Connor: Hello and welcome to the third episode of Big Rig Banter, a show about all things commercial driving and transportation-related. I’m your co-host, Connor Smith.
Troy: And I’m your co-host, Troy Diffenderfer.
Connor: The date is May 3, 2017. This is Big Rig Banter.
Music – Whether you’re hitting the road or kicking back in the cab, it’s time to take a load off with Big Rig Banter, powered by AllTruckJobs.com – your source for finding the trucking jobs drivers really want. Get ready to shift into gear and let the conversations roll.
Troy: Alright, welcome, welcome listeners. We are back for the third episode of Big Rig Banter. Connor, how are you doing today?
Connor: I’m doing great Troy, how are you doing?
Troy: I am doing fantastic! So, what do we have on the agenda? We are going to cover some news topics. We know there’s a big merger that recently happened, that unless you live under a rock you probably know about, but we’re going to hit on once again. Our main topic this month is going to be the three P’s – and we’re talking about planning, personalizing, and profiting. And finally, when we finish things off, we’re going to hit on some fun topics. Connor recently wrote a blog on wild trucking terms, so I know you’re excited to get into that Connor.
Connor: Oh yeah, that’s going to be a fun one. Wild trucking terms. We’re going to take you on a little safari of lingo and so on…
Troy: But before we get into all that, let’s get into some news topics!
Troy: Alright Connor, it’s time to hit the news, and I know we had some big trucking news that came on our radar last month. Why don’t you tell our listeners about that?
Connor: That’s right Troy. So, one of the bigger topics in the trucking world recently is the Swift and Knight merger. Essentially, what’s gone on here is two of the biggest North American trucking companies have merged together to create a giant in the industry. The merged firm will now be known as Knight-Swift and plans to have a holding company structure while maintaining distinct brands. In terms of stocks, each Swift share will convert to .72 shares of the merged company, with each Knight share being swapped for one Knight-Shift share. Last year the two companies earned about $5.1 billion dollars in total revenue and $416 million dollars in adjusted operating income. The merged companies plan to achieve $15 million dollars in cost-saving synergies and pre-tax revenue in the second half of 2017 and up to $150 million in 2019. We realize there may be some mixed emotions over what this means for the industry, and for drivers in particular, so if you’d like, feel free to reach out to us on Facebook or at our Twitter @AllTruckJobsUSA and just let us know your thoughts, and we’ll all be working through this together and figuring out what it means.
Troy: We’ll be sure to keep you updated on that story, as well as other stories coming up. In other news, a recent article published to Trucks.com reported that 40 percent of trucking companies are using mobile-friendly applications and screening processes to making on-boarding new hires a better experience for everyone. The use of social media is helping to attract younger truckers to the industry, with 55 percent of companies employing tactics like driver appreciation events, while 36 percent advertise flexible work arrangements. Really, this is an attempt to recruit and retain millennial drivers by finding creative ways to display a company’s benefits, like more flexibility, time off, and other options that can support a healthy work-life balance.
Connor: Yeah, that’s right. You know, for this generation, in particular, it’s really, in a sense, kind of shattering the stigma of being a truck driver. You know, so many millennials have this stereotype of what it means to be a commercial driver in their heads, and they really just don’t see how they can excel in the field. I think it’s a lot about trying to get them more comfortable with the idea of becoming a driver and you know, all of the opportunities you can have with this profession. It’s really not just, you know, driving on the highway, 24/7, even though, you know, interstate transportation is a huge part of it. There’s a whole bunch of different license types and specialties you can kind of take advantage of, and once you can display that with things like social media, I think you’re going to have a better chance at getting millennials really on board and recruited, and especially retained.
Troy: And once again, if you’ve seen some great social media practices or have suggestions for what companies should do in order to retain these millennial drivers and veteran drivers, for that matter, reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter. But now, Connor, I know this is one of your favorite news topics to come across our desk in the recent weeks and we’re talking drones and trucks.
