Secrets of Successful Truck Drivers
Driving truck over-the-road offers excellent pay and benefits but can be challenging. We have gathered some secrets of successful truck drivers from America’s best long-haul drivers to share with you. These over-the-road driver created and time-proven secrets can help you enjoy your career as a commercial driver.
Accessorize Your Big Rig
If you worked in an office, you would have family pictures, things of personal interest, vacation pictures, and other objects that make your office feel like an oasis. The same can be true for your truck. Long-time commercial drivers add lights and accessories to their rolling home away from home. Maybe pictures of your family in the cab, organizing bins to keep personal belongings in place and tidy will make your cab like home. Keeping the inside cab neat and less chaotic gives a sense of peace and tranquility.
The average trucker drives over 100,000 miles on America’s roadways per year. That is a lot of miles and a lot of time on the road. Think about what would make your truck feel more comfortable and home-like. Then make a list of additions you would like to make to your rolling home. One by one, turn your big rig into an oasis for those days you must be away from home. This simple suggestion can keep you trucking for a long time.
Build Meaningful Relationships
We all need to feel understood and a part of a network. This is true for over-the-road drivers too. Take the time to create a positive network of people to communicate with. Many long-time drivers have positive interactions with shippers, receivers, dispatchers, fleet managers, and other drivers. These interactions form a bond or a sense of value. As you feel needed, valued, and appreciated by the people you work alongside, it makes the long-haul a lot shorter.
Long-time truckers realize that positive interactions with the dispatchers make a significant difference to lessen frustrations and problems while on the road. Dispatchers play a critical role in the career of a commercial truck driver. Dispatchers keep records of driver errors and violations, keep drivers legal on the road, relay severe weather warnings, negotiate delivery rates and schedules, as well as convey truck stop and fuel cost information. Teaming up with the dispatcher can make a huge difference in your life as a professional truck driver.
No one can indeed replace your family. But your workmates and business associates can be your second family. Strive to be courteous, respectful, and flexible to make lasting relationships. It is good to keep in mind more people will help a friend than a foe. This can be challenging during high-stress situations. Take a deep breath, and remember this will be resolved, and over before you know it.
Think Healthy Lifestyle
Professional drivers have found that eating healthy and exercise can help the mind, body, and job performance. Cooking in the cab and eating small meals throughout the day can make a big difference in your life — healthy food choices aid in preventing sickness and disease.
Healthy lifestyle choices and exercise enhance thinking ability and decision-making skills. Proper sleep also aids in better work performance and the ability to be positive during challenging circumstances. Sleep is also essential for sound decision making. Truckers have a weighty responsibility day after day and need to have plenty of rest to keep America’s roads safe.
By choosing to eat right, exercise, and sleep an adequate amount, you will be able to perform your job to your full potential. You will also be a force for good to those around you. Many career drivers attest to choosing a healthy lifestyle as a key to success and happiness.
Embrace A Hobby
Embrace a healthy and productive hobby in your life. Constructive hobbies can not only make you smarter, but they can make you happier too. Researchers have found that people that are active in a hobby are less likely to suffer from depression, low mood, and anxiety. Hobbies can improve your involvement in social networks, increase self-esteem and confidence levels. A person that feels confident and good about themselves excel in work performance and make better decisions.
What are some hobbies that are good for you? Here is a list of just a few leisure activities that many people find are good for the mind and the soul.
- Cooking
- Writing
- Sewing
- Leather Making
- Hiking
- Painting
- Dancing
- Gardening
- Swimming
These are just a few hobby ideas to improve your life and your driving career. Living a purposeful life both on and off the road creates a sense of internal well-being and value. This is an essential secret of successful over-the-road drivers.
Follow the Law
Commercial drivers are bombarded with federal regulations. Abiding by the rules and not trying to sidestep the law creates a life with less anxiety. Additionally, you will spend a lot less money on fines and can use that money to work less or spend the money on your family. Following the law is a win-win situation.
Respect for laws will help you to maintain a clean driving record and a good reputation. Some of the fundamental laws that may be a little challenging to respect could be.
- Do not drink and drive.
- Do not drive while distracted.
- Wear your seatbelt.
- Respect the posted speed limit signs.
- Be courteous and use your turn signals to change lanes.
- Take rest as required by the law.
While these laws may seem inconvenient and in the way of making more money, successful commercial drivers know that they are the key to peace and happiness in their job. Career truck drivers realize that keeping a good-paying job is dependent on compliance.
Most aspects of everyday living in America are only possible because of our women and men that work as professional truck drivers. We are happy to share these secrets of successful drivers with you to make your job easier. Using these secrets and your training is essential for the trucking industry to perform efficiently and smoothly. We want to thank the nearly 600,000 long-haul drivers that keep America’s economy running strong.
For those of you that are choosing over-the-road driving as your career, we want to thank you in advance for your dedication to safety and compliance to keep America’s roadways safe. Please take to heart these secrets of successful long-time over-the-road drivers, so you too can find happiness and success as a commercial truck driver.
BetterTruckDrivingJobs.com hopes that this article addresses the Logistics Transportation Layoffs in great detail. Feel free to add your thoughts by leaving us a comment below.
Truck drivers should also check out our free truck driving job postings.
