We know you’ve heard people talk about the trucking industry; most have no idea what they’re talking about, not to mention seeing the entertainment industry bash on truck drivers for one reason or another. People who don’t personally know truckers don’t know what the life is like, so we’re here to set the facts straight to some of the most common myths about truck drivers and the industry.
Myth #1
Truck drivers are drug users or serial killers - Truck drivers often get stuck with a bad reputation thanks to the movie industry where many truckers portray drug abusers, outlaws and violent criminals. First, to debunk the drug abuse, due to the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991, drug and alcohol screening must be done in numerous
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Sure, movies may show truck drivers as violent criminals, and there have been some cases of that; however, most of the time, truckers are responsible, helpful people who fight crime daily and respond first to accidents.
Myth #2
Truck drivers cause traffic accidents - Did you know that truck drivers are 3 times less likely to get into an accident than a normal vehicle and 4 times more likely to pass inspection than passenger vehicles? Only 2.4% of commercial drivers are involved in traffic accidents.
Myth #3
Male truckers are better drivers than females - Along with the myth that there are few women in the trucking industry, the myth that male truck drivers are better than female truck drivers exists as well. We’ve all heard it before...men are better drivers than women, so it really comes as no surprise that this myth exists. In the United States, there are over 200,000 women with a career in the trucking industry. Female truckers are 3 times less likely to get into a traffic accident than male truck drivers, 5 times less likely to violate safety regulations, and 4 times more likely to pass the exam to obtain their CDL on the first time than
This lack of rest contributes to distraction while driving, which can cause accidents. Other common scenarios in which the employer might be held at least partially responsible for a truck accident include:
If they are too tired they stop driving and sleep at a hotel for a night. Since drivers will be more aware after a good night’s sleep, lifted truck drivers would have to have more money because lifts are expensive causing the driver to be more likely to have
I’ve always been in awe of the hard work that truck drivers do, so I never really realized that other people didn’t acknowledge the effort that goes into driving a truck for such long hours. The average American sees semi-trucks as an added danger on the road, something that just gets in their way. They fail to realize that “3.5 million truckers (deliver) 69 percent of the stuff we buy—- $670 billion worth of stuff” (Laskas 253). Without truck drivers on tour highways, every single business in our country would be doomed. There would be no way to efficiently transport goods nationwide. Whether the general populace likes it or not, truck drivers are necessary to our economy, and we need to realize
Semi truck drivers must undergo thorough physical examinations, as well as drug and alcohol testing as part of their pre-employment screening. This important step helps to ensure that drivers are physically able to safely perform their job duties. In addition, anytime there is an incident, or accident, drivers are required to be re-tested to rule out any such issues. While this may seem like an invasion of privacy for the drivers, it is actually a public safety service, one that saves lives. The truth is, without this type of testing, drivers with substance abuse issues, and those that suffer from illnesses such as heart problems and seizures could pose a danger to themselves and others.
According to the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), the average road in Utah sees 17,698 trucks every day (2014 Truck Traffic). That comes to over 6,459,700 trucks every year. Each one of these trucks only averages 5.5 and 6.5 miles per gallon (Tannert) and emits as much pollution as 150 cars (Big Trucks). Ask anyone that consistently drives on the roads in Utah and they will tell you that trucks are dangerous, scary, and the drivers only care about getting where they are going as quickly as possible, safety be damned. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “in 2013, there were 3,964 people killed and an estimated 95,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks. In the United States, an estimated
Most instances concerning trucking or hauling companies comes in the form of the information kept about their drivers. Extremely thorough background checks are required for drivers of trucks carrying hazardous waste materials. The main part
Truckdriving - is not just a profession. This is in a sense a calling and in the truest sense - a way of life. Challenging, interesting, dangerous but at the same time, not without a share of romance and work. Every profession has its own characteristics. The profession of a truck driver, despite the seeming fun and romantic character, is associated with many trials. Because this profession requires long distance travelling, it can be hard to find a driver who is willing to spend a significant part of his life on the road which naturally limits family time . These disadvantages are partly offset by a good salary and benefits.Staying away
Introduction truck driving is a great career it requires a lot of time and being able to stay away from home long periods. Trucking is a very well paying career you can take career of a family off your salary.
First of all men and women drive differently because they show different amounts of aggression. Aggressive drivers are best known for putting someone else in danger or harm’s way while driving. This type of behavior is found more in men than women while driving. For example, “When it comes to aggressive driving, however, the majority (54 percent) of drivers cite men as the most likely culprits of aggressive driving. Compared
One of the benefits to having a truck is that you can haul big objects and even tow other vehicles. In a truck you may be able to haul things like furniture or hay for your animals. I have personal experience with trucks. My mom has to haul hay for our animals. Trucks are also good for towing other vehicles out of ditches. When cars and other trucks get stuck in the ditch another truck can help pull them out. Unfortunately cars can’t haul big objects or tow other vehicles. According to globe cars brand, “Since cars are equipped with a smaller engine, it is usually difficult to tow other vehicles. On the other hand trucks are more powerful, thus it is incredibly easy to tow other vehicles.” Trucks have more power than a car does
Truck driving is a job that people have a passion for. People don't just wake up thinking I wanna get a job truck driving. It's a passion and commitment because the process is not easy. Especially when you have to go state to state some people can't handle the days away from there family and 2nd they can't handle the on the road life period. There are great outcomes though especially when you a have years behind this career.
There are three types of drivers in this world: competent, overcautious, and reckless. After driving for many years in frustrating rush hour traffic, one might find there are three types of drivers, competent drivers who keep the flow going, over cautious drivers who cause slow and backed up traffic, and reckless drivers who weave in and out of traffic causing one near death experience after another. Trying to sort out what type of driver a person might be is an extremely challenging task. In a person's own mind, they think they are the aggressive type of driver, or the cautious type, but no one will ever admit that they are reckless kind. In most cases they’re too oblivious to these classifications and all other
On December 18th, 2017, the Trump administration implemented new safety regulations that require commercial truck drivers to use electronic logging devices. And these are some of the current trucking-related headlines “Trucking is right now … experiencing a severe crisis”. “Trucking Industry Struggles with Growing Driver Shortage”. You might think to yourself: “I haven’t noticed it”.
Truck drivers are essential to this country’s economy. Truck driving is one of the only ways that this country has found to transport most of the goods we produce. There are many flaws in the other ways we transport goods. As the demand for supply goes up the demand for truck drivers will go up as well. Driving a tractor- trailer or a semi- trailer is a great career because of the job outlook, the work environment, and the benefits and compensation.
The trucking industry relies on good drivers to complete deliveries and the truck drivers rely on good dispatchers to do their job well. A good dispatcher do more than just handling paper work, scheduling pick up/deliveries and answering phone calls . Your dispatcher is your main point of contact when you are on the road, so it's extremely important to have someone knowledgeable and reliable as your dispatcher. A good dispatcher is more like a load planner with an in depth knowledge of the trucking industry and with excellent customer service and negotiation skills.