3 Ways to Get Along With Your Truck Driver Dispatcher

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truck driver dispatcher

As a driver, your primary contact with your company and your daily workload is with your truck driver dispatcher. You need them to set your schedule, find the best routes and keep you moving down the road.

They need you to meet deadlines, work well with customers, and most importantly be safe, efficient and prepared for navigating the roads. So we were wondering: How is your relationship with your truck driver dispatcher?

In a recent Facebook poll we found that 75% of you said you DO have a good relationship with your dispatcher. That’s great news!  In the past, we’ve had drivers mention specifically that their favorite part about their job was the relationship with their dispatcher. But what about the 25% of truck drivers that are struggling?

What can help improve your relationship with your dispatcher?

In life, any relationship worth having, takes effort to grow and prosper. That’s true in both personal and professional relationships. To help your working relationship thrive, here are 3 things to keep in mind when working to improve your relationship with your dispatcher.

1. Keep things professional

Every relationship deserves mutual respect. In a business relationship, respect is a must. Ensure each  conversation is suitable for a business relationship. Always use appropriate language with any co-worker, even when there’s a heated issue. You and your dispatcher are a team, and you both want to be successful.

2. Keep lines of communication open

When communicating with your dispatcher, be clear, honest and to the point. Respect their time and respond to messages and calls promptly. As soon as there’s an issue or a potential problem, let them know. They are working to get you the best information they can in a timely fashion. Be sure to do your part as well.

3. Understand their point of view

You certainly have tough job. Navigating every kind of traffic and weather conditions for long hours each day is stressful. But what about your dispatcher?

Though they’re not in the cab with you, they are dealing with a lot back at the office.  Dispatchers have to manage every driver’s current situations.  Add to that: conflicting timelines, ever-changing logistics, multiple customer expectations, management’s expectations, as well as what’s going on in their own life, and they just might be willing to trade for your road closures or horrific traffic jams. When you’re having a bad day, remember that they might be as well. In any relationship, a little bit of empathy can go a long way.

Even for those truck drivers that enjoy a great working relationship with their dispatcher, it’s worth the extra effort to keep that relationship solid. Keeping your conversations professional, ensuring there’s good lines of communications in place, and having a good understanding of each other’s perspective are crucial for your team’s success.

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10 Winter Driving Tips for Truck Drivers

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10 Winter Driving Tips for Truck Drivers

The weather can quickly take a nasty turn when least expected. Snow, ice, and sleet are still a possibility this season. Winter weather can significantly raise the risk of driver accidents on the road.

Taking the precautions to prepare for winter weather will help you stay safe on the road and make reach destinations on time. Keep these ten winter driving tips in mind before hitting the road during difficult weather conditions.

1. Vehicle Inspection

Be extra careful during your inspection in the winter months. Check important internal factors like tire pressure, engine oil, and antifreeze levels. Complete a visual, hands-on inspection of all tires, wiper blades, and lights. Maintain at least a half a tank of gas during the winter in case you need to run the engine while stopped on the side of the road. Make sure heat and defroster are functioning normally to keep yourself and the truck warm

2. Slow Down

This may be a no-brainer, but worth repeating. While driving in snow or ice, take the effort to drive slower than you usually do. The speed limits posted are for ideal conditions and should be kept lower for winter weather. Basically, you want to compensate for the poor traction on snow-filled roads.

Hydroplaning occurs when water builds between the wheels and the road surface, leading to loss of traction. Hydroplaning prevents the vehicle from responding to controls as quickly. Slowing down gives you more time to react if anything suddenly changes.

3. Allow More Space

Ideally, stopping distance should be twice as much on a wet road as on a dry one. Leave plenty of room between your truck and the vehicle in front of you so that you have enough space to move out of the way in case of unpredictable situations. Avoid driving in packs. Usually, you may want to herd with other trucks on the road, but in winter weather this can be a disadvantage. Find a way to get away from the rest of traffic so that you’re driving alone.

