Everyone who enrolls in a company-sponsored or private trucking school’s CDL training program experiences many emotions. Along with enthusiasm and anticipation, fear and reluctance come next, followed by loneliness and despair. It is difficult to think that others are experiencing the same thing or have previously gone through this emotional roller coaster.
New pupils are asking inquiries, talking about the vehicle types they desire, and hoping to have a great trainer in the terminals. Reality hits him as soon as the student sits down on the backing pad, and a wave of frustration and failure overtakes him. His/her mind immediately wonders, “What if I never learn to back this massive thing? What if this was a huge error? What if I mess up? Can I resume my former position?
Sounds recognizable? Fear of the unknown causes all of that worry.
A New Career’s Challenges
Not being able to drive a truck is the issue. There is a yes to it. Why not you? Millions of individuals all across the globe have learned to use these vehicles. Your greatest challenge is your fear of the unknown.
Learning anything new is difficult and time-consuming. We all want quick satisfaction in today’s “instant gratification” society. We do not want to back the trailer in six months or spend two months learning how to downshift in a manual gearbox. Most people find it inconceivable that it would take a whole year to learn about time management and trip planning, yet that is the reality of trucking.
When a student completes training, he anticipates that the terms “solo driver” or “A seat” would instantly make him an expert driver, but this is untrue. Then he longs for the day when everything settles down and returns to normal. Unfortunately, there is always some uncertainty since changes never cease.
Over the road, trucking undergoes several modifications daily and yearly. An inexperienced driver is still getting used to the interstates and truck stops along the route, even though he is aware of corporate policies. Finding each new client is challenging and frightening, and parking may significantly cause stress.
The motorways and parking lots eventually become ingrained in his memory, even if the customers sometimes give him some stress. The driver eventually finds solace because many patrons know which locations provide close truck washes, overnight parking, or drop-and-hook options.
But just as the driver gets comfortable, something unexpected upsets his peace of mind. Detours are common, the roads are being built on, and a well-known client no longer offers overnight parking. This will occur throughout your career as a truck driver and in life in general.
The Changes In Trucking Never End
I became a trainer after mastering time management, travel planning, and backing. That was something new. My firm switched to auto-shift transmissions after I created my curriculum, improved how to complete tasks during training, and perfected monitoring a team’s logbook hours of service clocks.
Oh no! More change, which I hate.
My truck ended up in the shop a few months later with the next trainee, so I was put in yet another vehicle. This time, it is a brand-new truck with more devices, gauges, and alarms than any of my other vehicles. I have driven trucks with push-button gears, manual transmissions, and now a truck with a gearshift wand on the steering wheel. It was very different and left me feeling inadequate.
Welcoming to trucking! For those of you who detest change as much as I do, there is yet hope.
Early in your training, the biggest shifts happen, and the adjustments become less jarring and less frequent as time goes on. Even though my new vehicle was daunting, I found comfort because I could always call for help or information if needed.
I have figured out through the years who in the different divisions of my organization knows more and who can point me in the direction of resources I may require. Despite the sometimes crazy situations in trucking, I feel comfort when I see the “Welcome Home” sign at the terminal. Any concerns about the impending changes are alleviated by the terminal’s sanctuary status and the immediate sense of family I have with the other drivers.
No matter what, I have a team of people who can assist, and I have phoned my fleet manager many times to ask for emotional support. He generally laughs, thanks me for not shouting at him like some other drivers do, and inquires about how he might simplify my life. I find it impossible to consider switching employers for each of these factors. For me to do so, a lot would have to happen. I would get frustrated having to start again and prove myself a reliable driver. I also need to develop my confidence in a new group of allies. That is once again just a dread of the unknown.
I always felt unqualified whenever I moved forward in my profession. As a perfectionist, I would immerse myself in every facet of my work and study every article, book, and the website I could find. Along with increasing my competence, I also attempted to achieve some level of expertise in as many areas as possible that were associated with my new position. In regards to my new vehicle, I have already studied the owner’s handbook, websites, reviews, and viewed videos. That is how I deal with change and my fear of the unknown; that is just me.
