10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

DECEMBER 2007 TRUCKER TALK
ADVICE FOR NEW DRIVERS
By Writers and Owner Operators Rod & Kim Grimm

As soon as the first trucks were built, we had new drivers. And as long as they continue to build trucks, there will always be new drivers. No matter what some drivers may say, none of us were born knowing how to drive a truck! We all had to learn at some point. But if there is one piece of advice I could pass on to new drivers, it would be to listen and learn from the old-timers. They have seen it all and done it all, and they aren’t shy about telling you that. So take advantage of all this knowledge, and learn from their mistakes and experiences.

I have known a few drivers who, if they thought they could, would try to convince you that they came into the world already knowing how to shift and back up. But that’s in their “world” and the rest of us know better. The only way any of us really learn to drive a truck, is by doing it. Just like any other profession, the longer you do it, the better you get at it. Or at least that’s the way it should be. And like many other drivers I’ve talked to over the years, in all honesty, we all on occasion have “can’t back up” days, “can’t find where we’re going” days, and “we look like a beginner” days. So if you are having problems out there, relax – we all do from time to time.

We’ve been on the road for over 20 years and we certainly know more now than we did back then. But by no means do we know all there is to know about trucking. Older drivers can still learn from the newer drivers, and if the new drivers are smart, they will learn from the drivers who have been out here for a while. We’d like to give the new drivers a little advice learned on the job. Common sense can take you a long way on the road. Some drivers will just complain about the new drivers, but what will that do to change anything? And just because a driver looks over 50 these days, doesn’t mean that they’ve been on the road for a long time. With so many people losing their jobs and companies aggressively recruiting, we are getting older “new” drivers every day.

The other day at a tight dock, I offered to help another driver watch so he wouldn’t hit his fender. You never know how some guys will take being helped by a woman, but this driver thanked me. It helped him and it meant he got in that dock and out of it quicker, so we could get in and out quicker, too. You can’t always count on help from another driver though. Sometimes the person helping you can actually back you into what you’re trying to avoid hitting. Most of the time that doesn’t happen, but if things don’t feel right, get out and look for yourself. Even if it takes longer, it’s better to take the time to be sure you don’t hit something, than end up with an accident on your record and a claim on your insurance.

If you’re a team, getting a couple hand held CB’s makes it so easy. With radios, it doesn’t matter if the driver can see the helper or not, he or she will still get the important information they need. You also won’t need the assortment of hand signals that can sometimes drive you crazy. But if you do need to use the hand signal method, make sure both drivers know what they all mean, especially the one for STOP! And never move the truck if you don’t know where your co-driver is! Also, you should always be on the lookout for the idiot that will try to race behind you, even when they see that you are getting ready to back up. I don’t know what makes people feel the need to go behind a truck that is backing up. I wonder if they really think that something as big as our trailer hitting them won’t hurt!

Today, many community colleges offer truck driving courses. These colleges sometimes even help place their newly-graduated students in jobs. Some trucking companies have programs to help train drivers, but then you are required to stay with that company for a certain amount of time. If you leave too soon, you may have to pay back thousands of dollars in fees. This is the way a lot of new drivers are getting into trucking. It’s not like the old days when you knew somebody, they gave you a chance, and then got on-the-job training.

You need to be careful and read what you are agreeing to do for a company that has helped train you in your new career. There should be an order you do things. Don’t get grand ideas of owning your own truck before you even learn to drive one! Learn to drive, drive at least a year or more, and learn what’s involved in taking care of a truck before you lease or buy your own. Be sure that you know what the company does and does not pay for before you sign your life (and money) away. Is the payment monthly or weekly? Sometimes weekly payments can add up to lots more than a regular monthly payment. If you can, most financial advisors would tell you to get your own financing instead of leasing. With your own financing it will be easier to change companies if the company you’re with isn’t working out anymore. But please beware – changing companies can cost a lot of money, and if you do it too often, pretty soon the good companies won’t talk to you anymore because they’ll just consider you to be an unstable, unreliable job-hopper.

There are so many little things you should know that can save you lots of money as an owner operator. We’ve seen company drivers in a shop getting something as simple as changing a headlight done. That is usually at least half an hour of labor. $30-$50 seems a lot for something so simple. Taking care of important things like oil changes, brakes, tires and general maintenance will save you a lot in the long run. We’ve met drivers who say that their company will only fix one thing at a time, and not the two other things that could go wrong soon after they leave the shop. That is stupid! It’s always better to get all of the problems fixed at once. Besides, you might not be anywhere near a shop when that “other” breakdown finally happens. A lot of companies don’t want their drivers to even carry a screwdriver. And that’s great if that’s what your company requires, but when you own the truck, that can be bad business. You don’t need to become a master mechanic, but some general knowledge about maintenance and such can save you a lot of money.