4. Avoid Sudden Changes

Speaking of sudden changes, try to avoid them! If you need to change speed or direction, try to do so gently. You mainly want to remain smooth and avoid anything that reduces traction. Instead of sudden braking, try pumping your brakes if you need to slow down quickly. Similarly, avoid sudden acceleration or cornering. If your truck comes equipped with anti-lock braking system, now is the time to use it. This will avoid the change of locking the tires and spinning out of control.

5. Pay Attention to Tire Spray

Tire spray is a good measure of how wet the road is. Observe the water coming off the tires of vehicles around you. The more wet the road is, the more careful you have to be about slowing, maintaining distance, and keeping traction.

If there is less tire spray, the roads may have started to ice over. Watch for black ice- that’s a layer of transparent ice that makes the road look wet.

6. Route Preparation

Keeping up to date with the weather conditions will go a long way towards being prepared for what’s coming your way. Use GPS apps or information provided by dispatch to know which roads may be closed. Telematics can help you know where other drivers are, the routes they are taking, and opportunities to find safer routes. Maps will also help you locate rest stops for nearby shelter if needed.

7. Always Turn on Headlights

Another obvious one, but you may be surprised how often we all forget to implement this. Headlights are always a must during snow or rain, but also during low visibility conditions like fog or mist. Having the lights on will allow others to know where you are. Be sure to clear off snow and ice from the headlights whenever you have stopped.

8. Pull Over if Needed

If driving conditions are extremely severe, pull over to be on the safe side. Don’t worry about the schedule and coordinate the situation with dispatch.

Get off the road and find a safe place to wait for conditions to improve. While rest stops are ideal, don’t be opposed to stopping elsewhere if the nearest rest stop is too far away.

9. Winter Driving Kit

Having with the right equipment before any route during the winter will help you stay prepared for emergencies. Here’s the minimum of what should go in your winter driving kit: extra layers of clothing, gloves, flashlight, blanket, batteries, non-perishable food and water, bags of sand, salt and windshield washer fluid, windshield scraper and brush, jumper cables, first-aid kit, tire chains and traction mats.

10. Take Extra Care on Bridges

Bridges and highway overpasses usually freeze first since they are more elevated. To make matters worse, bridges may not be treated with ice/snow melt materials as quickly as main roads and highways. Take particular caution to drive on these and avoid them if possible. Look for alternate routes, even if they add some additional time.

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Sign-On Bonus or Salary: Which Do Truck Drivers Prefer?

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Recruiting and hanging onto good truck drivers is a major concern for most trucking companies. The driver shortage is something that’s been talked about for years, and it’s not going away any time soon.

With driver salaries and bonuses continuing to climb, many companies are taking a hard look at what that means for their truck driver recruitment efforts. And what they need to do to attract and retain good drivers.

We asked our Facebook driver network to vote on what’s more important to them when looking for a new truck driving job: a good salary or a large sign-on bonus?

Our results were overwhelmingly in favor of a good salary with 95% of the votes!

Focus on Salary

As it turns out, that’s the direction some hiring managers are now taking. Some companies are moving forward with plans to cease sign-on bonus add-ons in favor of putting together a solid long-term salary package. By not offering sign-on bonuses, they’re seeking to avoid attracting job-hoppers, and keep everything clear and up-front on take-home pay expectations.

They’re planning that in the long-haul it will be good for both the company and the truck drivers if drivers’ checks are predictable and the calculations are clear.

You may have had offers that were a great starting salary, but no bonus. Or an low-to-average starting salary with a 5-figure signing bonus. Or that rare unicorn with a high salary and a great bonus to start. In any case, you need to be certain you understand what you’re agreeing to.

Make sure you read all of the fine print, both with your salary offer and / or your sign-on bonus. The fine print might make all the difference to your paycheck and ultimately your future career with that trucking company.

We know that money isn’t the only deciding factor when selecting your new company.  But when it come to salary vs. sign-on bonus, what do you think? Let us know your opinion on our Facebook Page. Share your story and you could be featured in an upcoming post!

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Driver Highlight: Kyle with Veriha Trucking

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Kyle’s career path took quite a few different turns before arriving in his current role as the Apprenticeship Program Leader for Veriha Trucking. Kyle, 33 was born in LaCrosse, WI. He spent his high school years in Alma Center, WI.

