What it means to be a Professional Truck Driver

At SWTDT, we love our CDL students and graduates. What we don't love, or think is fair, is the negative image that many non-truckers often have of truck drivers in general.

When you get CDL training from us, you not only learn how to safely drive and maneuver an 18-wheeler, but you also learn how to be a professional. We do this not only because it makes you more marketable and approachable to trucking companies, but it also aids in removing the negative stereotype that many hold towards truckers.

Below, we have outlined a few of the tips that we like to teach our students for how to conduct oneself professionally as a driver.

1. Know that you ARE a professional. So you aren't dressing in a suit and tie everyday and sitting in an executive corner office. This doesn't mean you aren't a professional. You do a job that most people are not qualified to do. You must establish and nurture this mindset. Assume your place behind the wheel and on the road in a manner that sets yourself apart from the recreational and non-professional drivers around you.
2. Remember that you are always accountable. One of the great perks of being a professional driver is that you don't have a boss there, looking over your shoulder and micromanaging you. This doesn't mean you don't need to conduct yourself in a safe and responsible way. Even if it's for no other reason that you don't want anyone calling that, "How's My Driving?" number with a complaint. This means that you don't do any of the following things (that a non-professional driver probably would do):
• Text while driving
• Make obscene comments or gestures to anyone around you
• Tailgate
• Block the flow of traffic
• etc.
• And if you get pulled over, be polite and courteous. Just as you are trying to do your job, the officer is just trying to do his (or hers).
3. Look at the big picture. Your job is not only to get your load from point A to point B. In many ways, the drivers with whom you share the road as you're traveling the veins and arteries of America are your customers, too. After all, if they didn't buy the goods that you transport, you would be out of a job. Additionally, you represent the company for which you drive. All of this is why it is part of your job to keep the public safe while on the road, and even to be friendly. Hey, when a kid in the the car next to you makes the gesture for you to honk your horn, just do it!

These are just a few ways that you can help to nurture a positive image of professional truck drivers. What do you think? Do you have any other tips for improving the trucker image? Tell us in the comments below!