Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/322764
Ben: Provide parking if they run your clock out. Treat drivers with a bit more respect and not so much like criminals. And have their product ready at the ap- pointment time. What three things need to be done to en- courage more people to enter trucking as a career? Naomi: First, this is a lifestyle, not just a job! 1. Change HOS so drivers can get qual- ity home time. 2. The big companies need to treat driv- ers with respect. We are people; fellow human beings, not a number! 3. Increase pay, in line with the respon- sibility we undertake every time we climb into the truck. Ben: Better pay. Better detention pay/ more parking. Less regulation/more fl ex- ibility. New challenges? Naomi: Breakdowns w/brand-new 2015 truck: Blown radiator hose in the desert southwest, Blown coolant hose to Def while climbing a mountain pass, Blinker switch works when it wants to, Cruise au- tomatically turns off for no reason, Whole communication GPS system doesn't work, so no radio ALLLLLLLLL the way from West Coast to Midwest (not a blown fuse), Fuel economy gauge does not work Blown airhose to driver seat in Missouri; crimped it off with vice grips so we could make delivery on time. All this in one week. Truck is brand-new; aggravated beyond words. Ben: As the weather warms up, traffi c is getting worse and more reckless. Lately I'm having to run through big cities dur- ing rush hour because of my appoint- ment times and HOS rules. I can't park to wait for a much safer time to go through and still be on time. Where's the safety in this? Interesting experiences? Naomi: Changing companies. I thought I was in my 'forever home,' but it wasn't. So many things were happening internal- ly in the company; changes we couldn't accept. We quit. Already had another job at another company. Changing from dry van to refrigerated. It changes how you run because most warehouses are 24/7 and your schedule is much tighter. Ben: For the fi rst time ever, I had a lot lizard knock on my door. Always heard people talk about them but had never seen one. Kinda shocked me. Advice for someone just fi nishing school about the daily nit-picky things that occur OTR. Naomi: Pick your battles; preferably pick the ones you can win. Patience is a vir- tue. Courtesy and kindness go a very long way. Do unto others as you would have done to you. Ben: Don't lose your cool. Take it one day at a time. If you need to, pull over for a few minutes to let things calm down. Here's to your future great loads and great roads. ◆ Timothy Brady © 2013 To contact Brady go to www.truckersu.com 12 www.studentdriverplacement.com June '14 to Trucking Introduction intro trucking 0614.indd 2 5/20/14 10:24 AM