Military Service

Right after he finished high school, Kyle enlisted in the U.S. Army. His 5 years in the service, took him around the world. He went from Wisconsin, through Germany, to Iraq and finally to Fort Hood, TX. As a Combat Engineer he spent his time “doing a little bit of everything—from security, dismounted patrols, route clearance, building bases.”

After leaving the military, he dabbled in a career in the medical field as respiratory therapist, though ultimately it wasn’t the right fit for him. “I loved learning” he said but didn’t like working in the hospital environment at all. From there, he dug into a 5 year stint in the mining industry.

“Loading rail cars, moving trains, in the actual pit.  I had a blast.” But ultimately when the oil industry took a turn, he took that opportunity to move on and decided to learn how to drive a truck.

He “picked a company with good on-the-job training, that fit me and my family. I got my CDL in 2 weeks, got my own truck and away I went for the next year”. Kyle noted that being an over-the-road truck driver gave him a great opportunity to see more of the United States. Driving through Tennessee was a route that he really enjoyed. Up to that point, he said he’d been in more different countries than states.

Veriha Trucking: Opportunities to Grow

veriha truckingBeing away from home for long stretches no longer best fit his family’s needs, and he looked for a new job that kept him closer to home. He found an opening at Veriha Trucking as a Yard Spotter and joined the team there 2 years ago.

From the yard, he moved on to being a coach in the Safety Department, and then ultimately to his current role as the Apprenticeship Program Leader. He’s been with that program “as part of the startup, from inception to today”.

When asked about the Apprenticeship Program, he talks about how it’s “unlike anything else. Instead of learning on a range, we get people out hauling freight with an actual trainer. Giving them the clear picture of what it’s like to be a driver.”

Kyle talks about what he thinks differentiates their program from others. “The big difference is we’re invested in these people from the beginning.”

Once candidates are identified, successfully interviewed and pass all background checks, “people are hired from day one.” The program boasts “accelerated results from drivers. People are out there doing great work, much faster than expected. It’s really paying off for them. If it’s good for the driver, it’s generally good for the company.”

At Veriha Trucking, “everybody in the company is encouraged to do personal development. Book clubs, networking. Everyone is encouraged to better themselves.”

Kyle is married and has twin 5-year old children, a daughter and son, who keep him very busy. Currently, they enjoy residing in northeastern WI. In addition, in his free time, he enjoys fishing, hunting, and woodworking.

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Avoid These 4 Rookie Truck Driver Mistakes

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rookie truck driver mistakes

Job growth among heavy truck drivers and tractor-trailer drivers is expected to grow by 21 percent by 2020 compared with 2010. As more people are looking toward truck driving as a prospective new career, it’s easy to forget some of the challenges and rookie truck driver mistakes.

Experienced truck drivers have been there and seen it all, especially if they’ve worked in the industry for 10+ years. Beginner truck drivers are more likely to make some rookie mistakes which could make their work slightly more difficult. You can avoid some of the common mistakes new truck drivers make by keeping in mind some of these helpful tips.

1. Have Clear Expectations About Life on the Road

Driving is a stressful job. The hours are long, the lifestyle can be tough, and it takes a toll on the body. One of the biggest impacts on lifestyle truck drivers often find is that they aren’t spending enough time with family. Despite this, truck drivers find that the many benefits outweigh these costs. They are happy with the job and find a way to manage the difficulties.

Experienced truck drivers will tell you that if you don’t make work-life balance a priority, it won’t happen. Spending time with family is one of the biggest factors which truck drivers consider while looking for an employer. Make sure you find one that doesn’t compromise the home life.

Health can also suffer since truck drivers often don’t find time to exercise, eat well, or rest enough. Company and federal regulations require rest breaks for all truck drivers, but also make sure you are getting your own personal quota of rest breaks in. Eating healthy food options can seem like a challenge but it is worth in the long-run. Do some research on how to get simple and healthy snacks or find the best places to stop for a meal that won’t break the bank or the waistline.

Drive My Way can help match you to companies that can help make family time a priority.

