Safe Driving Tips for New Semi Truck Drivers

 

Semi-truck drivers have to weather it all. They have to keep their cool when other motorists are harassing them. Additionally, drivers, especially new semi-truck drivers, have to learn how their empty or loaded semi-truck would behave in various weather conditions such as in the rain, on snowy roads, or windy days.

 

If you have decided to make a career in the trucking sector, then you have to keep the following things in mind.

Trip planning should be made in advance

One of the primary challenges of fleet management is to meet deadlines and ensure delayed deliveries are kept at bay.

 

If a business fails to deliver consignments within set deadlines, it loses the trust of its clients. Similarly, if semi-truck drivers who recently joined a transportation company keep on failing the deadlines set by their fleet managers, they might end up developing the false reputation of having a penchant for tardiness.

 

With solutions like paperless fleet management and tracking devices, new semi-truck drivers can ask their managers to help them plan the trip. For instance, without proper trip planning, a semi-truck driver who recently joined the sector might find themselves in a high crime area. The natural outcome is that the cargo from the semi-truck might get stolen, or the vehicle itself might get hijacked.  

 

Using fleet trackers and fleet route optimization features, the above situation can be avoided altogether and the cargo can be delivered on time, every time. Furthermore, extreme weather events and even route restrictions can be avoided with connected vehicle solution-based trip planning.

Securing cargo should be prioritized

OBD trackers for fleet can keep semi-truck drivers safe on the roads by alerting them whenever they are speeding, panic braking, or rapidly accelerating. However, GPS trackers for fleets cannot keep a semi-truck, its cargo, and its driver safe if the cargo is not properly secured. Improperly secured cargo can cause a tractor and its trailer to roll over especially when the rig is taking a turn.

 

Securing cargo is a broad term that simply means keeping the cargo firmly in its place using a host of cargo securing tools such as –

  • Load locks
  • Chains
  • Airbags and
  • Cinch straps.

Start using connected vehicle solutions

Connected vehicle solutions such as an affordable fleet tracking system are designed specifically for semi-trucks and let drivers use the real-time fleet tracking feature of tracking devices to plot a safe (and correct) delivery route. Connected vehicle solutions also help drivers look for alternate routes if the planned route is congested, flooded, under construction, or damaged.

 

In this way, connected vehicle solutions let new semi-truck drivers make a name for themselves in a short time, get assigned for profitable deliveries, and rise the hierarchies of the trucking sector quickly.

The best truck driver is the one who is aware in all situations

Situational awareness is a skill that should be honed by new semi-truck drivers. Using telematics solutions and advanced load planning, new semi-truck drivers can ensure their semi-truck behaves as per the driver inputs. Additionally, situational awareness also demands a semi-truck driver to modify their driving style as per the behavior of other motorists on the road. For instance, when a semi-truck driver witnesses another motorist ignoring the rules of the road, such as weaving in and out of traffic, they should start following the 4-second rule. Additionally, situational awareness also demands semi-truck drivers to anticipate what others on the road are about to do. If situation awareness is mastered, a semi-truck driver can reach their destination without incident, every time.

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