that no trucker is faithful. So basically cheating on your wife and destroying your family is not only hurting your current situation but it will add to the negativity you will encounter in your next relationship, especially if you will still be a driver.

Stay true to your goals and objectives. Avoid the pitfalls that you see others go through. Your relationship will be hard enough with you being on the straight and narrow.

Also, remember that there is a reason for pick up and delivery times. (Yeah I know we get lied to sometimes and sometimes they do no good. Ok. So we don't know when that will be) If you can't or don't make it don't just act like you don't care. If you ever want to be given accurate times dispatchers, brokers, shippers and receivers are going to have to feel that we actually care about appointments. They will have to feel that we are responsible, dependable and prompt. IF you find that you will be late call and let people know (without the attitude). Try leaving early if possible so that even if you have a blow out or minor problem that you might make appointment times

Truckers Spouses - Remember that your spouse is away doing a job that is surrounded by challenges. If you get a chance to ride do so to experience trucking life for yourself. There is a little more to being a trucker than meets the eye.

If you are jealous or have other relationship development issues, you risk driving a wedge in your relationship. Find a support group or seek counseling to resolve your issues.

If there are things that you need to discuss with your spouse discuss them immediately, don't wait for them to change. Some drivers may not give a spouse what they need to feel comfortable being apart for so long. I think most guys handle the separation a little differently and take it less seriously. Let him know what you need to feel connected and involved if that's the case.

Also don't forget to show him that you love him and appreciate him when he get's home. Don't assume he knows it, don't just say it, show him. (That's what he wants from you to feel connected and involved. If he feels this he will have no problem listening to your needs)

Also getting involved in positive activity to occupy your free time (especially if you have excessive free time) could greatly benefit you and your spouse. Learn some skill that would better yourself or learn about the business side of trucking. You could also learn about dispatching or brokering especially if your spouse plans to become an owner operator. This puts you directly in connection with your spouses plans for the future in trucking and makes your relationship even more solid. Not to mention it shows your interest, intelligence, and intent on being a devoted and committed lifelong companion.

Avoid the pitfall some woman make of taking advantage of the opportunity that the spouse is away from home to have affairs and/or partying all the time with her single or loose friends.Just turn the tables and pretend you were out busting your behind to make a living for the family an your spouse was at home partying or cheating. How would you feel?

Trucking Companies - These drivers are not robots. They have families and they have lives. Treat the drivers the same way you would want to be treated if you were a driver. Focusing entirely on the bottom line will only be counter productive to your desired result.

If you want to increase driver loyalty, driver retention, better performance and work ethic, treat drivers like your would want to be treated. Increase your profit margins by doing things efficiently including hiring competent people in the office. If family or friends that are employed can't cut it then cut them.

Tell drivers what you expect and when they don't perform after proper warning fire them until you get a good team so that all driver on your team are treated like a winning team member. (That's what you will have)

This doesn't mean not to give drivers with less than perfect records a chance. These people could very well end up being your best employees. When people prove themselves in an interview give them a chance to prove themselves on the job, don't assume from 10 incident on the record or criminal report that a person is not suitable for a position with the company.

Dispatchers - Treat drivers like you would want to be treated if you were a driver. If a driver is responsible and dependable don't give him fabricated appointment times.

You need to care about your job performance just like the drivers need to. I know some of you especially at large companies are college students. Please take your job serious while you are working, you are supposed to learn that as part of your college experience, I don't care what your are going to college for. Always give your employer at least 100 percent, that means trying to be effective with the logistics and relationship building aspect of the job. Thanks.

D.O.T. - Most of us know that you are here to do a job. I talk about it here. Be careful not to take out the bad attitude of the clown of the day on another driver. You know what challenges we face at the shippers and receivers and that we have families at home so do what you feel is right when you are faced with decisions. Most drivers appreciate the job you do and realize that there will always be a few who go to unnecessary extremes to satisfy their own personal needs, please don't be one of them! By the way this is something that needs to change, this driver fatique enforcement checklist is not right. Thanks

MediaWe know you are interesting mostly in ratings first. Keep in mind that the perception you create by your viewers impacts the lives of people. Take time to publicize many of the positive stories about truckers. There are angles to take to make the story interesting if you have the skill to do it. I know most of you do, sometimes we all get a little lazy though. Too many people take what you report in a literal sense and use it for a foundation from which to think. People are trained or conditioned to not look at the big picture and analyze information presented from various sources and different angles. Again this is why what you feed them has such an impact on what they believe, if you care about people, be balanced.

By creating these poisonous foundations in the thought process you are crippling the lives of many people and believe it or not you too will be effected eventually as long as you live and interact along with the rest of society.

As far as the trucking industry goes, truckers are far more complex than the accidents you report or that cross dresser trucker I saw on the news that time. (Must admit, it was entertaining) Most of these accidents are not the truckers faults and I can tell you know it often by the slick wording that a lot of people will not even hear because you blast that a trucker did this or did that or had a certain problem at the time of the accident and whisper the part about what the car did to cause it all. Let's be more fair and not be misleading in the stories that so many people's lives are shaped by.

Truck drivers are the safest drivers on the road, have less accidents, and cause less of the accidents that trucks are involved in. Truckers are also in many of the accidents that you show trying to avoid the faulty driving habits of people in cars. Include that in some of your reports. Thanks

Well that's enough for now!

Lets all do what we can do help change the face of the trucking industry!

Got any ideas to ad to help change the face of the trucking industry please post them below, thanks.

What Are Your Suggestions for Changing The Face of The Trucking Industy

Who needs to do what to make the trucking industry a better work environment or improve it's image. Maybe one day they will read this page and wake up!

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