The Skills You Need To Succeed As A Truck Driver

In order to become a truck driver, you, of course, need to have a few basic things. You need to know how to safely exit a highway, navigate a large vehicle, and understand how to get yourself from place to place - even when the GPS is out. These basics are how you land a job as a truck driver. But how do you make yourself stand out in the crowd?

You're looking to have a long, successful career as a truck driver: to do that, you need to know more than just the basics.

The Skills You Need To Succeed As A Truck Driver

Maintenance and Repair

As with any vehicle, trailers have complex webs of moving parts. You can expect that eventually, something’s going to require regular maintenance - or even a repair. A trained mechanic or technician will carry most of these jobs out.

To make yourself a successful trucker, honing a few basic maintenance and repair skills will go a long way. Such essential skills will allow you to tend to minor issues that can crop on the road. That way, you avoid the need to wait hours for a mechanic to arrive on the scene and address the issue.

Make yourself familiar with the maintenance manual for your rig. Learn the names of parts and processes, and get a general idea of how they work. Even if it’s not something you can feasibly fix, you’ll be able to communicate with your mechanic on exactly what is going wrong with the vehicle when trouble arises.

Communication

In life, both professionally and personally, communication is everything. Trucking isn’t any different. While it may seem like a solitary position, truck drivers will have to come face to face with people more often than some might think.

It may surprise you how far well developed and honed communication skills will take you as a truck driver. You will work with dispatchers, customers, mechanics and even toll booth workers with ease, allowing your deliveries to go over much more smoothly.

Effectively communicating that there is road work, adverse weather, or any other hold-up that might delay your shipment will keep your customer from getting impatient and your dispatcher aware of the situation. When you’re keeping lines of communication open, you’re creating a positive impression of yourself as a truck driver.

Cleaning and Organization

For your average trucker, the cozy cab of their truck is not just their office. It's also their home away from home, the place they’ll spend most of their time. It is always solid advice for drivers to learn basic cleaning and organizational skills.

When truck drivers are hauling in a clean cabin, they tend to feel much more satisfied with their job. Drivers who are satisfied will inevitably be more productive.

Keep disinfectant wipes in easy reach in the cab of your truck. Empty any garbage frequently, whenever possible. If you’ve got the space, a small broom- or even a handheld vacuum- can work wonders in getting the crumbs out from inside the seats.

Organize the interior of your vehicle. Keep snacks, water, and personal items in easy reach, neatly tucked into their own designated spaces. Not only will this keep you from losing anything in the cab, but it will keep both it, and your mind, free from excess clutter.

Decision-Making

The day-to-day life of a truck driver includes hundreds of decisions, both big and small. Some essential choices need to be made at the drop of a hat, with no time to reach out to your dispatchers or customers for their opinions.

Truckers armed with well-developed decision-making skills will make smarter choices– ones that keep them safe and help them remain both safe and punctual. Poor decision-making skills frequently result in risky, or even dangerous situations.

Driving With Logisticize

If you’ve mastered all of these skills when it comes to long-haul driving, why not put them to good use? When you’re ready to take the plunge into the world of truck driving, contact Logisticize. Our drivers attend multiple in-person training classes each year and enjoy numerous development opportunities, both via online training and hands-on learning.

To reach our office, all you need to do is fill out our online contact form, or call us at (419) 399-3900 option 3. We look forward to hearing from you!