Trip planning is the best way to become a good driver.
A truck driver will take many trips in his driving career. Trip planning is one of the ways that you, the driver can help your company be profitable. Out-of-route miles are a costly way to loose money. At the beginning of your driving career, you plan with great detail everything you can think of about your trip. You will want to know the route you are going to take, the size and weight restrictions, where are the low bridges, even where you plan to fuel and sleep for the night.
One of the biggest things that set a rookie apart from a veteran truck driver is a rookie will rely on a map more in the beginning. Be careful that you do not get used to traveling along the same roads over and over and be very careful relying on GPS. Complacency will catch up to you, and you will find yourself in a bad situation. You will end up looking at a low bridge, weight restricted road, or a D.O.T. check station somewhere you least expect it.
This is what happened to me in 1995. I was traveling from Brookville Pa to Pittsburgh along Hwy 28, when Hwy 28 joined with U.S. Hwy 422. These two roads joined at the top of the hill that had a stop light at the bottom of the hill. (This junction has been bypassed with a new road) About half way down the hill there is a D.O.T. brake-check station. Of course, I passed right on past.
Hello, Mr. D.O.T.!
Just as I was getting past the station, mister D.O.T. came out to welcome me. We did the usual; he asked for my papers and I told him where he…..I just gave him my papers. After the obligatory waiting period, he came back to me with my ticket: FAILURE TO STOP AT MY SORRY EXCUSE FOR A BRAKE-CHECK STATION. Me, being the smart ass that I am, I asked him, “Who in their right mind would blow past a brake-check station on purpose?”
He said, “You know officer, I didn’t mean to be speeding.” “If we listened to every excuse we got from everybody, we wouldn’t get a conviction out of anyone.”
Then I snatched my ticket from his hand and said as I walked away, “I guess that is why O.J. Simpson is still walking the streets, isn’t it!”
Now, I’m not going to tell anyone to be as big a smart ass as I was that day. I’m sure our fine police officers have their share of bad days. Truth be told; this officer could have been a real jerk and given me a once over right there on the side of the road. I was lucky that he only gave me a ticket.
I have told that story many times since then, and I guess I have to thank that officer for the experience. This story is just one of the many trucking stories that I have experienced, some good and some not so good, but I look back on all of them with fond memories. Next time you are doing a little trip planning, be careful to pay attention to all the details. What are some of your trucking stories? Help out the new drivers and let us old guys have a chuckle, email me your stories at [email protected].