Connor: That’s right. Drones – they are a huge technology that is just kind of disrupting the transportation industry at the same time that it’s adding a lot of new features and an interesting take on how we can get products to different places. It’s no secret that the rise of e-commerce has caused a drastic shift in the way people will buy and receive goods, and with so many e-retailers or e-tailers featuring free shipping or other expedited transportation, the amount of deliveries has greatly increased. So, now one of the more recent methods being considered for the volume of e-commerce products is the use of drones. Recently, a company called Work Horse Group is actually developing an electric drone system to work in tandem with electric vehicles, delivering packages from a truck itself rather than making multiple trips to warehouses. It’s expected to catch on slowly, the company hopes that this unique approach will eventually become part of the mainstream model for package delivery. It’s important to note also that the use of these drones is a practical model. It wouldn’t really work for packages beyond 10 pounds. This could still be great for rural areas where trucks have difficulty in getting back certain roads or reaching areas without a lot of infrastructure. I know we’ve talked before about the lack of sound bridges and roads. So, drones might be one solution – more or less a Band-Aid – to fixing infrastructure itself. But in the meanwhile, it could be good just to fly some smaller packages to people’s houses that way, so that could be cool. This is really kind of hinting on what’s called the uber-ization of trucking, and we actually have a blog post on our website that talks about this… how Amazon is entering the transportation industry and all of that good stuff, so you can check that out. There’ll be a link in the description below.
Troy: Alright folks, it’s time to get to our main topic. And Connor, I have a pop quiz for you.
Connor: Okay.
Troy: What are the three p’s of trucking?
Connor: Ooh yeah, I know this one. It’s a… possums, police, and pavement, right?
Troy: That is completely incorrect actually. The three p’s of trucking which we’re going to talk about on our main segment today are planning, personalizing, and profit.
Connor: Oh right, you said that in the intro.
Troy: That is true. But, let’s start with planning, Connor. I know we talked in our first episode the types of CDL’s, so if you do want a more in-depth look at the different types of CDL’s, go back and listen to that or take a look at our blog. We did a game show type of blog called, “Which type of CDL is right for you?” But, you know, before you start your trucking career it’s important to know what kind of trucker you want to be. So, Connor, why don’t you tell us about what options are available.
Connor: That’s right. To start you have your CDL license class A, B, or C, and those are just going to allow you to haul different vehicle weights, as well as the type of vehicle, whether it’s a school bus or a tanker, and that goes along with the type of endorsements you’re going to get too. Those are basically just extra skills that can be added to your license, which gives you greater job opportunities. Really, it’ll just help you to narrow the scope of the type of jobs you’re going to be seeking out, so it helps with the planning process, just to make it a little more streamlined overall.
Troy: Next, we’re going to look at what makes a good trucking company, and these are things like the culture and the environment of the trucking company, as well as if they provide education. If you don’t have any education yet, there are some companies that will actually pay for your education in hopes that you’ll pass your CDL test and then become a trucker with their company. You also want to make sure that they’re okay with your lifestyle. I know many of you have families and friends at home, and that’s important too. And I know Connor, you’re going to talk a little bit more about what it’s like balancing that lifestyle and schedule while you’re on the road.
Connor: That’s right, you know, being a trucker – I’m not personally – but it involves long hours on the road, and you’re frequently away from your family in new environments and locations across the country. So you know, that can affect the way that you interact with your family and the frequency you get to communicate with them. So really, when you’re planning your career as a trucker, it’s good to think about that work-life balance and try to strike a good happy medium with people in your life and your professional aspirations. So, it is good to monitor the time you’re spending on the road versus the time that you’ll have to kind of unwind at home. Really, what that comes down to a lot of the time is just keeping communication open and making sure that everyone else knows when you’ll be back, so they can start planning things around your home time and your rest time and all of that. Luckily, you know, with our ever-expanding array of technologies, Face Time and things like Skype, are really easy ways to stay in touch with family when you’re on the road. And you know, it is also, like you were mentioning Troy, it’s a lot about working with the trucking company to find a schedule that works for them and you and your family. So, we’d love to hear from you guys. If you have any advice or special techniques you use to stay in contact with friends and loved ones feel free to reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter.
Troy: Alright and now we’re hitting that second p in our three p’s and that is personalizing, and we’re talking about kind of customizing your vehicle. The first thing you want to think about is whether or not you’re going to own, rent, or drive a company vehicle. And that’s a big thing as you get into the trucking industry. There’s a variety of different ways you can go about it. You probably won’t be able to make any drastic modifications if you’re just being loaned the truck, but finding ways to feel at home in your cab is really important. We know it’s going to be your home away from home and that’s something you really want to think about. If you’re just starting out, it may not make sense to just buy your rig outright, unless you’re positive that this is a career for you. We know it’s a big, kind of, choice to make, so it’s always good to kind of ease into the process, and renting or driving a company truck might be the best option. And so, of course, it’s necessary to inspect your vehicle regardless of whether or not you’re the owner, and I actually recently wrote a blog that covers, kind of, the pre-inspection process and that covers everything from checking the breaks to checking the tire pressure, but once you do that it’s time to start making your rig your home away from home. And Connor, I know you have some tips on how to do that.
