Truck Driving and Writing: A Perfectly Imperfect Union

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A Truly Professional Truck Driver

“Appearance matters a great deal because you can often tell a lot about people by looking at how they present themselves.”

When you think about a professional truck driver, the first thing that comes to mind is someone who drives trucks for a living. If I then asked you to describe a truck driver, some would use the following adjectives…. loud, rude, dirty, smelly, unkempt, etc. These words would be a true description for many but not for all.

I have encountered truck drivers besides my Jimmy (TruckersLife09), who care about their appearance and are very intelligent. You would be surprised to know that countless truck drivers are military veterans. Like ourselves they are continuing to serve their country. It is embedded in the mind of a veteran to be presentable and inspection ready at all times. We take pride in that! I’m not saying veterans are the only presentable truck drivers. There are those who look like something the cat coughed up!!! Your local trash collector looks, smells, and can articulate better. if given the opportunity you would rather deal with him.

I remember a day when Jimmy delivering a load to a Walmart Distribution Center. Presentable as always with his short sleeved polo shirt, a white thermal underneath to protect his arms from the cold. His jeans were crisply pressed and clean Nike sneakers. Jimmy is a clean shaven type of guy he sports a goatee and bald head and wears Polo Blue Cologne. I could understand why he received so many compliments from the ladies in the shipping and receiving offices of his many customers. Continuing to survey the other drivers coming and going I saw why people have such a bad perception of truck drivers. Disgusted by the parade of men and women wearing filthy clothes, tank tops and half buttoned shirts, pants hanging low beneath buttocks, pajama bottoms and flip- flops. They all looked as if they had not showered in months.

Suddenly, a sparkling clean red and chrome PeterBilt truck pulled up on the passenger’s side. Of course, being the type of woman that loves old muscle cars, bikes (not crotch rockets) and trucks. I had to examine this beautiful machine! My expectation was for a dirty, unkempt guy to descend from this beautiful rig. This handsome gentleman with clean brown cowboy boots, wranglers with a shiny truck belt buckle, red flannel shirt and a brown cowboy hat stepped down. He descended from the rig as if dismounting the most beautiful stallion you have ever seen. The smell of Old Stetson wafted in the window, the elixir mesmerized me further into a trance. The anonymous cowboy looked up at me high on my perch, tipped his hat with a smile and moseyed on. Needless to say I blushed and giggled like a shy little school girl.

Jimmy and his fellow driver are living examples of how a professional driver should look. It’s not difficult to maintain a presentable appearance while over the road. Companies like Averitt and Walmart have resorted to requiring their drivers to wear uniforms. I’m sure there are countless drivers who would not like the idea of converting to uniforms. It’s imperative that drivers influence one another to pull up their pants, wash their clothes and conduct business with a fresh clean appearance. Maintaining respect for yourself demands respect from those you come in contact with, not only for you but for your company as well.

I Have to Get It There!!!

a truckers life

Number one rule for a load with an appointment time is… “Get it there safely”. As truckers some of us tend to forget or throw this very important rule out of the truck window. Scores and stats seem to be much more important than their lives and the lives of motorists. We lack consideration and empathy for others on the road! There is nothing more dangerous than a sleepy, distracted or lazy driver behind the wheel of an eighteen wheeler. Take a moment to imagine what a truck weighing 77,000 pounds driving at 60 miles per hour can do to a car or SUV. The people inside don’t stand a chance and if they do survive it was an act of God. Statistics show most fatal accidents are caused by experienced truck drivers that have been driving for 20 or more years. Newbies on the other hand, are knocking down…

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