2. Know Your Value and Worth

A common rookie truck driver mistake is not knowing exactly how much they should be making and can be making. Sometimes companies will give overly optimistic promises of how much drivers can be making and that expectation does not match reality. Other times, drivers highly underestimate how much money they should be making and the perks and benefits they should also receive.

Make sure to do your research and talk to more experienced truck drivers. Consider asking them the following questions:

  • Which companies offer the best perks and salaries?
  • How many years until you can expect a significant promotion and pay raise?

Look into competitors and industry standard practices. Make sure you pick a company that values the same things that you value, whether it’s salary and benefits, schedule of hours, rest time, amenities, or something else.

Drive My Way can match you to companies which will be a good fit for your priorities and lifestyle.

3. Get to Know the Road

Okay, so you’re certified, and of course you know how to drive a truck properly, right? Experienced truck drivers will tell you that its more complicated than that. There are things that years on the road will teach you that training and certification simply won’t cover.

You don’t have a lot of experience yet, so try not to get too comfortable. These massive vehicles take some getting used to when driving in high-pressure situations like traffic or construction zones. For example, rookies miss road signs and truck speed limit signs more often than you’d think.

Similarly, how to pass properly seems like a no-brainer, but it can be tricky if there are too many cars eager to get further ahead on the road. While you don’t want to seem like a bully on the highway, you also want to make sure that you’re able to carry out your route properly and on schedule. The key is remaining calm and building comfort, while not becoming overconfident.

Remember that local directions may differ from planned routes, so pay attention and adjust your route when needed. Stay in contact with the dispatcher and keep them in the loop so they can help you. You may think you don’t need any backup, but if you get stuck in the wrong location and behind on your route, you’ll be kicking yourself for not asking sooner.

When in doubt, look to more experienced truck drivers to avoid new truck driver mistakes while behind the wheel.

4. Have a Positive Relationship with Management

Along with navigating the road, you’ll have to navigate the relationship with your employer. Many truck drivers believe that their relationship with the company can be filled with unnecessary stress and miscommunication. Take the time to make sure you are having a friendly but professional relationship with management, to the best of your control.

The most important contact would be the dispatcher. Having a good relationship with the dispatchers can make the difference between a successful route without any problems and a route with no support or backup if things go wrong. Make sure you’ve gotten clear route, map, and instructions from the company, and check-in with dispatch at the first sign of trouble.

Again, plan your route ahead of time: you don’t want to be stuck in Milwaukee in the middle of rush hour because you missed the turn 20 minutes ago. When interacting with management, make sure to remain organized as you document everything and follow proper guidelines. Filling out the right paperwork may seem like a hassle in the moment but will save you time and energy in the long-run.

Try to follow company policies and regulations on safe driving, rest breaks, being on schedule etc., but at the same time, make sure the company isn’t taking you for a ride or making you compromise on your values and goals. If things are not working out with your current company, Drive My Way can help match you with companies which will be a better fit for your needs.

With these helpful tips in mind you can avoid rookie truck driver mistakes and feel confident and in control as you start off a new career.

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Driver Highlight: Eddie Dalzell, Retired Dupre Truck Driver

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Edward “Eddie” Dalzell talked his way into his first truck driving job at age 19 in Massachusetts.

3 million accident-free miles and almost 50 years later, Eddie’s now retired from truck driving but still logging miles on foot as a hiker and lead CSR for Penske in San Antonio.

truck driver

As he tells the story, he got his first truck driving job through good old-fashioned persistence. And telling a little bit of a lie.

“The company I was working for went out of business. There were no other jobs around. The car I had ran out of gas, I had no money. So, I walked 3 miles down the road to a place that was supposedly hiring truck drivers. I had no clue how to drive a truck. I kept going back day after day until they finally hired me!”

From there, he had a friend teach him how to drive a truck.

Once he got his start with that first job in Massachusetts, Eddie moved south after a few years. There he got his first job as a tanker truck driver. He spent the next few decades with various jobs between Texas and Louisiana, driving tankers between refineries and operating other heavy equipment. He mentions that some of those were dangerous jobs, and that thankfully he got lucky a few times.

