The Attitude, Respect, Training and Safety Aspects of Trucking

Book excerpt: The title of this book, The Attitude, Respect, Training, and Safety Aspects of Trucking, is directly in line with the content of the book. As a professional driver, you will need all of these aspects to complete your portfolio. If you take just one of these aspects out of the equation, you are opening the door for potential hazards throughout your career. Example, you can be the most skilled driver in the world and yet when another driver intentionally or unintentionally cuts you off and you allow this to have a negative effect on your attitude, then there goes safety out the window. When you are considering a company as a new employer, it is critical that you discuss with your spouse and your children the requirements of the company. How often will you be gone? One week? Three weeks? How much time will you have with your family between trips? A number of drivers make the mistake of not discussing these priorities with their family. It might very well be that a local driving job would be best for you and your family as opposed to a position as an over-the-road driver. You would probably be surprised as to what your family would say. One thing is certain. If you don't discuss this with your family, you will invariably have marital and children problems. Remember this. Trucking is full of variables. Reefer, dry box, flatbed, tanker, or any other type of trucking you choose, just keep in mind that while it's still trucking, each one of these is as different as night and day. And by all means, I want you to realize that trucking is not for everybody. It takes a special breed of persons to be a true professional driver. Is that you?