7 Mistakes Rookie Truckers Make and How to Avoid Them

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No one can ever underestimate the job of a truck driver. While everyone else is sleeping, most truckers are hauling. And despite the challenges they have to face day in day out, these road warriors have to continue moving food and products to keep store shelves stocked. They must ensure the timely delivery of medicines and medical supplies.   

Since life on the road is not a joke, many rookie drivers commit critical mistakes in their first few days or weeks of trucking. Most of the time, these mistakes can set them up for disastrous consequences. If you are new to this field, here are seven common mistakes you should avoid making:

• Neglecting work-life balance 

Newbie trucker needs to understand that driving a commercial vehicle is a taxing job. Life on the road can be challenging, and your working hours are longer than usual. If you are starting a trucking career, prepare yourself for the job’s most significant impact in your life: not spending enough time with your family. This can take a toll on your mental and body health, so try to look for an employer that upholds a work-and-life balance. Avoid setting your expectations too high, and learn to be flexible and adaptable to changes to survive the difficult life on the road.

• Overconfidence 

Overconfident and know-it-all newbie truckers are more likely to commit serious mistakes and get involved in road mishaps that could put themselves and other people’s lives in danger. While it helps that you are confident of your own skills, it is equally important to acknowledge the fact that it takes several months for truck drivers to master their tasks in a safe and timely manner.

Possession of a commercial driver’s license (CDL) isn’t tantamount to being a safety-conscious, reliable, and trustworthy driver. However, it is a sign that you have the potential to become one. It helps to attend a trustworthy CDL driver school, but proper training mainly improves your skills. As you acquire your CDL, be humble and admit that there are still a lot of things you need to learn.

• Disregarding your worth and value

While it isn’t a good idea to be overconfident, it won’t hurt to know how much you should be making. Avoid companies that expect too much from their drivers. Ask other drivers and determine how much you should be paid and what perks and benefits you should receive. Ask around and know which trucking companies give the best perks and salaries and how long should it take for you to get a promotion and pay hike. Besides salary and benefits, also know the companies’ working hours, amenities, rest days, and other perks.   

• Ignoring health issues

Most trucking newbies tend to overwork or overexert themselves on the job. This is detrimental to your health and your driving safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 100,000 motor vehicle accidents and 1,500 fatalities per year in the United States can be attributed to drowsy driving and sleep deprivation. Moreover, 50% of crashes involving commercial truck drivers are caused by extreme fatigue due to lack of sleep. Since you are just starting in this career, do not expect too much from yourself. Know your limits and find a healthy balance between work and rest.

Never compromise your health for convenience. Find time to do regular exercise and eat healthy food and snacks. This will need extra planning, but it will keep you from chronic health issues typical for truck drivers, such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and various back problems.

• Forgetting the qualities of a good trucker

While trucks are monstrous vehicles, stop acting like you rule the road when driving—being in a hurry to get to your destination and lack of focus when maneuvering often leads to driving mistakes, which can be fatal. Complacency is also a big NO as it can get any trucker in trouble. Remember what makes a good trucker—alert, independent, responsible, deadline-oriented—and cultivate these traits in yourself. By exhibiting these qualities, the dispatcher will know that they can trust you in handling trucking tasks punctually and professionally.   

• Having conflicts with the management

Remember that you are a newbie in this profession, so make sure to keep a clean employment record by building a positive relationship with your employer. Try to avoid any form of disputes with the management. If there’s miscommunication, take time to explain your side and settle it before your shift ends. Be friendly yet professional to your driver manager (DM), dispatcher, and the client you work with. While these people don’t sign your paycheck, they have control over the amount of work that will be given to you, so having a good relationship with them spell the difference between a successful route or a delivery trip with no backup or support.

• Not taking safety seriously

Prioritize your safety, always. Be extra careful when driving at night. Allot a huge ‘buffer zone’ between you and the vehicle you are following. Stay on your lane; if you need to change lanes, do it carefully and make sure to check your mirrors. Maintain control over your truck by driving slower than you need to. It pays to follow the recommended weight limits as an overloaded truck is difficult to control and maneuver.  

Avoid violating safety regulations like driving too fast, overloading your truck or trailer, as well as ignoring warning signs and standard highway safety practices. Committing these mistakes can cause accidents and serious injuries or, in a worst-case scenario, fatalities. Since you are a rookie, as early as now, start forming safety-conscious habits. This way, you can stay away from accidents while developing a clean driving record.

While it is sometimes inevitable, a new truck driver does not have to commit rookie mistakes to learn and be more experienced in this field. You just need to focus on driving and your goal for the day and remember the training you were given. Do your job with enthusiasm and without sacrificing your health and wellbeing. Keep an open mind as you familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of your new job. This way, you can avoid sabotaging yourself even before your career takes off.