Living and working near the Gulf of Mexico, he saw his share of hurricanes and severe weather.

The memory of those storms still stand out to Eddie. “Dodging hurricanes, wasn’t fun. Everyone else was leaving, but we’d be heading into the storms with the plywood to help. Last hurricane I drove 27 hours straight because of all the road closures to get around it. Had to get right back up in 5 hours to go back into it.”

When asked about his time as a truck driver at Dupre Logistics, he said that they were big on safety, and provided great training.

dupre-logistics

He also fondly recalls having a great boss who became a life-long friend to this day.

“At Dupre, Leadership was very good. We had good drivers. We could laugh and have fun.  They are VERY fair. They also gave a nice safety bonus every 3 months which was nice”.

That bonus came with a safety meeting at a great local steakhouse. Eddie mentioned he never missed a bonus, or the steak dinners. Working for Dupre, he said that integrity was important.

“There’s lots of competition out there but the jobs kept coming back to us because they liked what we were doing.”

Over the years, he also spent time as a driving instructor and unofficial career and life coach.

“Taught people how to drive standard trucks. I enjoyed that. I also told students to follow your dreams. Listen to Mr. Eddie: Don’t do something you hate, you’ll be miserable your whole life.”

Now retired from driving, Eddie spends his days working as a hiker and lead Customer Service Representative for Penske.

truck driver

He says he logs over 52 miles a week on foot, 20,000 steps, walking around the facility. Quite a change from all of the hours and miles behind the wheel!

Eddie, 68, has a wife, 6 children and 10 grandkids. In his free time, he enjoys living close to 3 of those grandkids.

“I get to see them all the time. Grandma loves to keep them on the weekends – gives their moms a break”. He also enjoys fishing and keeping fit and active.

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DRIVER HIGHLIGHT: Tiffany Adams with West Coast Transport

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For Tiffany Adams, being a truck driver runs in the family. “My dad was a truck driver, so it’s in the family blood”. Though she tried a few things prior to getting into the trucking business officially, since age 21, “trucking was the only way to go” for her.

Tiffany’s favorite route to drive is “I-24 going through Kentucky.

It’s the most beautiful run anyone could ever do.” The summertime bluegrass lined roads all around Paducah are her favorite.  She recommends a stop at Patti’s Settlement 1880’s restaurant if you’re in the neighborhood. A stop at Patti’s “definitely should be on your to-do list if you’re in the area”.

After a normal day of 10-11 hours, she mentions a struggle that she’s advocating for: MORE PARKING.


“The daily struggles today we have is parking. Parking is so limited to the truck stops that we have across the nation, it’s becoming more and more difficult to find parking after 5 pm. And it’s just getting worse. It’s getting to the point you can’t find parking, and you need to drive 20+ miles out of your route just to find a place park”.

She hopes that in the future there’s expanded parking available at truck stops and rest stops around the country.

Tiffany drives with her husband Weston.

You can find them passing the time “listening to a lot of country music while we’re riding down the highway”.

When they’re not out on the road or getting ready for their next long-haul, they enjoy spending time playing with their horses, their family and hanging out with friends. “We love what we do we provide for our states, building supplies, rail road supplies, your every day needs”.

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Know Your Rights When Driving in Severe Weather

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The weather is a popular topic of discussion any time of the year.  But this time of year it seems to be nearly constant headline news.  All drivers must prepare for the day’s road conditions.  Sometimes that preparation leads to making the call to not drive at all.

But for truck drivers who NEED to drive to make their living, where is the line drawn for being able to safely navigate the roads?  Do you know your rights when making the call that it’s just not safe for driving in severe weather?

In a conversation with Overdrive.com, attorney Paul Taylor discusses common questions about driving in severe weather.  He details your rights as a driver to protect yourself and your job.  The key is knowing your rights, having good communications with your dispatcher and keeping proper documentation when the situation arises.

As the article states: “Under the employee protection provision of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act, you have the right to refuse to operate a commercial vehicle if it would be unsafe to drive. U.S. Department of Transportation regulations state that “if conditions become sufficiently dangerous, the operation of the commercial motor vehicle shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed” until it’s safe to drive.”

