Rainy Debunks Another Myth About Mega-Carriers In Her Latest Article

Debunking myths is one of our primary jobs here at TruckingTruth. The amount of misinformation and the number of false presumptions in the trucking industry is staggering. We're always hoping that people will forget about the garbage they've heard elsewhere and consider what we're teaching with an open mind.

Rainy has debunked one of the most common myths you'll find in the trucking industry - that you're nothing but a truck number at the mega carriers. No one will care about you, no one will know your name.

If you do your job at a high level and make the effort to develop relationships within your company you'll be known by a long list of important people within your company, no matter how large that company may be.

Rainy works at Prime Inc, a company with over 8,000 drivers. Read her newest article to find out how well known she is within her company and how she made that happen:

Why I'm More Than Just A Number At My Mega-Carrier

Thank you for this article, Rainy. There is so much great information for drivers, no matter what company they work for.

I'm especially grateful as Prime is the company that I've had the best response from so far. My recruiter, Angela, is great. She's just as friendly as the people you describe in your article. Thanks again.

Stay safe out there! Colin K.

Great stuff Rainy!

I can confirm Rainy's experience at my company. Recently I got put in a loaner truck while mine went back to the dealer for some warranty work. My dispatcher shared with me a story that went on behind the scenes that I normally would not have even known about. But during a disagreement among some management personell over how to find me an available truck, our brand new terminal manager suggested they tell me they had one available even though they really didn't. This was an effort to make sure I was generating revenue for his terminal. The shop manager told him, "We can't do that to this driver. He is one of the nicest, and most productive drivers we have - we can't do him that way."

I know who this guy is, but had no idea he knew anything about me. All those management types get to know the driver's who are making things happen out here. If you are productive, safe, and easy to work with, you are well known at these big companies.

Thank you for this article, Rainy. There is so much great information for drivers, no matter what company they work for.

I'm especially grateful as Prime is the company that I've had the best response from so far. My recruiter, Angela, is great. She's just as friendly as the people you describe in your article. Thanks again.

Stay safe out there! Colin K.

Angela Gomez...shes awesome and honest. does her best

good luck!!!

Super-Fantastic and well-written article, Rainy! Should be required reading for everyone.

My firm belief is a driver; rookie or experienced must take personal responsibility for their individual success. This includes understanding the unwritten dynamic between driver managers (dispatchers) and their respective drivers. The most important ingredient is effective communication; not allowing things to just happen or not. Let them know what's going on. Constantly work on professional communication with the people directly affecting you job, because from a career perspective it's the most important set of relationships you'll have. And contrary to the myth, it's typically 2-4 people that really matter. If they do not know who you are, then you are nothing more than a number.

Understand what it took for Rainy to gain the respect and courtesy of the people she frequently interacts with. She communicates, opens herself up to others so that she can make a personal, professional connection. Accept the reality that although we are dealing with big heavy machines, trucking is a people business.

If anyone feels like just a number at their company, no matter the size, it's frankly their own fault.

Great article Rainy.

Bumping this...important read for anyone considering a trucking career or beginning their training.

Rainy, thank you for very much for taking the time to write this article and sharing your experience with us. It was very well written and I found all of your insights and examples really helpful and actually inspiring, as I'm just beginning my journey into truck driving as a new second/mid-life career. I'm pretty excited but also kind of scared to death about it all (and rightly so) so it's good to be able to just lurk in the background and soak-up all of the sage wisdom and advice that everyone here is so willing to share for the benefit of us newbies and potential wannabes.

Thanks again, T

Counter evidence to the myth-buster only because it’s so sad it’s funny.

First off they didn’t even know my name, they left a blank space (no I didn’t blank it out) Second I’m still on the trainers truck, and the person who sent the message didn’t know the truck number. Finally I’ve never been scheduled to go to the Red Roof Inn at that location. I have an apartment close to the school in Conley GA, where my official CDL will be mailed to. So while I’m not being treated like a number, I am being treated like a blank page. The good thing is so far the pay checks have cleared.

I tried to include a picture of the Qualcomm message, but it didn’t work for some reason. I’ll type the text.

Congrats I see is ready fo r upgrade, please come out of the Red Roof Inn at 6:10 a.m. to get on the sh uttle that brings you to SH, class sta rts at 7:30a.m. Bring your CDL , med card, training packet signed off on th e back page by the trainer and modules done. We look forward to having you in class