Welcome to the Message Board. This page is a collection of messages posted by drivers in the trucking community, who have shared Questions and Answers on trucking forums across the internet. Updated regularly, please check back often.
“Moving from driver to O/O [Owner/Operator] is more business sense than it is driver skill.
Go talk to S.C.O.R.E or the local office listed at the bottom of this page.
Microloan Program | The U.S. Small Business Administration | SBA.gov
The folks in the “Participating Intermediary Microlenders Report” link
They will work with you to help figure out how to get into a truck etc, write a business plan (it can be as simple as a napkin or more complicated). Financial statements etc.
In short, they will give you a quick lesson in business management.”
–User “mndriver,” offering advice (and reference links) to a driver with five years of Class A experience who is asking for advice on starting his own trucking company, at Truckers Forum.net.
“Read everything. Speed limits, restrictions, routing instructions, Bill of landings, owner’s manual to your truck, messages from dispatch, I mean everything…it’s usually al there somewhere.”
–Oldman49, responding to a user requesting advice on making their trucking career as smooth as possible, on a thread at The Truckers Report.
“1. Keep paper towels on the truck
2. Keep wet wipes on the truck
3. Keep some canned food on the truck
4. Keep some water / soft drinks on the truck
5. On hot days offer water/soft drinks to the guards or unloader/loader. You may get better treatment (especially if you have their favorite.)
6. Expect everyone in front of you to do something stupid and plan accordingly.
7. Don’t be lax in your duty, but don’t stress either
8. Promptly get your paperwork in
9. Present a professional image to the customer (you represent your company.)
10. Practice trip planning every day.”
–Forum user “Salad,” in response to the thread “Any tips for a new driver?” on The Truckers Report,
“I want to be a trucker driver because…..
It’s time for me to do something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve worked good jobs that I hated for all of my married life. It served me and my family well, and I was happy to do it, and have always been proud of the life my wife and kids enjoyed because I worked hard, even if I didn’t like the work. But I’ve always wanted to drive long haul OTR, it’s just that married life and two beautiful children sort of put that choice on hold.
But those responsibilities have ended and now I can work at something that I think will suite [sic] me well.
I enjoy the solitude of the road, while I wouldn’t say I’m loner.
I’ve always strived to have a minimal lifestyle. For me simple was always better.
I’m going to enjoy not being in the same place every day, even if it looks the same (if you’ve seen 1 truck stop….)
–User “BeanDip,” responding to a thread asking “Why do you want to be a truck driver?”
“You are going to need a year of driving, to just adapt to the lifestyle. Also, to develop your driving skills, and work relationship with your dispatcher, and learning how your company does business. None of this comes quickly, and your attitude is being closely watched. Remember…you are responsible for much of the business success or failure. Tremendous amount of money goes into that rig, freight, and contract with the client….and you are the backbone of it all.”
User “Roadhog,” in a thread titled “The Driver and The Employer, Basic Job Hunting Skills,” on the Class A Drivers Message Board.
“Hello guys its been a week since I graduated cdl school, and I have already been offered a job…with a local milk delivery company driving Class B trucks (I have my Class A). I start tomorrow morning.
For all the people asking if it’s possible to find a local job with no experience its possible you just have to put in some work.
I…found out these companies’ contact information and office location and either called or just showed up with a simple resume and told them I’m looking for a Class A or B driving position and was straightforward about being straight outta CDL school (with) no experience
I…went to a CDL staffing agency, where I was told that I would need at least a year experience and no one would hire me local I would need to go OTR.
If you want a local job without experience, go out there and get it. Don’t just call or put an application in online, go down to the company and tell ‘em you want to work for them (they love this kind of initiative). Bring a resume with you, bring a copy of your driving abstract cdl & medical card.”
–User “RedTheTrucker,” on the post “How to Find a Local Job with No Experience??” at The Truckers Report.
“Holding a CDL has made me a substantially better driver. Its corrected a lot of bad habits I never realized I had. I’ve acquired a lot of patience and no longer feel the need to speed in my car… I no longer feel the need to tailgate… I’ve garnered a great deal of tolerance for traffic… I love having the ability to decipher when a car or truck is about to do something stupid. I also read every single sign on the road now out of habit. My CDL has turned me from a decent driver to a professional driver.”
–User “KiLLaZiLLa93,” responding to the question “Has your CDL made you a better driver?” on The Truckers Report.
“If it were me, would stay there another 6 months. Looks better on your home loan application also that you’re not a job hopper.”
–User Chinatown, in response to a user who asked for advice on leaving his first trucking job six months after earning his CDL, at The Truckers Report.
