CDL schools do an outstanding job preparing new drivers to work. New drivers learn an extensive list of things from how to operate commercial vehicles to the federal and state regulations truckers are required to follow. But there is one thing CDL schools do not teach – and that might be the most important aspect of a successful trucking career. What is it? It’s how to work.
Anyone with the physical and mental ability to handle an 18-wheeler can learn how to physically drive one. However just because a person can drive does not mean that he or she can be a successful trucker. In fact, that holds true for any career path
A person with a medical degree and a license to practice may have the credentials to be a fine doctor, but he or she will be a lousy doctor if he/she’s lazy, uncaring, and lacking integrity. Another person could do all the work necessary to pass the bar exam only to turn out to be a worthless lawyer because he or she has no interest in putting in the research necessary to defend his/her clients. Do you detect a pattern here?
Trucking is a career no different from any other in that it requires work. The most successful truckers know how to work hard in addition to knowing how to drive. And from our perspective, knowing how to work is the more important of the two. We can teach anyone to drive, but only the individual can make a choice to work hard.
The Benefits of Hard Work
We have observed that Americans have gradually lost the desire to work hard since the World War II generation. There could be a lot of contributing factors here, but there’s no point in getting into those now – what’s done is done. It is more important that we focus on the benefits of hard work in order to encourage more people to adopt the mindset.
As a trucker, the benefits of hard work are plentiful:
- Better Loads and Routes – Our industry is one that rewards the best drivers with the best loads and routes. Those loads and routes pay more because they require drivers who show a greater level of responsibility and a stronger work ethic. If you want the best loads and routes, you have to earn them.
- Advancement Opportunities – Yes, there are advancement opportunities in the trucking industry. You could start as an over-the-road trucker and eventually end up getting a lucrative dedicated route with maximum home time and pay. Throughout the industry, there are opportunities to advance into non-driving positions as well. Plenty of dispatchers, middle managers and executives started out on the road.
- Bonuses and Incentives – Trucking companies are known to reward hard-working and safe drivers with bonuses and incentives. Simply by working hard and staying safe, you could increase your pay as well as receiving other benefits.
- Professional Recognition – The hardest working drivers in the industry enjoy the professional recognition that comes with it. In other words, with hard work comes respect and recognition from your employer and your peers.
CDL schools teach a lot of great things. What they do not teach drivers is how to work hard. If you’re a hard-working individual looking for a great job with an excellent trucking company, we want to speak with you. Contact C.R. England right away so we can talk.