Connor: Just a few, yeah. So, like you said, it’s the home away from home, but you don’t want to go overboard, necessarily, and you want to work with in being able to maintain the right amount of safety and organization in your rig, but, you know, I would say above a lot of other concerns in your rig, it’s good to make sure that your bed and your sleeping quarters are all in order because getting rest on the road is extremely important. After a long day of hauling, the best you can do is just get some quality sleep. So, that’s a good place to start, is just making sure you have a comfortable place to rest up for the night. But, otherwise, ideally, you might want to find ways to you know, prepare food, whether it’s a cup of tea, a hot meal or other snacks, so hopefully, you can run small appliances in your rig, like a microwave or maybe an electric kettle. Obviously, no cooking with gas or open countertops, that is not advised inside of cabins. But, you know, just try to make the space as enjoyable as possible while maintaining the right amount of safety and efficiency. You know and personalize it. You could get one of those little hula girls on the dash, just kind of like wiggling back and forth. You know, everybody needs one of those, at least in some capacity. But, yeah, of course, you’re going to want to have your emergency supplies on hand and accessible, so things like emergency blankets and flairs, additional non-perishable food items perhaps. Extra flashlights and batteries, a radio, and just make sure that you know, you don’t over decorate things so that it’s cluttered, so you can have access to these items in case of an emergency. But yeah, it’s about making yourself feel comfortable and having some environment you’re going to want to spend long periods of time in while being able to do your job efficiently and stay healthy as well.
Troy: Yeah, and you know, another way to do that is to bring a companion, and I don’t just mean humans, I’m a huge fan of those furry creatures, Connor, and unless you’re a team driver, trucking is a pretty solitary profession, so you may want to get a pet to help out with that. Again, you should always check with your company whether or not they allow pets on the rig, but some will have weight limits or some will only allow dogs onto the rig, so it’s always a good idea to check that out. Again, I covered that on a blog that can be found at the link below, or you can check it out on AllTruckJobs.com/blog.
Connor: So, what are some things to maybe consider if you’re bringing a pet on the road?
Troy: You really want to give them space. You want to make sure to make more stops than usual. You want to make sure; you want to allow your furry friend to stretch their legs. I know it can be pretty cramped in the cabin at some point, and it’s always a good idea to bring food and water for them as well. I know they can get cramped, and one of the biggest things that maybe people don’t think about is kind of training your furry friend to stay in one area. Many will put up barriers when it comes to their break pedals or the back of the rig to kind of train them to stay in one place. That’s always a good idea because a creature roaming around might be a hazard to your driving. So, that’s always a good idea to make sure they are staying put.
Connor: Very good
Troy: And now it’s time to get on to our third p, and that is profiting. And we’re talking about how to really excel in your career financially. And I know, Connor, you talked about some of the career goals that many truckers want to have as they get on the road.
Connor: Sure, yeah. So, if nothing else, you know, start with small goals for yourself, like maybe it’ll be just to avoid receiving any violations in the first six months. I mean, ideally ever, but just make small, incremental goals that you can achieve, just so that you’ll be motivated and you’ll want to maintain your standards for the job and for your career as a whole. You know, maybe you want to make it to a certain state by some point in the year, or you want to log so many miles at a certain point. So, it’s just essentially about keeping track of how you’re progressing, and maybe that just means kind of writing all of your goals down in a journal or something like that and then logging them, besides your official company logs and things like that… just kind of finding ways to keep yourself motivated to continue your driving excellence.
Troy: Yeah, and speaking of staying motivated, it’s always a good idea to kind of keep your mental health in check. That’s a huge aspect of trucking that many truckers will kind of forget to recognize. That’s always a major issue for many truckers. It’s no secret that these long hours on the road can become monotonous and with that can come the added risk of depression and some of these other underdiagnosed mental illnesses. As a trucker, you may feel isolated at times, and again that’s why we recommend bringing a companion or staying in touch with family as much as you can. So, it’s important to realize when you may be experiencing any negative thoughts and tendencies, and you need to find ways to deal with them safely and in a healthy way. Really, mental health is just as important as staying physically healthy on the road and the two are closely related. Finding time to get moderate exercise and staying fit while on the road can contribute to your mental health. I know many truckers we have talked to will continue to stay fit on the road, and there’s even great stories out there that you can read about truckers that have actually lost weight or got more fit on the road.
