Everyone is super nervous when it's time to go solo. Here is some great advice and some crazy stories to help you stay calm and be prepared.
I left trucking after a tough go of it. I had a lot of misconceptions. Now I've returned and completed one full year and I want to share my story.
I went through a lot of difficulties at the start of my trucking career. I hope to show you can still succeed and enjoy this career even after a rough start.
Getting in a hurry can cost you money, cause you to make mistakes, and possibly much worse. Here are some big benefits to slowing down a little bit.
I've faced sexual harassment in trucking. I handled it well and made it through unharmed. Here is my story and some advice for women drivers.
Truck drivers must learn to read every sign on the highway. This article will help you understand how many ways signs are critical to truck drivers.
Do you know what it takes to be successful in trucking? Are you willing to compete? Are you capable of performing at a high level? Here is what it takes.
Trucking is so much more than a job. It's a career and an adventure that demands so much and yet gives back even more.
Here's one trucker's story about living the highest of highs one day and the lowest of lows the next. Life on the road is a roller coaster ride.
No matter how well a truck driver plans a trip there are countless variables that will stand in your way. This particular week we couldn't catch a break.
It seems like life on the road throws you one curveball after another sometimes. This winter has been tough, with some parts better off forgotten.
After a month of travelling with my husband who is an OTR trucker we're learning to live and work well together. Life on the road takes some getting used to.
After just a short time on the road with my husband I've come to realize that everyday life in the trucking industry is like a roller coaster ride.
After learning I would be headed out on the road with my husband it was time to see our assigned truck for the first time and start loading in our goodies.
Being given the opportunity to travel the country with my husband I'm ready to hit the highways and find out what life is all about for the American trucker
As a rookie truck driver you're going to face enormous challenges and be tested continuously. I learned a great lesson about how tough CDL training can be.
The CB radio is a legendary part of being a trucker. But nothing is funnier than being a rookie and soundling like a nerd amongst the smooth talkers.
Truckers sitting high above the passing traffic glimpse a moment in time of the lives of the people passing below. Here's a fun look at some things I've seen.
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!
So how does a new driver survive their hectic, stressful, tiring, demanding, and incredibly challenging first 6 months on the job? Here's my advice...
Nothing could be more exciting than climbing behind the wheel of a rig for your first run ever as a professional driver! Here's how it went for me.
Home time is precious to an over the road driver and their family, and it's painful when it gets cut short by an unexpected call from the company.
After a major mistake on my part, I found out how far a great attitude and hard work can take you, and how great a 'starter company' can treat you after all
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.
Being a CDL instructor is a very unique experience. I was amazed at how much I learned myself. Here are some of the highlights I picked up along the way.
CDL training will test you in so many ways, and it will go far beyond your ability to drive a truck. It will also test your patience and perseverance.
People wonder what life is like on the road for truckers. Well, you certainly have your good and bad days, and here's what a bad day is like...
I've only been on the road a short time running solo and I had my first chance to drive through NYC in a big rig, and what a crazy adventure it was!
I recently became a certified CDL instructor and I was given my first students to train on shifting gears. Here's the story, and some advice for newbies
My first ever solo run as a trucker went pretty well, but of course I ran into several issues and learned some good lessons right off the bat.
After two weeks with my trainer, I went home for three days to relax and get ready for my company road test. If I pass, I get my own truck and run solo
I've been on the road with my trainer and there's been a lot of ups and downs. We're learning a ton everyday, but it's not easy for me or my family.
My first few days of my trucking career are off to a great start and I'm out on the road with my trainer. Everything is so new, everything is a first.
After completing orientation with my first trucking company it was time to head out on the road with a trainer for the first time, and away we went!
We've reached the end of orientation with my new trucking company and it's time for testing. If we pass, we head out on the road with our trainer!
I'm in orientation with my new trucking company and right now we're covering a lot - driving, backing, inspections, procedures, and paperwork.
We got our first chance behind the wheel at orientation for my new trucking company, which was interesting, but the classroom is information overload!
Today was judgment day at orientation - the day they usually start sending people home for one reason or another. I was surprised at how it turned out.
Becoming a truck driver was something I wasn't certain about until I started believing it could really happen. That's when things started rolling.
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.
After a lot of close calls and important lessons learned, I'm starting to get the feel for driving truck and learning to relax and roll with things.
I finished training and got my first truck. This is the story of my first ever solo run in a big rig, and a tiny rookie mistake that was pretty funny.
I'm finishing up CDL training with a trainer who screams in tirades and I've had to try to deal with it. But finally, the showdown between us occurred.
You meet a lot of crazy characters in trucking, and my finishing trainer is off the charts. This guys seems more like someone you'd find in a movie.
One of the students in our CDL training course was sent home today - she just couldn't handle the rig. It certainly isn't easy getting started in trucking.
To lease a truck, become an owner operator, or be a company driver is a question I've pondered and I've decided to lease. Here's my story.
Losing weight for truckers can be difficult. But if you have a simple plan and stick to it you can be in wonderful health on the road, without exercise!
Becoming a truck driver can be one of the most exciting times in your life. Here's a story about my early days in trucking school and out on the road.
Truck drivers have tough days, and often times tough weeks - especially that first year. This was yet another tough lesson learned early in my career.
After getting into an accident as a rookie truck driver I made a critical error in judgment that could have cost me dearly, but this time I was lucky.
My first full solo week of trucking started out well but didn't continue that way for long. I also saw some very strange sites along the way!
