 Just for Rookies
Just starting out? Regardless if your local, hub, line-haul regional, long-haul, or something in between, here’s some suggestions-
1. Buy maps, make your own notations, draw “how to get there” maps that make sense to you.
2. Buy a good CB. Radio Shack has a pretty good selection, and they’re fairly inexpensive - not cheap, just reasonable for what you get. Then get a good Weber “trucker” antenna, available at most truck stops. You can save money by order the Weber over the web.
3. Know where your going totally. Don’t rely on the CB for... “does any driver know where .....is?” Getting directions while driving is dangerous, especially when your not familiar with the area. Here’s where as much preplanning as possible pays off.
4. Study what a bill of lading looks like - it’s going to
be one of your basic tools of the trade.
5. At every pickup, write down in a notebook who the shipper is, who the consignee (receiver) is, and a basic description of the freight, weight, class, special instructions, etc. Why? Because another basic tool of the trade is a pad of blank Bills of Lading. You can find these forms at any office supply or even in a lot of truck stops. Now suppose you loose the original bill of lading while in route - NO BILL OF LADING TO COVER WHAT YOUR HAULING— big legal problem. So, if you happen to misplace your original, you can grab your blank pad, make out a temporary bill of lading just in case your stop’d (weight station, road check, etc.). Then when you get a chance, stop at the first place that has a fax machine, (truck stops usually have this service) and explain the situation to your dispatcher/driver manager or someone else in your company. The may call the shipper for you, or instruct you to call.. It happens to the best of them so don’t feel any more out of place than you are.
6. Check your truck every time your dispatched for a current tractor registration, up to date fuel tax sticker on the vehicle, up to date registration on the trailer if possible (usually placed in a holder on the nose of the trailer near the glad hands)
7. Carry a spare set of glad hand rubbers. They’re cheap and can save leaks from the glad hands thus working your compressor on the tractor harder than it needs to. A simple shower ring works good for keeping them all together. These rubbers are little round rubber donuts and they’re easily pushed into place.
8. Start a driver’s bag. Usually a small canvas bag with handles, or a gym bag works just as well. Stock it with extra pens and pencils, maps, first aid kit, person stuff, small tools - screw driver, pliers, etc, extra pair of glasses in a case, spare $$ just in case, sun glasses in a case, twine or small rope, bungee straps, cell phone, spare set of gloves, spare keys *** you’ll thank me for that one some day ****, paper cups, can opener, misc items.
9. Mark down in a notebook special pickup and delivery instructions. It’s the attention to little things like this that’ll make life so much easier for you.
10. “ EXEMPT TO COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC” , “NO TRUCKS ALLOWED”, “LOW UNDERPASS AHEAD”, are all signs worth planning on. Take time to make sure before you leave that you’ll avoid these places.
11. Regardless of your place behind the wheel - local or long haul, purchase the Rand McNally Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas. It has plenty of useful information about special state requirements, phone numbers that are helpful, bridge formula specifics, and lots of other helpful information.
12.[B] ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS[/b]. 99% of the drivers out there will be more than glad to help you along. That 1%, that won’t aren’t worth the bother, so don’t worry about-em.
Many safe miles.....
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