Connor: Yeah, you know, if you or someone you know who’s in the trucking industry is suffering from depression, don’t ever hesitate to seek the help that you need or provide, you know, support to that person. You know, the social stigma around mental health is slowly lifting, luckily, so you know there are lots of online resources or support lines for people suffering from depression or maybe having suicidal thoughts or anything like that. So, it’s getting easier to reach out and help people in this way so we have also included some links in the description that you guys can check out, if those resources may be of some value to you. Moving on then to the next and final aspect of our profiting section here is your retirement plan. You know, it’s never too late to start saving, but the sooner you do the better. While many assume that saving later in life is a hopeless effort, creating a budget, and putting away savings can actually lighten the load when it comes to retirement overall. You know, figure out a monthly amount that you would like to save and try to stick to that as closely as possible. It’s a good idea to cut costs when you can, of course, and small things such as packing lunches, and you know, limiting the amount of cash you choose to spend each month can just be put towards your retirement instead because when you’re not working anymore and you have all this new free time, it’ll be nice to have a little extra money around. Especially if you need to pay for any medical bills, any other sorts of things that you might want to do in your older golden years. So, like I said, it’s never too early to start saving, and the more you save earlier on, the more you’ll have and the less you’ll have to really work as you get older, here. It’s very important.
Troy: Alright! And those are the three p’s, and we hope we provided a stellar guide on planning, personalizing, and profiting, and we will be right back after this break.
Music – Wherever the job takes you, Big Rig Banter is here to bring you the latest in industry topics trends and more! Stay tuned after this short break.
Connor: Alright, so thanks for sticking around to the end of the show here. It’s now time for our fun topics section, and Troy gave me a quiz earlier in the show trying to figure out what the three p’s were so now it is his time to answer my questions and today’s quiz is on the wild words of trucking – the convoy creatures of the industry. For any of you who have been in the industry a long time, you’ve probably heard these words through the CB radio, and they are referring to different things in the industry, but they all have animal names so it’s not immediately obvious what they are. So, we’re just going to go down the list here and you can check out the full blog on our website, AllTruckJobs.com. So, first off, Troy, what do you think an anteater is, in terms of trucking?
Troy: Hmm, that’s a tough one. I’m going to say an anteater is the nozzle on the gas pump because it looks like an anteater to me.
Connor: That’s a pretty good guess. However, it’s actually referring to the Kenworth T600 Truck, named for its sloped hood. It was one of the first trucks to be designed as a more aerodynamic, so it definitely stood out when it hit the road in 1984. But, you’ll see them now on the road almost everywhere – it just has that extended hood. It kind of looks like the nose of an anteater.
Troy: Okay, 0-1
Connor: Alright, next up, alligators. What could that possibly be?
Troy: Oh, I know! This is, you know, sometimes them truckers get a tire blown out and you see that burnt rubber and loose rubber on the side of the road. I think that’s what it is, right?
Connor: Yeah, that’s actually completely right. It’s just referring to those shredded pieces of rubber, of tires that have the grooves in them so they just look like alligator scales or like something’s trying to cross the road, and they say, you know, you want to watch out so you don’t get bitten by an alligator. If they jump up and hit your rig or something it can damage hoses, belts, you know, fuel cross over lines, and other vehicles too, so if you hear that on your radio, just be sure to look out for those and not try to run over them alligators. Ok, next term is bobtail.
Troy: Hm, that is a tough one. I’m going to guess a bobtail is another word for a smaller rig.
Connor: That’s almost right. Yeah, it’s just referring to a tractor when the trailer’s not attached, so it just has the stubby look at the end of the vehicle, as though, it’s like a bobtail cat or something. It has yet to be hitched up. So, that’s what that’s referring to. Pretty close though. Next, donkey. If somebody says, “there’s a bear on your donkey,” what do you think that’s talking about?
Troy: Oh, I know what this is. I’ve had a lot of experience with this one. This is the po-po, or the police, or the fuzz, the red and white.
Connor: That is it.
Troy: Yeah, I was pretty sure that’s what… it’s when the police are riding your rig. You always want to be cautious when any police are around, any police vehicles, so it’s always a good idea to stay vigilant for those and hopefully, your fellow truckers will help you out so you can spot those speed traps and stuff like that.
Connor: You know, you’ll probably hear there’s a bear on your donkey, it means there’s a cop on your ass. Okay, next one. Dragonfly. What is a dragonfly in terms of trucking?
Troy: Uh… that’s a tough one. I’m going to a guess a dragonfly is just the back half of your rig. That’s my best guess.
