Common Sense Trucking

Common sense trucking – what is that? Well, a lot of people coming into trucking now – don’t have it – and they need to get it. Some people can be “book smart” and dumb-as-a-rock at the same time. All the “books” in the world, on truck driving or whatever profession you are doing – won’t mean squat – if you don’t have any common sense. All the training or schooling you take won’t do you any good without any common sense.

Common sense – sound judgment not based on specialized knowledge; native good judgment. All the books and schooling and training cannot give this to you. I understand that most drivers don’t like new regulations set up by FMCSA, and the D.O.T. but to tell you the truth, there’s not a whole lot any of us can do – especially if you don’t take a stand. All the – tweeting or writing on facebook groups or writing books and reading them – in the world does nothing if the right people don’t read it. Your senators and representatives of your state – can get things done – if they hear from you, they work for you.

If you knowingly have your log book screwed up and are for the most part driving illegally don’t speed – don’t advertise yourself on the CB Radio – this is asking for a ticket – use common sense. If you knowingly are pulling a trailer that will not pass an inspection and you get into an inspection and get shut down – you have no one to blame, but yourself. If you are in line at a weigh station and the truck in front of you is missing a mud flap – don’t tell them on the CB radio. Weigh stations monitor “CB chatter” all the time just for this reason. Why would you want to make the D.O.T.’s job any easier. Make them earn their pay. The D.O.T. doesn’t get out there in the truck and help you drive – do they?

I’m in no way condoning that you should do anything illegal here. But if you decide to do it – keep it to yourself. Taking pictures of illegally parked trucks – and posting them on the Internet, and then crying about the industry adding new regulations is not helping the industry. And what I’m talking about is, most truck drivers don’t have Internet while out on the road so posting pictures of illegally parked trucks doesn’t get the message to them – but it does give the general public another resource to use against truckers. Truck drivers need to be educated about the problems the trucking industry have – not the general public.

If you are a female truck driver. Why would you dress like a prostitute – and walk across a truck stop parking lot – and then complain because you were treated like a “lot lizard?” Just dress conservatively, walking through a dark parking lot – and lallygagging – is asking for trouble. By no means must you act like you are scared – even if you are.

Male or female you should always walk with your head up – and at least, pretend that you know what you are doing. All I am trying to say is that a little common sense will carry you through a lot of situations that otherwise would bring more trouble or harm upon yourself. A good example is CSA2010, which is really left up to you as a driver as to whether or not you receive infractions for defective equipment. I read and hear a lot of drivers talking about safety. Pre and post trip inspections are one of the main duties of the job that truck drivers are required to do. Do what is required of the job, and you will be good to go.

Trucking is not for everyone – if all you are going to do is complain – about things that happen to yourself because you did something that common sense would have told you not to do, then you need to find another job. Common sense is something needed today in trucking or you as a driver will not survive.

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