A few weeks ago, we reached out to our social media audience and asked them what the best piece of professional advice they ever received was. We were blown away by the response. Everyone had such good insight, we thought we’d put it together and share it with our blog followers!
From thought-provoking to straight-to-the-point answers, here are 20 tidbits of professional advice: (Note, these answers have been edited for brevity and clarity)
- “You will always have bad days where you want to quit. Get through it to the next day. That's a new beginning.” -Christopher Robinson
- “Be honest.” -Kevin Stormer
- “Slow down.” -Philip Thompson
- “Slow and steady. Let them all pass you. It’s not a race.” -Jo Gerald Bauer
- “Maintain your lane.” -Stephanie Spradlin
- “Do your job 150% to the best of your ability. Never give up.” -Ronnie Cormier
- “Never be in a hurry to get anywhere. Load gets there when it gets there. Also, things happen. It’s just a matter of perspective on how you deal with it.” -John Kelso III
- “Protect your CDL at all costs. No load is worth your life. If you have to throw chains, park it. Ask for help when needed, shut down for bad weather. Plan your route and your breaks. Look at a paper map; never trust a GPS. First impressions are everything! Go into a customer dressed business casual, without sweatpants or flip flops. We all have bad days, but don’t take it out on a customer or cashier. Know your limits, and don’t drive beyond your abilities. Loads can be rescheduled if you communicate. Lastly, put a CB in your truck and use it!!” -Tracy Zimmerman
- “The day you think you know everything about trucking is the day you need to find a different job.” -JD Deane
- “It's your CDL. Don't let dispatch or anyone else force you to do anything that might cause you to lose it.” -Mark Outen
- “While driving, always look ahead. See what is going on so you can make a decision whether it be slow down, move over, help, etc.” -Pamela Davis
- "It's easier to unload at a dock than a ditch. Drive smart.” -Nick Still
- “Your life is more important than any load, or extra dollar.” -Mary Amaya Chavarria
- “Always get the big picture, and a little can actually be a lot.” -Roberta Gann
- “The student doesn’t care how much the teacher knows. The student wants to know how much the teacher cares.” – Jose Bruno
- “Never make the job harder than it has to be.” -Jennifer Slechta
- “Be yourself.” -Bruce Hansbrough
- “Stay out of the ditches. Also, ice is slippery.” -David Osborne
- “You are the one driving the truck. Not some person in an office that’s never been in one, let alone driven one. Not some person on the road behind or beside you. You are the driver of that truck. YOU operate the truck to the best and safest of YOUR abilities.” -Harold Willson
- “Get out and look.” -Tom
As an extra bonus, I wanted to share the best piece of professional advice I’ve ever received:
“Whatever got you to where you are, won’t keep you there.” I love this because it’s a constant reminder to push forward and not rest on your laurels.
