Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/708036
Spotlight 36 August 2016 BestDriverJOBS www.bestdriverjobs.com Q: What do you like about the trucking life? A: I'm free. There's a lot of differ- ent ways to look at my profession, and the way I choose to view trucking is an opportunity to travel around my country. A lot of people have dreams of traveling, and I'm just lucky that I get paid to do it. You meet people from every walk of life, and it really shows the impact we have across the nation. You take something someone made in one part of the country to somebody else who it's going to make happy. It's pretty cool. Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting out? A: Pay attention. Remember what you were taught, but also remember you have to adapt and continue learn- ing. Every situation is different, and it's important to never let yourself fall into a rhythm of just doing the same thing over and over. If you do that, you get lulled into a false sense of security. Then, when something goes wrong – you hit a snowstorm or a patch of black ice – you don't know what to do. Listening to people is also big. Everybody out here, from the newest driver to the most seasoned veteran, knows a different way to do some- thing. Take advice where you can, but also figure out what works for you. Q: Do you have any other safety advice? A: Always keep a working flashlight in the truck and always make sure you have a good vest, pair of gloves and extra rations. Make sure you exit the truck correctly. I've seen too many guys pop their hips out of socket because they weren't holding onto something. When I was first start- ing out, I popped my shoulder out of socket because I slipped on some ice and wasn't holding onto the truck like I should have been. Q: What can drivers do to improve the trucking image? A: Don't play into the negative im- age. Back in the day, every Wal-Mart used to have truck parking. And now we're not allowed to park at most of them. A lot of truckers get mad about that, but the simple fact is we earned it – leaving bottles and garbage every- where, not respecting the place, not respecting the people. If you want to change an image, it has to be done on an individual basis. Even if someone just changes their mindset about you as a trucker, the next one they won't judge so quickly. Q: What sets Crete apart for driv- ers? A: I've worked for other truck- ing companies, but Crete is the only company that I can call my manager up and say, 'Hey, this is Charlie,' and before I even give my truck number, he knows who it is. This is the only company that I've worked for that has actually shown concern when I was feeling ill. Even though when I was ill, it cost us a delivery on a load, I never spotlight-crete 0816.indd 2 7/12/16 2:10 PM