People often think that being a truck driver is an easy job to have.
They think that all truck drivers do is drive around to places and get to eat lots of fast food. This is so far from the reality of what it is like to drive a truck.
There are a vast number of rules and regulations that every professional truck driver needs to know before he can even begin to get behind the wheel of a truck. Driving a semi-truck is one of the hardest jobs that you can find out there and there is so much that drivers have to deal with on a daily basis.
There are, however, lots of tools that can be utilized to help make the trucker's job a lot more manageable. For example, they can install GPS and computer systems to make the trip safer and easier for them.
There is also freight factoring--a service that will help take some of the burden and responsibilities associated with billing and getting paid off of the trucker. These tools can take a lot of the worry about getting paid from the places you deliver to away.
Liability is A Big Problem
There are a lot of things that can happen when you are out on the road. Accidents will sometimes happen no matter how careful you are. Whether you are an owner/operator or just an employee driving for a big company, someone has to be liable for anything that can go wrong while you are driving your truck.
In the case of an owner/operator, most of the liability will fall on you as the one driving and owns the truck. However, in the case of an employee, the liability can be a bit different depending on when and how the accident occurred. There are other factors that matter as well, such as: "was the accident intentional in some way?" or "did it happen during the employee's actual working hours?"
What Does A Truck Driver Do?
Most people think that being a truck driver is as easy as getting behind the wheel and driving from point A to point B. They do not realize the vast number of things that a driver must do and know while doing their jobs.
Safety is first and foremost on the list of things a driver needs to be concerned about. They have to be sure that their truck is in good condition and that any necessary repairs get made. They have to know if they will be responsible for unloading the freight once they have reached their destination.
Drivers will also deal with a lot of frustrating factors like rude people and bad traffic conditions so they must also be able to deal with stress without flying off the handle. They also need to be patient as there are often long waits at loading docks as well as traffic that gets backed up for one reason or another.
The driver is also responsible for making sure that the freight they are carrying is loaded and strapped in properly. They must also be aware of all road rules and regulations as well as any regulations set forth by the D.O.T. that apply specifically to trucks.
They must maintain a log of their driving and rest times and that log can be inspected at any time.
These are just a few of the things that anyone who drives a semi-truck must do or know in order to be able to get behind the wheel.
Having this job is not as glamorous as one may think. However, it can be a rewarding job for those that like to travel and see new sites.