Know your own capabilities and those of the equipment you are driving. For example, when going down long, steep mountain passes, go at a speed that is safe and comfortable for you, and don't worry about anyone else. An old truckers' proverb says that you can go down a hill a thousand times too slow, but only once too fast. There is a lot of truth in that little saying. Another example is knowing the center of gravity of your load and the driving characteristics of your truck in the curves. A high center of gravity, such as meat swinging from hooks in the ceiling, will be less stable than palletized freight on the floor of the trailer, and a truck with spring ride will be more stable in the curves than one with air ride.
Visualize traffic situations that could come up as you drive down the road, both two lane and four lane. Practice mentally what you would do if a car crossed the median and was headed your way, or if two cars were coming at you in both lanes of a two-lane road. There are endless possibilities of things that can go wrong, from a car spinning out on ice right in front of you to someone in the car beside you pointing a gun at you.
Never swerve, especially to the right on a two- lane road, to miss a dog, cat, deer, pig, etc., that is in the road. It is much better to end up with a bent bumper or fender or a broken headlight than to risk a wrecked truck and maybe an injured or dead driver. If you hook a tire off onto the shoulder of many two-lane roads, you are likely to end up in the ditch and maybe on your side.
There are many things to keep in mind in cold weather. Never let your fuel get below half full. Not only will extra air in the tank increase moisture condensation, which can cause a fuel line freeze up, but you never know when a blocked road, due to weather or an accident, may make it necessary to spend 24 hours or more with the truck idling in one spot. Think how much more comfortable you will be knowing you have plenty of fuel instead of watching the needle go past E with a -40 degree wind-chill outside.
Even with plenty of fuel, the truck could stop running for some other reason, so always carry warm clothes, a hat, and boots. It is almost always safer to stay with the truck no matter what, but it may be necessary to have heavy clothing in order to stay warm or maybe even to survive. It is also a good idea to have some emergency food and water. Peanut butter, crackers, and bottled water, at the very least, will make waiting much more enjoyable. Other emergency supplies that could help out include tools, jumper cables, matches, and a good flashlight.
In winter driving conditions, always keep the fifth wheel well lubricated with a graphite-based grease, maybe even with a little light oil mixed in. This should be checked every couple of days, because too much fifth wheel to trailer friction can make it impossible to turn on an icy road and easily cause a wreck.
Whether you are working as an owner-operator or a company driver, establish a relationship with shippers and receivers that lets them know you are dependable and responsible. They need to know that you will be on time to load or unload, barring unforeseen circumstances, and that if these do happen, you will be in touch with them immediately to let them know your status. At some point you will need a favor from them, such as loading or unloading late or on a weekend, and the chances of them helping you are much better if they know that you have accommodated them in the past.
Another important relationship to maintain is with your banker. This may be the most important person you deal with, and if you will be honest and truthful, you will be surprised what they can do for you.
At some point in the future, you will find a need to bypass a scale for any one of a number of reasons. You will have a much better chance of success if you keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut than if you try the opposite. When you do get caught for this or for speeding, or for any other infraction of the law, just admit what you did. State police and scale operators have heard all of the excuses in the world. The truth surprises them and puts them in a more tolerant mood. After all, everyone hates being lied to. We have saved hundreds of dollars doing this, and We know it works. You will still have to pay a fine from time to time, probably when you least expect it, but why compound your problems?
If you pull a reefer, van, or flatbed, and especially if you are an owner-operator, sooner or later you will unload someplace and not have a load to get you out of there. This is where brokers, another important part of the trucking industry, come into play. Truck brokers contract with shippers to haul their products throughout the country for a price. They charge you, the trucker 5-10% of the gross for the load.
Some of the less-reputable brokers will quote you a price lower than the amount they quoted the shipper, thereby making an even larger percentage. Truth, in general, is a problem for this group of brokers, and they will also lie to you about other things, such as saying that a load is palletized when they know that it is not, realizing that you might not want the load because of the extra time and expense it will cost you. Unfortunately, if you deadhead any distance to get the load before finding this out, you may have to take the load for those very reasons. After talking to the broker, it is a good idea to call the shipper directly to get the details of the load. Another old axiom among truckers is the question, "how do you know if a broker is lying to you?" The answer: "if his lips are moving."
When you first have to deal with brokers, talk to drivers who have dealt with them for years, and try to separate out the good from the bad. We know drivers who have successfully worked with the same brokers for years, but We also know of brokers who have gone out of business owing people a lot of money, only to open up shortly thereafter under a new name; some have done this several times.
Before accepting a load from a broker, figure out where you want to go, how many miles it is, and how much money you need to make the load profitable. Be careful not to rely on the miles quoted by the broker, as they probably use the household mover's guide, which will be 5-15% short of what you will actually drive. The broker will give you an advance for fuel.
Always get as much from them as you can. Sometimes brokers are very slow to pay, and the more you get up front, the less you have to worry about later.
