New To Commercial Trucking? Tips For Your Job Transition
If you have been considering starting a new career as a commercial truck driver, the transition you have ahead of you can be an exciting and overwhelming one. While you may feel reasonably prepared after completing your CDL license training and truck driving school, there are things that you can only learn from experience. Unfortunately, the experience that teaches some of these things can leave you struggling with issues you'd rather avoid. Here's a look at some of the basics you should keep in mind as you get started with your new career.
Make Sure You Get Along With Your Dispatcher
Remember that your dispatcher is the one responsible for distributing loads among all of the company's drivers. You want to stay on good terms with your dispatcher and get along with him or her to ensure that you have a good line of communication about those loads.
When you cannot communicate effectively with your dispatcher, it can leave you struggling not only to secure loads but also to manage the loads that you do get. When you have questions, it can be hard to get them answered when you and your dispatcher cannot communicate effectively.
Avoid Refusing Loads
If you develop a reputation for being picky about your loads, it can lead to less work for you than for those drivers that accept any assigned load without issue. While all dispatchers understand that sometimes things happen that lead you to drop a load, refusing loads repeatedly can be problematic for your relationship with the company.
Aim to accept any load you are given, especially when you are just starting out. The more miles you can log, the more experience you will develop as a new driver. Remember that some of the skills and ease behind the wheel can only come from more time behind the wheel.
Plan To Cook Your Own Meals
Make use of a portable refrigerator, an electric griddle, and a slow cooker in your truck. That way, you can make meals easily without having to rely on truck stop and diner food on a regular basis. Eating takeout meals on a regular basis is unhealthy, and can lead to weight gain and potentially failed health tests.
The more you understand as you get started in your trucking career, the easier the transition will be. Take time to not only follow these tips but also to talk with some of the veteran drivers within the company to get the benefits of their experience. They can help you navigate the company's standards and requirements more easily.
For more information, reach out to a trucking service.
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