Top 6 Reasons Truck Drivers Succeed in the Trucking Industry
Rig On Wheels Broker & Recruitment Services
Bringing new quality drivers into your company may be the most important thing you do.
Are you wondering why some truck drivers succeed and others don't? We're confident you want to know. In the following, our truck driver recruiting agency shares the top 6 reasons people succeed in the industry.
1. They maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Successful truck drivers know the importance of a healthy long-haul truck driver lifestyle.
Eat clean. Instead of a candy bar or a sugary treat, grab cashews, almonds, nuts, or a vegetable salad, not a hotdog, when you stop at a convenience store.
Substitute processed and preserved foods for clean carbohydrate and protein sources.
To save money as a truck driver , prepare meals in advance to ensure you’re eating healthily and can control the ingredients in your food.
Do you have a refrigerator in your commercial truck or semi? Prepare ahead of time and put them in dishes-size containers. Depending on how long you want to be on the road, stock up on enough food to last seven days.
Avoid burnout. Don't overwork yourself even if you have an irregular schedule. Get seven hours of quality sleep to be alert and refreshed for the day. Improve your sleep with the following tips –
Cancel out noise in truck stops and traffic with quality earbuds.
Limit your time on screens before night. Use a blue light filter instead, or turn off the screens a few hours before bed.
When trying to sleep, blue light is unhelpful . Your phone or any other mobile device emits blue light that suppresses melatonin release. You feel drowsy because of the hormone melatonin, which controls the cycle of sleep and wakefulness.
Block the light coming into your truck windows. Use curtains or shades.?
Don't eat within one to three hours before bed, even if grabbing for a chocolate bar or a bag of Lays is tempting.?
Keep yourself hydrated. Drink more fluids, ideally water, throughout the day. This will help you stay alert and energized. Drink eight 8-oz glasses , a half gallon, or two liters of water daily. Sip on often, even when you're not thirsty.
Exercise regularly. Here is a TikTok video on simple truck driver exercises while on the road. You can gradually add exercise to your schedule as well. After a long drive, sneak in some workout instead of unwinding. Stretch for 15 minutes or go for a stroll, for instance.
Work on your posture. Prevent sciatica, back pain, and other back issues. Improve your posture. Use a good driver seat, which becomes your "office chair." Look for one with lumbar support. Adjust it every hour, but make sure to keep your seat high. Don’t sit still so that you can relieve spine pressure, too.
One of the secrets to a successful career as a truck driver is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A bad OTR truck driver lifestyle, on the other hand, can be taxing on your body and mind. Therefore, make it your goal to improve your health by forming the right behaviors.
2. They aim to achieve work-life balance.
Truck driving is rewarding and enjoyable, especially since drivers see many places that many people don't.
However, driving a Class A truck on a regular basis might have negative effects on one's physical and mental health. Truckers must therefore combine their professional and personal lives in order to live a healthy lifestyle.
What is a work-life balance? This minimizes work-related stress, prevents burnout, and establishes a sustainable and consistent way to work while keeping a healthy overall. Here's a short truck driver work-life balance checklist for you.
Nevertheless, it is up to you how to keep yourself entertained. The secret here is always to have something to look forward to in your life.
Truck driver work-life balance benefits your health. Another way to achieve this is to maintain healthy eating habits. You don’t have to eliminate all your favorite foods. What’s important is to choose healthy options.
Eat more fiber-rich foods, limit your intake of sugary drinks, drink more water, eat more fruits and vegetables, and avoid deep-fried items.
Communicate. Improve communication levels with your loved ones and other truck drivers.
Stay in touch with your family back home, even if you're out of town. Keep your partner informed where you’ll be for the day to prevent them from feeling disconnected.
Again, planning to achieve work-life balance in trucking and having something to look forward to when it's time to go home would be beneficial. Additionally, take care of your health, keep continuous communication, and be mentally and physically active.
3. They make a plan.
Creating and sticking with a plan is another reason people succeed in the trucking industry.
Keep extra items on hand, such as clean clothing, non-perishable foods, and necessities, even if you're using a trip planner app. These will be useful, especially if you find yourself in remote areas with limited service.
In order to avoid delays or accidents, successful truck drivers also keep abreast of weather conditions like ice roads and torrential rain.
Additionally, they use a travel planner to find the most effective routes through the city or nation.
In order to receive expectations and timetables for pickups and deliveries, successful truckers also maintain continual communication with the dispatcher. Drivers also provide updates, mentioning serious issues like being significantly late or experiencing any delays.
