Some Of The Toughest Obstacles Rookie Truck Drivers Face: Article By Old School

We have a great new article from Old School called:

Some Of The Toughest Obstacles Rookie Truck Drivers Face

On a daily basis people stumble blindly into this industry thinking it's only trucking, it can't be that big of a deal. Even worse, they hear truck drivers are in demand so they get a big head. They expect to be able to call all the shots and be treated like kings.

Just today I got an email from someone who doesn't even have their CDL yet and it said in part:

...thousands of drivers go into this blind and have regrets. I feel like I am keeping mine to a minimum because the Industry is on fire right now and the demand is definitely in my favor, ( I am sure you are full aware of the driver shortage).

What he's really saying is:

These companies are begging me to come save them from their driver shortage so I'll give them a shot to prove they're good enough for me. Maybe if they treat me well enough I'll stick around for a while, but then again I can have 10 other jobs tomorrow so no promises

What I hear is:

"I'm going to get my ass kicked to the curb in about 3 days and then I'll be all over Facebook and Youtube warning the world what a terrible industry trucking is."

Folks, trucking is tough. As a brand new driver you're not in demand. You don't even know how to drive a truck. You can't make the company any money.

What you are is someone who will be given the opportunity to make the team, to show them you have what it takes to survive and then thrive in a very difficult and demanding profession. But you have to get through that first year, and that's a tall order.

Old School's article will list many of the biggest problems and challenges you'll face that first year. Hopefully you'll take it seriously when you get your opportunity because make no mistake about it, there's no faking it in trucking. You can either hack it, or you can't, and most people can't.

Are you going to go on to to be a Top Tier Driver or are you going home on a bus crying the blues? This article will help you succeed in this career if you're willing to put in the work:

Some Of The Toughest Obstacles Rookie Truck Drivers Face

Great article. Thanks Old School and Brett!

I couldn't help but shake my head at the backing up part of the article..... So someone has been at a company a year, been given the keys to a truck and told to go safely make some money with it. In all that time they never found an empty truck stop parking lot, an empty rest area or an empty corner of a customer staging area that they could practice backing?

I just can't help but think that if you asked for help and politely explain that you want to be a better driver that you would get help at most companies. Maybe not at 8:30am when the yard is a hot mess... but I have a hard time imagining a manager telling someone "tough cookies we don't want better, safer drivers here." Don't most companies have someone who helps develop drivers or a safety team that works on driver skill development?

Brian asks

Don't most companies have someone who helps develop drivers or a safety team that works on driver skill development?

Yes. Most companies do. Swift has a "close quarters" training.

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Great article Old School. I think that you hit the nail on the head, with this one.