At a drop one day in Fairfield, California, a driver asked if we owned our truck. We told him “yes” and that we owned the trailer, too. He had been on the road for only three months. The company he was driving for had promised him a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but that’s not what he was getting. He told us that there were so many things being deducted from his paycheck that he hadn’t been told about and that the miles were less than what he’d been lead to believe he would get. We felt sorry for him – he seemed so clueless. We talked a little while and then wished him well. Based on what he told us, we’re not sure if he was going to be able to hang on. And I’m sure that there are many new drivers out there in this same sad situation.

The one other thing that most schools don’t spend much time teaching about is the lifestyle. One driver I met was only on the road for three weeks before he realized that he couldn’t be away from his family for that amount of time regularly. He quit the company that trained him, and was lucky enough to get a local job. With promises of good money, they sometimes forget to tell new recruits how expensive it can be to live on the road. Food alone is a huge expense, and even a shower can cost $10 these days if you aren’t getting fuel, too. And while you are out on the road spending money, you still have the expenses at home piling up – a mortgage or rent payment, utilities, credit cards, etc.

Here is something else to consider: does your company pay for insurance? If you are an owner operator, health insurance is something you can’t be without – but it won’t come cheap! Another thing that I’m sure most people don’t want to think about, but in our profession you really should, is having a will. The odds of something happening on the road are much higher than at an office job. And if something terrible does happen to you while out on the road, you can’t come back to tell anyone what you want done with your possessions. In some states, that’s where everything you own could end up – with the state! When you’re young, you think you will live forever, but, sadly, that doesn’t always happen. If you are choosing to live on the road, be prepared. Your loved ones might one day really appreciate that you got organized and prepared.

So, if you’re a new driver, good luck with your new career. Be careful, be safe and listen to the old-timers. Never be afraid to ask a stupid question. Better to ask a “stupid” question than suffer the consequences of making a bonehead decision. And like Max from Fikes on Dave Nemo always says, “Good weather and good trucking!”

In closing, we are including another poem from Trevor Hardwick this month. We mentioned to him that we were putting this article together and, oddly enough, he had just written a poem about this very topic that seemed to be a perfect fit for this column. This young man has so much talent. Again, look for a regular column in 10-4 Magazine very soon featuring Trevor’s poems and/or artwork. Enjoy!

WHERE DID TRUCKIN’ GO?
By Trevor Hardwick

Once upon some time ago, here in the land of the free.
I looked upon this truckin’ life, with sweet naivety.
Where did all the drivers go, who loved to drive those trucks?
They’ve been replaced by some new breed, who rely on pure dumb-luck.

Remember when trucks were trucks, and drivers knew them well?
It seems the pride in what we do, has all but gone to hell.
Now I grew up with wonder lust, and diesel in my veins.
When truckers were considered pro’s, and acted just the same.

And I agree that presently, some good ones still exist.
But when they’re gone I believe, they truly will be missed.
Does anyone recall at all, how truckstops used to be?
It seemed no two were just alike, from sea to shining sea.

Do compression releasers still exist, do “two sticks” ring a bell?
Or are they just some fairy tale, that some old-timers tell?
How about that familiar sound, of air-assisted starters?
You’re old school if you still agree, that Jakes can’t beat retarders.

We’ve got our cell phones, internet, and even satellites.
Way back when my dad called home, from payphones late at night.
They call my rig a large-car, with its two big shiny stacks.
But I still feel small when I stand beside, a Superliner Mack.

Used to be camaraderie, had bonded us like brothers.
You could disagree but ultimately, you could count on one another.
Nowadays the C.B. craze, is just to pick a fight.
With someone you don’t even know, then hide behind your mic.

My brand new rig has got a brain, it just won’t let it go.
So here I sit beside the road, just waitin’ for a tow!
My E.C.M. is on the fritz, and so I’m broken down.
I’m not a rocket scientist, so now I’m nowhere bound!

Monfort in their glory days, used to own the hammer lane.
And big fleets didn’t put so many, trailers on the train.
Carolina-Western boys, would bring you to your knees.
They’d grab a gear and put ‘cha in the mirror, with their 1693’s

I almost miss the “cornflake” trucks, Red-Ball and P.I.E.
And folks would stop and stare, at trucks that pull for Circle-C.
Remember back when Werner, had those Pete 359’s?
And May and Ida-Cal, had Kenworth Aerodynes.

I know the past of truckin’s gone, the future lies ahead.
And the money that we used to make, goes in the tank instead.
So take notes from the old guys, while they’re still alive,
They just might teach respect, and show you how to drive!