That’s why efficient truck drivers also allow for extra time. They figure out how long the trip will take them and then add more time so that they can address any unexpected delays.
Truck drivers should also locate essential services as a part of truck driver trip planning. For example, they need to know where to go precisely if they run into truck issues on the road.
They should be aware of the locations of hospitals, truck stops, rest stops, and places to eat beforehand. They also need to be aware of the best places to obtain supplies like gas. These all guarantee their security and comfort.
They also use truck trip planning apps, like Trucker Path , to help them with anything trucking-related, including parking, navigation, weight stations, and fuel prices.
4. They keep essential truck driver tools in their vehicle.
Having some essential tools handy is a huge time saver for truckers needing emergency repair or maintenance. So here's a simple truck driver tools checklist for you.
·? ? ? ? Small toolbox
·? ? ? ? Dog or dog bone wrench
·? ? ? ? Combination wrenches
·? ? ? ? Crescent wrenches
·? ? ? ? Wire cutter and electrical tape
·? ? ? ? Vice grips
·? ? ? ? Air pressure gauge
·? ? ? ? Ratcheting screwdriver set
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·? ? ? ? Safety glasses
·? ? ? ? 3-lb. sledgehammer
·? ? ? ? Flashlight
·? ? ? ? Gloves
·? ? ? ? Metal dowel rod
You might also like: Technology Helping Trucking Companies To Increase Driver Retention.
5. They schedule preventive maintenance.
Truck preventive maintenance increases road safety while preventing delays and accidents on the roads and highways. It reduces breakdown risks and improves truck reliability, too.
Both new and seasoned truck drivers are aware that keeping their trucks in good working order will enable them to accomplish their objectives and avoid financial disaster. So let me give you a quick list.
Examine the fluid levels to find any leaks so you can stop them before they become a bigger issue.
Change fluids depending on the number of miles driven, load weight, and driving type (city traffic, dusty roads). Follow manufacturer recommendations on the frequency of changing fluids.
Check and verify tire pressure to ensure that the tires are properly inflated and do not suffer from uneven wear. This will also help provide superior traction while maximizing fuel efficiency.
Check the tires' condition and tread depth to prevent tire blowouts and delivery delays.
Check the air filters to prevent clogging and ensure your engine’s running smoothly. This truck preventive maintenance tip also reduces the air getting into the engine, leading to lower fuel economy.??
When the breaks have reached their minimal wear condition, check to make sure they are balanced and that you can replace them.
Examine and confirm the electrical system and battery load. If you drive in a colder climate and perform an annual inspection, add the alternator, battery, and electrical system to the list of preventative maintenance items.
Make sure there are no burned-out bulbs in the external lighting, and check the status of the brake, signal, running, and warning lights.
Check and service the fifth wheel platform to ensure you can securely hook up your trailer. Adjust or grease as needed. Clean the platform and look for any components that need replacement as well.
Here are helpful prevention maintenance checklists for tractors, trucks, and automobiles and a tractor-trailer preventive maintenance checklist PDF to which you can also refer.
6. They Choose the Right Trucking Company.
Successful truck drivers also succeed because they can land their ideal trucking job. But, first, choose the right company to work for and with. Rig on Wheels can help connect you with your ideal trucking company. Just fill out this truck driver application , and one of our dedicated recruiters will? contact you soon. Here are some tips for picking the right trucking company for you.
Freight type: New CDL graduates often pick dry vans, which can offer more jobs for new drivers. However, specialized freight types like hazmat often need trucking experience.
Pay and benefits: Successful and content truck drivers evaluate the salaries offered by various trucking businesses. For inspiration, ask current and retired truck drivers. Sign-on bonuses, (CPM) cents-per-mile rates, and the advantages provided are other items to compare.
Company culture: Read up on the business online and gather as much knowledge as you can. Ask current and past drivers about the culture of the firm.
Home time: Instead of an over-the-road trucking work, where you typically get home only after a couple of weeks, you might want to think about a local or regional employment if you wish to be at home frequently.
Suppose they have not driven for a while and want to return to driving. In that case, drivers take a refresher course, showing prospective trucking companies hiring CDL drivers that they are serious about the job and are updated with the most current driving regulations.
You might also like: 3 Steps to Landing Your Ideal Trucking Job
There you have the top 6 reasons people succeed in the trucking industry. Do you think we missed one or two reasons on the list? Write them in the comment. And if you like this article, share it on social media today!?
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If you work in the trucking industry and want to share your experience, email me at [email protected]
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