How Do You Identify A True Professional?

What types of behaviors and practices tell you that another driver is a skilled, courteous professional driver with situational awareness?

I ask because I witnessed such a driver yesterday. He obviously processed a potentially dangerous situation way ahead of time and slowed down and moved over so myself and two other drivers could avoid a snarl.

But if it’s on the road or in a truck stop or at a customer, what tells you that a driver really is a true professional?

I can tell a true professional by the colour of their flip flops lol 😂

For me one indicator would be how they conduct themselves in say a distribution center. If they don’t come in driving like a jackel. 4 ways on. Lights off. Not crowding trucks when they are trying to back in and fly by the second they get an inch of room. Not parking directly in front of the check in door. Not stinking up the line when waiting to check in. Being polite with whoever is doing the check ins. I could go on but those immediately come to mind. O and clean truck. Inside and out. Not a pound of garbage sitting in the crevice between the dash and windshield.

I ask because I witnessed such a driver yesterday. He obviously processed a potentially dangerous situation way ahead of time and slowed down and moved over so myself and two other drivers could avoid a snarl.

That’s definitely a good way to tell. Honestly I don’t really pay much attention to other truck drivers anymore. Unless I notice something out of the ordinary like you did I don’t really notice anything specific about most other drivers.

I don't either. Sometimes I see things though.

Had a conversation with a driver late night across Nevada on 80 one time, he was training his son before retirement. He been doing it a long time. I had asked him if he was having trouble getting around me, if so, I'd drop it back for a bit so he could. Just a cool discussion between to professionals.

I do take notice when I see people dressed professionally at DCs and truck stops, including boots and jeans or cargo pants/shorts. And a clean truck, winter though adds it challenges. I keep my clean in and out.

I notice tge courteous ones that drive responsibly and try to emulate that as well, especially if I'm frustrated or under a deadline.

How we conduct ourselves is a result of our work ethic and I think it would show across any field were in.

For me it was seeing how some of them hopped out of their rig and dressed like they just woke up from a nap @ grandmas....flip flops,clogs and jammies sheeesh....Or the crap n trash all over the dash board, like really? Hate to see the inside of their trashy dump...They sell trash cans/bags for a reason lol....Makes ya wonder how their HOME looks (same pig mess)

The dash board garbage, made me wonder HOW the H3LL, they get thru a scale without being flagged in for inspections !?!?

The dash board garbage, made me wonder HOW the H3LL, they get thru a scale without being flagged in for inspections !?!?

I remember quite clearly the pretrip we learned in school included the dashboard being clear. In my daycab I have a small trash can with a plastic grocery bag I'm able to put my trash in and keep it out of sight. A dirty truck drives me crazy. Our wash bay has been down for 2 weeks waiting on parts and I'm not happy.

In addition to what others have mentioned, When you move over to let another driver on and they wait to blow your doors off until you're able to get safely back over. Not having too much pride to back off the pedal for 5 seconds to allow a truck that's slightly faster to get by rather than getting into a turtle race for 5 miles.

I've personally been called out on the CB for good behavior. When it's raining/wet road and no traffic I'll hang out in the left lane longer to avoid throwing all that water on the other guys windshield and give him extra following distance. I was also complimented for not moving back over right away as we approached a hill because I know the limitations of my truck and I was going to fall on my face trying to climb it. No other traffic than the 2 of us so I hung out in the left lane so I didn't make him lose momentum climbing the hill and i didnt lose mine by slowing down to stay behind him. Coming down on the other side I passed him and moved over when it was reasonable to do so.