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Driver Highlight: Lonnie Bledsoe with Foodliner, Inc.

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Though no one in his family was a trucker before him, over-the-road driver Lonnie Bledsoe of Lafayette, IN felt a call to the profession from a young age.

Lonnie had always wanted to travel and see the country, and felt that back in the day, truckers made good money. At 21-years old, he made the decision to pursue a career in trucking. As the years have passed, Lonnie simply can’t say enough good things about his position.

Before moving to his current job at Foodliner, Lonnie drove for Con-way Freight, acting as an auctioneer on the side. When the company closed its doors, Lonnie took an early retirement and spent much of his time coon hunting with his friends and dogs. “My buddy and I, we hunted every night together [for] almost 90 nights straight. We killed 396 ‘coons,” Lonnie boasted.

foodlinerBut even though he enjoyed his hobby immensely, he recognized that he couldn’t make a living off of it. A couple of years later, a friend of Lonnie’s reached out to him to let him know about an opening at Foodliner.”

He said it was the best job he’d ever had,” Lonnie explained. Lonnie put in an application, was hired immediately. Eight years later, he says he’s never been happier. “I know there are a thousand jobs out there. I’m thankful I’ve got this one,” he said.

One of Lonnie’s favorite parts of working for Foodliner is the relationship he shares with his dispatcher.

“I’ll say it now, and I’ll say it again,” Lonnie explained. “I feel that I have the best dispatcher in the world, bar none. Not everybody can tell you that.” After he was released from Foodliner’s training, the dispatcher was the first person Lonnie spoke to. The communication between the two has always been open and honest, and Lonnie says it’s one of the best parts about his job. “I just tell my dispatcher to run me, that’s all I’ve got to say.”

foodliner-trucking-jobs

Image via Lonnie Bledsoe

When asked about his favorite part of the country to drive through, Lonnie sighed and said he prefers to drive out west. “You know you get into Idaho, you get into Oregon, Wyoming. I guess the reason I say that is because you get to see bears and moose, big game animals.”

Lonnie, who has a daughter, 39, and a son, 32, admits that he and his family have gone through a lot to support his trucking career. “I’ve sacrificed my family, but I’m not crying about it. My wife’s okay with it — I’ve got forty years with her. The kids are okay with it, too,” Lonnie remarked. He feels fortunate to say that he is still close with both of his children. Although his son lives about sixty miles away from him, his daughter lives right around the corner.

Looking back, Lonnie said that he’s very happy with his job at Foodliner.

“I really don’t call this a job,” Lonnie said. “I absolutely love it.”

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Winter Driving Tips for the Careful Trucker

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Winter is coming, and truckers are beginning to notice the effects of the weather on the roads. What were once long stretches of asphalt are now covered in ice and snow across many of the northern states. Any smart trucker is always prepared, especially when hitting rougher conditions.

In order to stay safe this winter, we’ve compiled some go-to tips to make sure that your wheels stay on the road.

  1. Use your best judgement. If weather becomes so severe that you can’t see out of your front windshield, take it to the side and wait out the storm. But don’t just stop on the side of the road! Find either a truck stop or a safe place to park to wait for the weather to clear.
  2. Keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.Don’t just follow the headlights in front of you. Leave plenty of room between you and the next car or truck in front of you should you hit a patch of ice.
  3. Double check your systems during your circle check.Before you leave, make sure your defroster and windshield wipers are working properly. Your tail lights, as always, should be clean, your tires and brakes should be unfrozen, and your mirrors should all be wiped clean. If they can’t see you, you can’t see them. Though simple, some drivers might forget this significant step.
  4. Don’t use the jack brake on icy roads.Never brake with an empty unit, as this may increase your chance of spinning off the road. Also try to avoid braking unless the entire unit is driving straight down the road.
  5.   Your winter safety kit.Along with the mandated safety kit, carry a bag of kitty litter with you. Throwing some of this onto your tires is a safe way to get that extra bit of traction in the snow and ice. A hammer and putty knife can help you deal with frozen air tanks. And don’t forget an extra blanket!

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