Independent Contractor or Employee?
Many drivers enjoy the freedom of working as independent truck drivers, due to the flexibility and opportunity to run themselves like their own small business. They call the shots and make their own profits, but port drivers in So Cal are now calling on their right to unionize as misclassified employees. So Cal Drivers Get So Exploited With congestion issues and new pushes for clean-burning diesel, independent drivers are leaking...
Fighting Fatigue: Why Drivers take the Risk
Take a moment and type “accidents caused by driver’s fatigue” into Google or your preferred search engine. This month alone, you’ll find dozens of news articles on serious accidents that were ultimately attributed to drivers experiencing fatigue behind the wheel. A frightening trend that you’ll notice within these articles, is that most of the accidents involved truck drivers. Driver’s Fatigue in...
Convoy Creatures: The Wild Words of Trucking
Although there’s lots of alone time on the road, truckers are always communicating via their CB radios. Whether traveling in a convoy or passing others on the road, there’s always something to say within the limited signal range. Truckers ought to at least be familiar with the 10-codes. However, beyond the standard jargon, there’s a world of slang with some pretty wild words for everyday encounters on the road. As a rookie, hearing...
Careful Cargo: What it Takes to Transport Dangerous Goods
You may be a seasoned vet or a rookie on the open road, but either way you’ll want to take especially proper care while transporting dangerous goods – particularly if that cargo is radioactive. Although you’ve most likely heard this before, brushing up on what it takes to safely transport hazardous or temperamental materials can save an accident from becoming a disaster. Staying keen to proper transportation techniques not only keeps...
Driving & Depression: Recognizing Mental Illness in the Trucking Industry
Life on the road can get lonely, especially when you’re leaving behind a spouse, children, or even a beloved pet. Despite this, many drivers still cannot imagine life without the open road – after all, trucking runs in the blood. For many other drivers, being away from the familiarity of home for days, or even weeks, on end can get depressing. The word “depression” is all too often associated with temporary...
So You Want to be a Truck Driver…Or Do You?
With the shortage of drivers in the United States, now is a perfect time to apply to be a truck driver! However, do not be fooled. Being a truck driver is no easy feat. Many people get into this industry not knowing that they are not cut out to be a driver. This isn’t one of those “try and see” situations, so how do you know you actually have what it takes to be a truck driver? There are many other characteristics that you should...