If you plan on being a trucker, you might be surprised to know that it takes more than driving a big semi to be good at your job. Most truck drivers need a lot of separate skills combined to truly be a great trucker. But what are some of the top skills every trucker should have? Keep reading to find out.
Communication
When you are on the road, driving to your destination, you are going to have a lot of situations come up. Some in which you never anticipated would happen. Because of this, you may be held back on your schedule. When this happens, it's not only frustrating for you but also the service you are making the delivery too and your manager. A great truck driver is not only able to communicate with their manager and the customer, but they are also able to do it in a way that doesn't cause any problems and keeps everyone on the same page.
Organization
When I say organization, I don't mean hanging up your shirts and keeping everything spick and span. Instead, I am referring to the books and logs you will be keeping. A great truck driver will always make sure to fill out their logbooks and keep track of fuel expenses, trailer numbers, and addresses. Not only will they be able to keep track of all of that, but they will keep it organized in a way that makes it easy for their manager and other workers so be able to understand it.
Motivation
I know what you're thinking, why would a trucker need motivation if they are just sitting in a truck driving a haul. Well, truckers actually require more motivation than almost any other job out there, and here is why. While most people spend their day sitting at a desk or working full time on a project, truck drivers have to do one main thing, and that's driving. It may seem nice at first, but, like any other thing that you have to do every day for long hours, it can get pretty tiring and lonely. A truck driver has to have the skill of keeping themselves motivated and wanting to come into work to do the same thing again and again. There are actually a lot of amazing truck drivers out there that have mastered this skill and make truck driving fun every day and look forward to jumping in their truck every morning.
Responsibility
It is easy to get distracted while driving, and that's no different for a truck driver. To be a fantastic trucker, you need to be able to be responsible with your driving and always use caution. A great truck driver will always keep the safety of others before their own and watch out for any circumstances that could create a harmful situation. They will also be able to stick to the task at hand without taking unneeded breaks or stops.
Navigation Skills
It takes a lot of experience and memory to be able to know your way around the states. A great trucker will always be able to decipher the fastest routes and know when to avoid roads due to construction or disaster.
Proper Driving Skills
Knowing speed limits, checking mirrors, and watching out for natural disasters are skills every trucker needs on the road. A great truck driver will be able to change lanes safely and know their way around the truck's system. They will also be able to watch out for anything on the road like gators, that might cause an accident or harm to your truck.
Patience
A truck driver will be put in a situation that makes it hard to get loads delivered on time. To be a successful truck driver, you will need to put any anger to the side and know how to handle situations like this when they occur. This falls in line with communication skills. Make sure to be patient with your customer and manager if something comes up and communicate when needed as well. You will also have to be patient with people at truck stops or anyone using the truck stop showers.
Reliability
One of the greatest skills a good trucker must always have is reliable. If you are not reliable, none of your other skills seem to make a difference. If you say that you will be able to make a delivery at a specific time, do what you can to stick to your word. But, as I said before, every truck driver will be hit with situations that make it hard to get to your destination on time. But, let's be honest, if you're doing that every time we can assume it's a boy who cried wolf situation, and you'll be an unreliable resource to your management.
Customer Service
Truck drivers have to deal with customers as well, much alike to most businesses. They will also have to communicate with them and sometimes deal with customers that are disrespectful or mean. A great trucker will be able to deal with these situations in a way that helps create a better tie with that customer even if they are upset. They will also be able to make the customer feel appreciated and cared about through communication and body language.
Mechanical Knowledge
Every great trucker knows his mechanics and can notice if anything needs maintenance on the truck and have the tools their truck needs. They will be able to use sight and sounds to know if the truck is safe to drive and be able to make the minimal fixes if needed as well.
Thank you for reading this article. If you are interested in working for a small trucking company with almost every night home with your family, C.T.C Trucking is for you. You can call us up at
(801) 461-9708 or contact us online.
