Road rage is a part of the trucking industry, and drivers need to learn early on how to handle it. There are ways to prepare yourself for situations that happen on the road. You can always find ways to avoid, or at least lessen, road rage. One way is to tell yourself that something is going to happen that day. Get into your truck expecting people to cut you off and follow too closely. If this doesn’t happen then you will be pleasantly surprised, but if it does you will be ready for it.

As a truck driver it is especially important to let go of road rage because of the massive power you have in your truck. Yes, you can easily crush that little car that just flipped you off, but do you really want to? Remember that behind the honking horn and screeching tires is a human being. If you do want to get back at them just think; after you do it are you going to be able to live with the consequences?

Remind yourself that the person in that car is someone’s child, someone’s husband or wife, mother or father and getting back at that person will not only affect the two of you. Besides, by just letting go of your anger you are getting out of the situation quickly. If, however, you battle it out with that person you are only adding to the negative circumstances.

Patience isn’t an easy thing to come by and at times it may seem as if people are doing things deliberately to make us mad. They may be, but what are you going to do? Take the higher road and move on, don’t sink to their level. If your schedule will allow it, you can try driving at night when there aren’t as many vehicles on the road.

Ignorance on the road is extremely frustrating and dangerous. It’s not easy to let it go when someone has just risked your life. But don’t make it worse. Always remember when driving to be a part of the solution, and not the problem.

Truck driving is a great and rewarding career. Don’t let anyone ruin it for you. Enjoy what you do, do it well, and drive safe.

The timing was great in that President Obama actually spoke on this very topic the day before setting goals to cut the United States need of oil imports by one-third by the end of a 10-year time line.

Diesel is a part of the resources needed to move product from one side of the country to the other.  As a concern of drivers in the industry, this is a huge story to follow for its outcome.  One of the challenges of small truck driving companies is the cost of fuel.

One company called Todd Transit has a daily cost of $335 a day for their fuel in 40 trucks.  Because of this, he has consolidated runs.  This slows down the drop off and his customers are waiting hours for their product.  Fear this is going to hurt his business; Bill Graves’s plea to the House of Representatives may be help for his company growth.

http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=26408

http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/High_Gas_Prices_Guzzling_Budget_of_Local_Trucking_Company_118870184.html

Across the country, accidents involving tractor-trailers are declining and the SCAP is helping lower the injury and fatality statistics even more.  The author of the article, Art Hovey, spoke with Captain Gerry Krolikowski who focused on the responsibilities of the state inspectors and how CSAP will not change how the inspectors will do their jobs.  Instead, different violations will be graded differently.

Jim Mullen, general counsel to Werner Enterprises in Omaha, is quoted as stating, “It’s going to be a challenge for the industry,” Mullen said. “It’s a new safety scoring system for all motor carriers, and it’s not a perfect system, by any means.” And Tim Aschoff, the vice president of risk management and general counsel of Crete Carrier in Lincoln, Nebraska stated  “I think what will be challenging for those carriers on the bottom end will be making and implementing the change.  It’s not something you can change overnight and significantly improve your scores.”

The trucking industry realizes that it will be a challenge to follow the guidelines, but they also realize that most trucking companies are already implementing most new rulings.  Safety comes first and the trucking companies are willing to make the changes to comply for the sake of a safer road for both the truck drivers as well as the non-truck drivers on the road.

http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_1d56f499-450a-5565-86d1-e727e8738e45.html

The President of the Truckload Carriers Association, is filling the empty seat that used to be Deborah Sparks, who is TCA’s vice president of development.

Parts Group of Navistar President Phyllis Cochran is now taking the seat that was H. Lenora Hardee, Ph.D., and manager of Navistar’s Human Factors and Ergonomics Group.

The last seat replaced is by Jan Hamblin, J.J. Keller & Associates’ corporate sales manager of strategic accounts.  This was the vacated seat of Jayne Gunn, the former director of Sunbury Transport, in Canada.

Leigh Foxall, the chairwoman of Women In Trucking, stated, “Our goal is to represent the trucking industry as a whole.”

I quote TruckingInfo.com’s article, “Women In Trucking Announces Board of Director Changes”,

“Women In Trucking was established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles face by women working in the trucking industry.”

This is also their Mission Statement.

Their home page on their website states:

“This organization has been created for you, both men and women, who are either involved in the industry, or have a career interest in being a part of one of the largest networks of professionals in North America. Nearly one out of fourteen workers are already employed in jobs that support the transportation industry, but the need for drivers and other trucking professionals continues to increase.”

Membership dues go towards motivating the transportation industry to search for and find any obstacles preventing both men and women from considering the career path in the transportation industry.  For more information go to http://www.womenintrucking.org.

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=72006&news_category_id=18

http://www.womenintrucking.org/

Truck driving school might be a solution for people looking for a job that is 45 years or older.  The trucking field is hiring, even in high unemployment and all ages can apply.  Some bigger trucking companies like CR England Trucking have schools where they train drivers and then automatically hire them for employment.  Some people 50 years of age and on have it easier to drive trucks than their younger counterpart.  Their families are older and there is more freedom.  And some parents that have no children at home anymore have the opportunity to team together.  Both husband and wife can go to truck driving school together and see the country with flexible hours.

At CR England Truck Driving School, they have school loans that would be slowly taken out of your paycheck once you start working at CR England Trucking Company.  They take care of the cost of your transportation to the school and for your hotel room once you get to the school.  The only thing you have to pay is for your own meals.  And once you graduate, you have a job.  That’s the best part.

http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/workforce-management/hr-management-skills/unemployment-older-managers.aspx