{"id":2390,"date":"2017-10-13T15:21:42","date_gmt":"2017-10-13T19:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/?p=2390"},"modified":"2021-07-12T11:37:08","modified_gmt":"2021-07-12T15:37:08","slug":"how-to-adjust-to-the-trucker-lifestyle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/how-to-adjust-to-the-trucker-lifestyle\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Adjust to the Trucker Lifestyle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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So, you\u2019ve decided to become a trucker! Congratulations! It’s a great industry! However, adjusting to this major life change can be overwhelming. Trucking isn\u2019t just a job; it\u2019s a lifestyle. Your new career will affect many other aspects of your life. As you set off on this new adventure, you\u2019ll have to get used to the truck driver reality.\u00a0<\/span>Having knowledge about what to expect from the industry can help you better adjust to the trucker lifestyle. Check out these tips to help you transition into your new trucking career!<\/span><\/p>\n

Short Versus Long Haul Trucker Lifestyle<\/span><\/h2>\n

When you seek out trucking jobs, you\u2019ll have to determine whether you prefer short haul trucking, long-haul trucking, or a mix of both. Though employers may have slightly different job descriptions, short-haul truckers typically travel less than 250 miles for their assignments, while long haul truckers travel hundreds and even thousands of miles for their assignments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tips to Help You Transition Into Your New Trucking Career<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whether you pursue the short or long-haul trucker lifestyle, these tips will help you adjust to your new way of life.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Make a Good First Impression<\/span><\/h3>\n

From your <\/span>first <\/span>interview<\/span> to your first day, it\u2019s critical that you make a good first impression with your new employer. When you start out as a new truck driver for a new company, you\u2019ll have to prove yourself. Since you\u2019re the rookie, you won\u2019t have dibs on the loads you get to haul. Your employers may give you the leftover hauls that their more experienced drivers don\u2019t want to load due to the delivery location or a difficult customer. Don\u2019t get discouraged if you find yourself in this situation. The trucking industry is full of growth, and soon enough, you\u2019ll move up the ranks. <\/span><\/p>\n

2. Combat Loneliness<\/span><\/h3>\n

It can get pretty lonely while you\u2019re on the road. But, truckers use plenty of methods to help manage the loneliness. To stay entertained on the job without losing focus, many drivers choose to listen to podcasts or audiobooks. There are plenty of <\/span>trucking podcasts<\/span><\/a> to help pass the time and keep you informed about the industry. CB radios allow you to communicate with other drivers as you travel. You may also choose to travel with another driver as team\u00a0drivers<\/a>, which allows you to double your driving distance, finish assignments more efficiently, and avoid the loneliness. <\/span><\/p>\n

3. Learn How to Speak Trucker Lingo<\/span><\/h3>\n

If you choose to participate in conversations on your CB radio, you\u2019ll probably hear some unfamiliar terms being thrown around. Truck drivers have developed their own unique trucking language, which allows for covert discussions. Becoming fluent in trucker lingo can be difficult because many terms are specific to certain types of drivers or situation. For example, chicken haulers will use the phrase \u201ccluck cluck chicken truck\u201d to greet each other. Other terms are more generic, like using \u201c10-6\u201d to indicate to that you\u2019re busy and that the other person should stand by. Learning these more commonly used terms is helpful for new drivers as they start their trucking career.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Beware of Industry Trends & Stereotypes<\/span><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s no secret that the trucking industry is predominantly male. However, more and more <\/span>women are becoming drivers<\/span><\/a> for the benefits the career has to offer. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not uncommon for women to have sexist encounters, whether it be from fellow drivers or from the public. If you\u2019re a woman looking to enter this lucrative field, don\u2019t let this scare you off. Fight the stereotypes and enjoy this rewarding career!<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Seek Help When Necessary<\/span><\/h3>\n

Adjusting to the trucker lifestyle can be overwhelming. If you\u2019re struggling with aspects of the trucker lifestyle, seek guidance from more experienced truckers. Some companies have\u00a0mentorship programs<\/a> for new drivers. Be sure to take advantage of these opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning how to adjust to the trucker lifestyle can be a fun and refreshing experience. What tips do you have for fellow truck drivers looking to adjust to their new career?<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, you\u2019ve decided to become a trucker! Congratulations! It’s a great industry! However, adjusting to this major life change can be overwhelming. Trucking isn\u2019t just a job; it\u2019s a lifestyle. Your new career will affect many other aspects of your life. As you set off on this new adventure, you\u2019ll have to get used to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2392,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[438],"tags":[607,609,608,400],"class_list":["post-2390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-become-a-truck-driver","tag-how-to-adjust-to-the-trucker-lifestyle","tag-long-haul-trucker-lifestyle","tag-new-trucking-career","tag-trucker-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2390"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5127,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2390\/revisions\/5127"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alltruckjobs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}