Starting a Career Driving A Truck - Things To Look At
Posted on Sunday, August 10, 2008 at 4:46 amSome kids see those big rigs driving down the street and think that they want to drive one for a career someday. But not everyone is physically able to drive a truck, so if that is your career plan before you sign up with a training program at a college or truck driving school first make sure you can pass the DOT physical.
First off it is not like you have to be in tip top shape, but there are some things that matter. For example do you have all your toes and fingers? Do you have health issues that would cause you trouble while driving (e.g., falling asleep)? For some things there are medical waivers and others most likely not. To find out how you will do before actually taking the physical contact a truck driving school or visit the DOT website to learn more. The key is not to sign up for training if you know you will not pass the DOT exam.
If the DOT exam should not be an issue the next step is learning about the different methods of becoming a truck driver. Do you want to attend a 3 week truck driver training program or a longer one. There are pros and cons to each, so understand what you will be getting yourself into.
In addition to learning book information and theory make sure the school you choose will give you enough time behind the wheel. You will need to know the rules but without learning the actual skills to be behind the wheel in a safe manner you may not be ready for the open road.
Going to work for a trucking company and having an experienced driver assigned to help you improve your skills is great, but make sure to find a trucking school that also focuses on behind the wheel time. This will help develop a base line of important skills needed on the road.
In addition to learning how to drive a truck you may also learn vehicle inspection, hook and trailer drops and other information. It is important to get a good education at a school and good practice time as well.
One if not the biggest factor in how good of an education you receive will depend on the quality of instructors. Of course the school will have their rules, but good instructors can make all the difference from OK training to really good training.
Learning the proper driving habits early on is important for your safety and those around you. Therefore finding a school that really focuses on safety instead of just rushing you out the door and collecting money is something you want to be careful of.




