Becoming a career truck driver is a process. Drivers need the initiative to get started, training to cover the basics, willingness to keep going, and the consistency to do it all over again every day. The experienced truck drivers at Bay and Bay Transportation know that people of all types and backgrounds can handle the job, but that doesn’t mean everyone here in Albany, NY is cut out for it. The first year of trucking can be difficult for truck drivers who don’t understand their own limits. If you’re a new driver we recommend sticking with it for a year before deciding if being a truck driver is the right lifestyle for you.
If you’re interested in long-term professional truck driving, start out by taking it slow. This is true both literally and figuratively. You may feel like you have to cram as many high-speed hours of driving in as you can every day, but that’s a good way to get yourself in trouble by running out of energy…or running into someone. Keeping a steady pace in everything you do is important in professional truck driving, but pushing beyond safe limits for yourself and your rig won’t help anyone.
Though consistency is key, truck drivers also need to be flexible. Many people go into professional truck driving with a lot of misconceptions about the nature of the work and expecting every day to be the same is a common mistake. Routes will change, co-workers will change, trucks will change, so you should too. Truck drivers have a great opportunity to grow and evolve with the job. Take every opportunity to roll with the punches, and by the end of your first year you’ll be ready to take on the trucking world.
And, possibly most importantly, focus on the details, but don’t sweat the small stuff. This may seem like contrary advice, but there’s a difference between being detail oriented and being nit-picky. As you get started you’ll likely be working with different people and personalities. Listen to their advice, but if you don’t get along, don’t base your whole experience on those interactions. Let things go and be willing to build your own experience.
For incoming Albany, NY truck drivers ready for their first year of professional truck driving, contact us here at Bay and Bay Transportation for information on new driving opportunities at (888) 801-3026, or visit our website for additional details.