Every Truck Driver Experiences Tough Times
Most inexperienced drivers worry about backing up and having accidents. I mistakenly turned into a truck stop driveway in my first month alone. I entered the building facing the gasoline lanes, and as I attempted to turn to enter a pump, I became preoccupied. BAM! I ran into the enormous yellow wall that was obstructing the petrol pump.
Did you see what you did? The manager said as she burst through the door. Oh, sure! My axle has fallen to the ground. It is difficult to ignore that.
A tire started to roll away and into the roadway as I started to back up. A worker climbed onto a forklift and raced after the tire. Even with the equipment operating correctly, I was already horrible at backing up, so it was difficult to do so with a dangling axle. Trucks were zooming by me, pointing and laughing as the trailer shook from side to side. “Hey!” I yelled to the drivers behind me as I sprang out of the vehicle. I am terrible at moving ahead, so why would you people go behind me and endanger your lives? You are aware that I cannot see you!
It was among my most humiliating and demoralizing experiences.
I acknowledged my error and how I had let myself get distracted when my employer questioned me. Speaking with my Fleet Manager brought back memories of when I was a teenager and “borrowed” the vehicle without permission. He inquired what transpired as though he did not need to voice his displeasure. There it was. His tone conveyed the rest.
After the accident, I spoke with Road Assist, Safety, and my Fleet Manager, wrote the accident report, and then waited for a towing business to replace the trailer and transfer the merchandise I was hauling to another trailer. The procedure took over nine hours, and I believed I would lose my job. Fear of the unknown, mixed with ideas of upcoming employment, expenses, and home shopping, raced in my thoughts. I was aware that at any second, the hammer might sound, ordering me to go to the terminal for discipline and termination.
Another driver from my firm came over and said, “I know you are unhappy, but I want to give you dinner and tell you the tale of my accident four years ago,” saying, “I know you are upset.” In his first week alone, he backed into a dock at a sharp angle without contemplating if he should slide the tandems first. He tore the reefer fuel tank’s bottom open, spewing 50 gallons of diesel all over the yard and necessitating Hazmat cleaning techniques.
He had the same reaction I had when the cops arrived to confirm the cleaning. Embarrassed. Terrified. Alone.
He questioned me incessantly before stating, “If they let you transport the cargo, you are not dismissed. Instead of driving the merchandise to the receiver, they would have forced you to drive the damaged trailer to the terminal. “One day, you will laugh about this, and perhaps you can assist other drivers,” he told me as we left ways. I was calmed down by someone there, and I hope I was able to assist you. Unfortunately, I did not receive his name or contact information, but his wonderful deed lives on in spirit.
Since then, I have heard innumerable tales of “rookie accidents.” Amazingly, all of these drivers are still employed by their original business. It is not about being stuck or struggling to obtain employment elsewhere. The key is to grow as a driver, learn from your errors, and show devotion to the organization that supported you when you were a new driver making mistakes.
Nobody expects you to be a flawless driver, and neither do they. They anticipate failure, but they also anticipate growth through time.
What Can You Do To Manage Your Fears?
The first step in overcoming your worries is to recognize them. The next step is to create an action plan. Nearly every part of trucking can be overcome with the help of knowledge and assistance, which is why we at Trucking Truth strive to provide as much information as we can. Attend training during the winter and ask a trainer who is ready to educate you in such areas if you are terrified of driving in the snow or mountain ranges.
If you are most afraid of jackknifing or rolling the truck, research online, talk to other drivers about tricks and strategies, and ask your employer if they have any training materials. Make a network of seasoned drivers you may contact for assistance in an emergency or even vent your aggravation.
The most essential thing to keep in mind is that you are not alone.
Not only you have a hard time backing that trailer. Others have damaged trailers or severed another truck’s front end when reversing out of a parking space at a rest area.
Suppose you are worried that your ideal career in trucking may not pan out and that you will not have enough money to maintain your family; figure out a means to save money first. Your anxiety will be reduced and prevented from interfering with your training if you know you have money in the bank. Do not let your worries consume you or make you prone to errors.
To avoid extra distractions throughout your training and rookie year, be ready, face your concerns, and have a strategy in place.
Good luck, and Be Safe!
