In an interview with some truck drivers; that just received their first set of keys to a new truck, we had a chance to talk to them about their CDL training experiences. We wanted to find out how they found their job and what methods they used to in order to figure out what trucking companies where hiring so they did not waste any time. Second, why did they decide to get into the truck driving profession? What life experiences made them believe they would be good at driving trucks and the long haul? Finally, we wanted to know how prepared they where you for the real thing? What where they feeling when their instructor handed them the key, where they ready?
After talking to several people with their CDL training still fresh in their mind we found out that there was a lot of people that had something in common. When they where starting out they all pretty much mentioned that they where going to the Internet to gather information on the truck driving career, a career they did not know much about and where about bestow. There is a stigma and stereotype that the truck driver job is not one full of computer savvy people, but we found out the opposite to be true. The new influxes of drivers out there are coming form a society that has had to become computer savvy. There is an increasing trend of more and more houses with a computer in it rather then a newspaper coming to the front door. With the signing bonuses that new hires where receiving fresh out of truck driving schools, they are buying smart phones that become a daily used tool on the long haul. We found that the majority of the people we interviewed found their job while searching on the Internet. A lot of them started on Yahoo, Google, and Bing, then applied at the many user friendly trucking broads that are at their disposal.
Next, we focused on what set these guy apart from the people that did not make it though the two week to month long course and are now able to take the next step to a solid career. We spoke to a number of people that mentioned that they had a military background. They where already used to being away from home for an extended period of time. They had the discipline to stick through the grueling beginning of truck driving school where you are out of your comfort zone, learning something that is starting to feel like it was harder then you imaged. Their drive to prove to themselves that they can make a career beginning a truck driver and the mentality to not give in allowed them to push through. The attitude to never surrender was key to getting past the first couple of weeks, on through the first few months before they really start to make a good living were the intangibles they mentioned that made it all happen.
Last, everyone we spoke to with a military background or not, mentioned something from above. If you have these attributes then push through that first six months of getting your CDL, and the training wheels wage that is offered to you until you gain the trust of the company that has handed you the keys to that 53’ long beast. No matter who you are if you stick with being a truck driver then one day you can make big bucks being a truck driver, buying a truck, and going to work for yourself. Just keep in mind that everyone starts out with the feeling that they are not quite ready. Everyone gets that pit in the bottom of you stomach feeling like it just opened up to the size of the Grand Canyon when those metal shiny new keys hit your hand for the first time…