Know These Things Before Embarking on a Trucking Career

What are some things you should know before starting a trucking career? Today’s world of trucking is much more computer-oriented than in the past, for starters. It’s not unusual that your every move is tracked by a computer such that you’re being watched in some respect. For some people, that’s unnerving and quite stressful.

It Can Be Stressful

Indeed, trucking is stressful. If you don’t like driving your car in heavy traffic then chances are you won’t like driving a giant truck in it, either. Not only do you have to put up with “idiots” on the road who weave in and out of lanes with no turn signals, and speed up or slow down with no regard to you, but then you have to deal with all sorts of people in real life, such as supervisors, bosses, customers, truck stop cashiers, etc. There’s a lot of time you’re alone in your cab and then there are people-intense moments, too.

Parking Can Be Strenuous!

Sometimes just trying to find a parking space for your truck can become the most stressful event and you’ll be so frustrated you’re ready to quit! Then there are times when you’re supposed to deliver something on time but traffic is backed up for miles. Ugh. And there’s the stress of being away from home, missing out on family and friend gatherings and not knowing if the weather will be conducive to driving… or not. If you’re someone who can handle stress well and take it in stride, then trucking might be a good fit for you.

You Need People Skills

If you hate people, don’t be a trucker. As a truck driver, you will have to communicate with people and manage the people whom you have to deal with… From dispatchers to customers and then some, truckers have to be effective communicators and stay even keeled even when others annoy them. And time is money with trucking, but losing one’s temper is not good, so if you’re quick to anger, avoid trucking as a career.

There’s Downtime

There’s a lot of downtime with trucking. Is there something to do during that downtime? Rather than be bored, hopefully you have hobbies like playing video games, scrolling Facebook, watching movies, reading books, etc.

If you have a passion for driving the open road and travel, and you like people and delivering “the goods,” then consider a career in trucking. For more info, call Platinum Drivers at 844-800-1421.