After saying goodbye to my trainer, it was time to set out on my first solo run as a truck driver, and what a humbling adventure it turned out to be!
On the road in training driving flatbed was very rough the first couple weeks. My fingers were numb, I ached all over, and the mountains were intimidating
My first six weeks on the road with an incredibly unique trainer were memorable times. But being home for a 'Trucker's Weekend' was not what I expected
I've completed my first year as a truck driver and here's a rundown of some surprises about the job and the lifestyle of an over the road trucker.
Donner Pass for truck drivers is one of the notorious places in the country for burned up brakes and fatal wrecks. My first time down was an adventure
On occasion I get to go to a place called Springfield Underground. If you never thought you'd see a bigrig driving through a cave, here's your chance!
An inside look at life on the road from a trucker's perspective.
Before I became a truck driver, there was nothing better than a good snow storm, sliding around in my 4-wheeler. But that was then, and this is now!
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.
Randy and his road trainer returned to the CDL school and took advantage of some down time. There was a crazy DUI incident at the school this week.
Being out on the road during CDL training can be incredibly stressful at times, but also has the feel of a vacation at the same time.
I love being a truck driver. I've found as my experience grows, my enjoyment also grows. I'm still a rookie, but the experience I have is paying off.
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.
Sometimes trucking trips go very smoothly, and others are incredibly challenging. This is the reality of truck driving. Are you up for the challenge?
I thought I'd share a few of my initial impressions of my early truck driving career, having experienced it for 6 months now. It's been incredible!
Leaving home is often the hardest part of being a truck driver, especially after the holidays. This time was worse. I had to leave on the holiday.
I recently wrote 'Truck Driving: An Office With A View' about the beauty this country holds. But out here on the road it isn't always so beautiful.
My first solo run as a truck driver has been completed, and boy do I have a story to tell. It was eventful and embarrassing, but successful in the end
Everyone has their own version of what a truck driver looks and acts like. I was even guilty of that. But once I became a driver, that all changed.
My CDL training is complete. Here is a recap of what training was like on the road, and what it was like to return home to my family.
Truck drivers often have a tough time dealing with dispatch because of misunderstandings. But for new truck drivers it can be even tougher to handle.
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.
There are some nights when you don't want to be driving a truck. Then there are some nights when you wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world.
After getting my CDL and going on the road with a trainer, my training time is up and there are no job openings right now. I'm going home.
Comradery amongst truck drivers used to be a sacred thing. Understood and appreciated, lived by and upheld. But now, it just doesn't seem the same.
This last trip was rather brutal. It was adventurous, frustrating, difficult, and dangerous at times, and we even saw a few things we wish we hadn't.
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.
Well, it finally happened. My trainer and I are having truck problems. What a mess. It's getting fixed, finally, but here's what we had to deal with.
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.
Being in a big rig is just as spiritual as being on the back of a Harley. But the thing that mystifies me the most is the “magic” of just being.
Truck stops are a trucker's haven, and it's nice to finally kick back and relax when you have the time. But not all are created equal, that's for sure
Just when I thought it was spring time and there would be no more truckin in the snow, man was I wrong! Tire chains, tow trucks, and more adventures!
Taking tests always made me nervous, but the CDL exam was the worst! When your career is at stake and you have a family counting on you, it's scary!
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.
Life on the road leads you to so many people and experiences that it's nice to be able to sit down and write to the ones that have left an impression.
I live in the desert. Blowing sand is common, and we have days when roads are closed due to blowing sand, but not snow! Oh man, here comes a blizzard!
It takes a very unique individual to succeed out here and hopefully this will shed a little light on the traits needed to make it in this business.
I am amazed at how different the life of a truck driver is compared to 'other' people. The lifestyle is amazing, but it's an incredible change.
Since my last trip in the big rig went so well, Karma had to balance itself out. And it didn't waste any time either! This last trip was crazy!
This story is based on my life, my emotions and my experience. I know there are “other halves” out there that will be able to relate.
Wow, my most recent trip was by far the best trip I've had to date. We left California late at night and were 'East Bound and Down' to Pennsylvania!
Last week we had a trip from Illinois to California and I got my first taste of mother nature's fury - a light load and high winds. It was nasty!
So the other night, we get a phone call to pick up a 'High Value Load' from a pharmaceutical company. Wow, what an experience a high value load is!
Being in training as a trucker on the road isn't easy - but when you add mountains and wrong turns into the equation, it can be terrifying!
Wow, I can't believe it's been a week since I got on the road with my trainer. This has probably been the quickest week of my life!
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!
The trip to truck driving orientation is always eventful - but not normally this eventful! What a mess - but it turned out interesting.
Somtimes four wheelers don't know how to handle situations with trucks. They do the funniest, and sometimes the scariest things!
Life on the road is far more difficult than most people realize, and this letter goes out to all of those who have never been in their shoes.
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!
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.
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.
Why is it that people want to place the blame elsewhere for their own mistakes. This is one tragic example in trucking.
Ah yes, driving truck through infamous Chicago. There's never anything easy about it - especially in the winter at Christmas!
A great story from one of our most popular bloggers regarding a bridge that once became attached to her trailer!
A great story about how quickly things can change when you're cruisin the highways. When the worst happens, your training kicks in.
A popular blog from one of our best storytellers about the life and the view from a training truck.
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!
A crazy story from Pappy - our gruff ole time truckin author who will have you laughin out loud at this one!
Ride along with me as I cruise the highways of Oklahoma and Texas in my big Kenworth for a few days!
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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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