Connor: Uh… not quite. It is, it refers to a truck that has no horsepower, so a nimble delivery kind of truck, so you know, with the trailer attached type of thing. Just trucks that are low in horsepower. So, if you hear somebody say there’s a dragonfly up ahead, it basically just means there’s a smaller truck that’s trying to make it up a hill that doesn’t have a lot of horsepower. They’re quick and nimble except when it comes to heavy lifting, so that’s the thought with that one.
Troy: Alright. It’s like the Prius or the GEO of the trucking industry.
Connor: Yeah, basically. Okay, so what do you think then this next term is referring to? Mud duck.
Troy: Mud duck… that was my nickname back in middle school actually.
Connor: So, you should know all about this one then.
Troy: Yeah. I’m going to say that is just a rig that’s stuck in the mud.
Connor: That almost sounds like it could be right, but actually it’s referring to when your CB radio has a poor signal or connection. It’s called a mud duck. It’s hard to hear you, so you know if somebody says that you’re going to want to troubleshoot your radio and see how you can make your communication more open and efficient, so that’s very important. So finally, our last term is pigtail.
Troy: Hm. Oh, I know this one. A pigtail is that little electrical, curly-q kind of, it looks like a pigtail. Connects the electricity from your rig to your cab.
Connor: Yep, that’s it actually. Good job. Nailed it. Yup, it’s just that little cable making sure your brake lights are working and you have proper power. Alright, so that was our convoy creatures segment, and again if you want to see the entire list head over to AllTruckJobs.com on our blog and you can check that out.
Troy: Alright, and for our final topic, things are going to get a little weird around here. Connor and I are going to strand ourselves on a desert island in our rigs, and we’re going to assume that we both have food and water but we have to pick two of the following items… and the items we have to choose from are the air conditioner, the radio, our favorite on the road snack, a passenger, or a favorite book. And Connor, I’m going to let you kick things off. What two items would you choose to bring with you?
Connor: Hmm… so we already have food and water, right? That’s a given.
Troy: That’s correct.
Connor: Okay, so, at that rate, you know, if we’re stranded in the rig, or I guess we can leave the rig, right? We can venture out into the island eventually.
Troy: That’s true.
Connor: I’m going to say, I’m probably going to pick my favorite book, which my favorite book in that scenario would be a survival guide or something like that.
Troy: Alright, thinking critically here.
Connor: Yeah, that’s how I do, but you know, get a survival guide and just get enough information in your hands to make an effect shelter, or, you know, learn how to hunt food or trap food if you don’t exactly know the techniques involved, given the environment. And you know, you can quickly become delirious, so having some written information is good. So, for my second choice here, I would probably need to bring another passenger, actually, somebody who is physically fit enough to help build a shelter and to hunt animals and to you know, fish, or whatever we need to do. So, not quite sure who that would be…
Troy: I think you’re just describing me to a T right now, Connor. Physically fit, ability to hunt and fish, good looking… I mean…
Connor: Nobody said that…
Troy: The total package
Connor: Okay, you’re in. You’re hired. So, yeah, I mean, I guess that would just involve adding a few footnotes to my favorite book on how to cook human meat then. But, those are my choices.
Troy: Alright, I’m going to keep it pretty similar but I’m going to choose a radio for my first. I think I’d be able to figure out a way of communication to any passing ships or planes, hopefully, via the radio. And I also want to listen to some music to pass the time. For my second one, I think I would also bring you, Connor. We spend so much time together in the podcast room that we’ve become pretty close over these last few episodes.
Connor: It almost feels like a desert island rig right now.
Troy: That is true. So, I think I would bring you along. I think we would put our heads together and figure out a way to get off the island and we’d be able to pass the time together, which would be pretty awesome.
Connor: Sounds good to me, and hopefully we never encounter that real situation, but I say we’d be pretty prepared, given our limited knowledge.
Troy: I agree! If you have any other ideas on how you’d spend your time on a desert island in your rig, truckers, we want to hear from you on Facebook or @AllTruckJobsUSA on Twitter, or feel free to leave us a comment on this website. That’s all we have – Connor, why don’t you take us out.
Connor: Yep, thanks again for listening everybody. This has been the third episode of Big Rig Banter, and next time we’re going to be covering the mind and body road map, giving you tips on how to stay healthy and fit on the road, both physically and mentally, so stay tuned for that and join us next time. This has been Big Rig Banter.
Music – Thanks for tuning into another edition of Big Rig Banter. For your next job, check out AllTruckJobs.com. The premier online source for finding the best driver jobs in the country. Browse hundreds of positions by freight or drive type to get back on the road with confidence. Click subscribe to keep the conversations coming. Until next time, on Big Rig Banter.
