This article was last updated Sunday, January 29, 2012
Being successful in a truck driver job involves a lot more than sitting behind the wheel and driving a truck all day. Truck drivers are not held in the highest regard today, but there are multiple skills needed to become great driver delivering fast, friendly and safe service.
A good truck driver should have excellent communication and people skills. There must be no confusion between them and their dispatcher and they must be able to work well with customers to resolve any delivery or pick up problems. No matter what phase of the job, a driver will be in contact with people and needs to be able to get along and communicate with others.
While modern electronics and GPS have made things easier, a trucker still needs to be able to navigate, particularly in the case of a large semi truck, and be aware of roads that can and can not be travelled. Even with electronics, drivers should be able to read maps in case they find themselves in a reomote area where theiir GPS keeps "recalculating" and they must be aware of all clearances to make sure the truck and trailer can safely pass under them.
Truck drivers need to be reliable and responsible. a truck driiving job can be a dangerous proposition and the driver must be constantly aware of all others on the road to help prevent accidents and mishaps. It goes without saying that they must follow the rules of the road and all laws, such as the posted speed limit, as well.
As in many other contracted fields, self motivation is very important in a truck driver job and helps a driver to perform at their best. It's so easy to hit the "snooze" button on that alarm after a long haul, but being motivated to make the delivery on time is what seperates the men from the boys, or the women from the girls, in a truck driver job postion. Let's not forget that truck drivers may be male or female and vary greatly in age and experience.
Perhaps one of the most important skills to be a success in a truck driver job is organization. With the latest regulations, there is more and more paperwork that must be done on a daily basis. All logs, electronic or otherwise, must be filled out correctly to avoid troubles with regulators and employers. Speaking of electronic laws, some basic computer skills can also be very helpful. Trip packets have to be completed as well as accurate expense reports to either get paid or as deductions on tax returns.
With so much time spent alone on the road, someimes in very "out of the way" places, it can be a trip saver if the driver has some basic mechanical skills and a thorough understanding semi truck operation. With these sikkls, a trucker can identify problems before they cause a breakdown and may be prevented as well make some the necessary repairs to get back on the road if an issue does occur. While not a necessity of the job, it can definitely come in handy and save a great deal of time and money in shop repairs.
For the aspiring trucker, having some of these skills will make you even more employable. For experienced drivers, these skills can help to ensure a succesful career, advancement and generally will make your life a whole lot easier. For the rest of us, next time you meet a trucker you might want to shake their hand and appreciate a little more all the skills and techniques they master in order to deliver our stuff safely and on time.