Fuel for Thought

You should not be a truck driver

You should not be a truck driver. You are not cut out for this career. You do not put forth the effort required to safely be in this line of work. You do not possess the skills needed to do this kind of work. You should not pursue this career any further. Get out while you still can. Stop treading water and move on to work that is more suited to your nature, abilities or skill set. We don't need anyone in this industry who isn't willing to give 110% to get the job done. There are no shortcuts to success. Safety is not an occasional occurrence. Many more lives than just your own are at stake every time you release the brakes. If you are not committed to the job, lives can be lost, including your own. 

Harsh truths they may be, but for many, they are truths nonetheless and they are not being conveyed to those who need to hear them. Too often no one wants to discourage people from doing anything. “You are all winners” is a crock of stew. “You can do anything” is a childish statement. We all have different abilities. Just because you “want” to do something does not mean you should nor does it mean that you are able to do it properly. 

Just because you may have passed some test does not mean you are a good driver. There are plenty of D students in med school. While those students still pass the course, would you want him or her to be your brain surgeon? Having a CDL and driving a truck does not make you a professional. If a CDL school course is the only knowledge you ever acquire, you will always be just another D student driver. A professional continues to learn and seek more knowledge to improve not only themselves but also the industry in which they work. Of course over time, if you survive, there is a certain amount of knowledge that comes with experience, for those willing to listen and learn, but if you continue to just meander through life as a truck driver never improving, perhaps it is time to reread the first paragraph above.

Not just anyone should be a trucker. That is not to say you cannot learn, but it is not for everyone. A CDL does not make you a professional driver anymore than a firearm permit makes you an excellent marksman. You still need to hone your skills to become better at anything you do. 

If the first paragraph applies to you, I hope I don’t see you weaving all over the road or watching videos on phones and tablets or with your left foot on the dash or with the left curtain pulled forward to block your view. Driving a truck requires your attention, it should not be a secondary activity.

To all the professional truckers and those becoming professional truck drivers, Thank you and ...

See you down the road,

Greg