Every truck driver fears a family emergency happening when they're out on the road. It's a helpless feeling, and there's little you can do to prepare.
Life on the road is challenging, and drivers are on tight schedules. But this was one of those days where I made a mistake that made things even worse!
For a truck driver that CDL is everything. Here is some great advice on protecting that license.
Although I had never planned on driving a semi, I wound up having a great trucking career. Here's a story about the trip where I reached 300,000 miles.
I got out of the trucking industry back in 2009. Almost two years later I'm ready to get back in but I'm facing a few hurdles along the way.
You never know when a beautiful day for a drive can suddenly turn ugly, as it did for Rhonda in her big rig on a typical summer day in Wisconsin.
An inside look at life on the road from a trucker's perspective.
Controlling costs in trucking is critical to the success of trucking companies, and drivers should be doing their part to help - for their own sake.
One of the first things a student truck driver will learn at their first company is how to operate a Qualcomm. Every company uses em, but what is it?
As a truck driver you have to be on guard at all times. Even when you're doing everything right you never know when someone will do something crazy.
The boss at my trucking company called and asked if I could deliver some loads overnight. I knew this was going to be a long night on the highway.
After 33 years as a woman in the transportation industry it's been amazing to look back at the journey and how far women truck drivers have come.
Your axle weights have to be legal before entering the highway, but what can a truck driver do if you're not sure and there's no scale at the shipper?
Some days are tougher than others for truck drivers, especially with the amount of traffic on the roads today. Today was a tough day in trucking.
Truck driving is not an easy career, and I got into it because I needed to make a better living. Now it's gotten old, and I'm looking for a way out.
It was a sad day driving truck today after finding out some really tough news and being called into work immediately afterwards.
I make a lot of trucking runs to Dallas, TX, and usually it's a two day affair. I'm getting ready to head out again and I'm hoping things will go well.
Backing was a tough issue for me back when I was new to truck driving, and a situation like this one was a nightmare for me!
I am just thrilled to know about the new adventure given to me - blocking 4 lanes of busy highway while trying to back the rig in. What a mess.
The American public sees more and more women behind the wheel of a big rig and they must surely think this is a new thing for women. Not even close!
The trailer behind the truck is something that you may never think about in great detail, and it looks simple enough, but there's a lot to it.
With the change of seasons comes another area of concern for all travelers of the highways - storms with hail, high winds and tornadoes.
Some days you just know are going to be bad. Today was one of them. Its the last of November and there is all sorts of weather heading our way.
It takes a lot of trucks to keep America going and the shelves filled. Most of us never consider the shipping and manufacturing that goes into it.
So what exactly do a truck driver's duties entail when picking up and delivering loads once they arrive at the customer? Here's an example.
This article discusses some of the medical disqualifications for truck drivers.
I am just thrilled that I get to have my DOT physical done again. Mine expires tomorrow. The medical card I carry is good for 2 years. Bummer.
it's far easier than you might imagine to get the safety records of trucking companies, and these records have a big effect on a company's drivers.
DAC reports and your MVR are two sources that trucking companies use to determine if you are eligible. But how does this process work? Here's how...
After a long day, I made it to the truck stop and I was tired. Little did I know, things during the night were going to get interesting!
Somtimes four wheelers don't know how to handle situations with trucks. They do the funniest, and sometimes the scariest things!
A lot can go wrong for truck drivers on the road, and sometimes you just have one of those weeks where it all goes wrong!
Truck drivers have a ton of responsibilities when it comes to safety, and patience is key. Here's an example of how quickly things can go wrong.
I've had my share of fun over the years on the road but this story was one of the funniest things I've ever experienced!
Whether a trucking company or bus company does proper maintenance is a great way to determine if it's a good company to work for or not.
Driving a bus full of children is never an easy task, but add a terrible Iowa snow storm to the mix and you've really got your hands full!
You would think that getting served a simple meal would be no big deal. Well, for women truck drivers, it's not always that simple.
Back in 1979, two of us were headed to Conway, Arkansas to pick up two brand new buses. We had no idea what was about to happen.
Passing the pre-trip inspection exam is easier for some. But for me, it was rough. Here's the unusual story of how I did it.
Ah yes, driving truck through infamous Chicago. There's never anything easy about it - especially in the winter at Christmas!
There is nothing easy about driving truck in Chicago. But it's especially bad in the winter, and at Christmas time of all things!
After a brutal ice storm swept through the area it was time to get out there and break all of the trailers free from the ice!
A major winter storm has hit a number of states leaving a thick layer of ice on everything! What a mess to deal with!
A popular blog from one of our best storytellers about the life and the view from a training truck.
This is a fun story about driving some kindergarten students home from school.
A very popular story of a trip down memory lane by a bus driver and truck driver of many years. Sets such a vivid scene.
I finished my training period and for the very first time I was out on my own in my own rig. It was scary, but I made it through!
The lives of truck drivers are just full of activity. Here's some fun things you can do to enjoy and remember the good times!
In my years as a bus driver the morning routine remained one of contemplative introspect as I prepared for the day ahead.
There are some common problems that truck drivers run into with their trailers. Here are a few, along with fixes and tools to carry.
Ride along with me as I cruise the highways of Oklahoma and Texas in my big Kenworth for a few days!
I love driving a truck, and for the first time I was able to take my mom with me. Here's the story.
Women truck drivers can do a number of things to stay safe and comfortable on the road and I cover a lot of them here.
A great story about trying to get a semi stopped whose brakes were on fire - and then we couldn't get the fire out!
Before becoming a truck driver I worked in warehouses and you wouldn't believe what I did one day! What a mess!
Truck driving across the frozen prairie is what seperates the real truckers from the rest, and this night was one of the worst.
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TruckingTruth was founded by Brett Aquila (that's me!), a 15 year truck driving veteran, in January 2007. After 15 years on the road I wanted to help people understand the trucking industry and everything that came with the career and lifestyle of an over the road trucker. We'll help you make the right choices and prepare for a great start to your trucking career.
Becoming A Truck Driver is a dream we've all pondered at some point in our lives. We've all wondered if the adventure and challenges of life on the open road would suit us better than the ordinary day to day lives we've always known. At TruckingTruth we'll help you decide if trucking is right for you and help you get your career off to a great start.
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