Truckers may feel pressured to push the limit regarding their jobs in numerous ways.
Some of these ways include these scenarios:
There are errors in judgment that can result in accidents, one of the most common being railroad crossing accidents.
Then there are completely avoidable accidents, such as running one's truck under a low clearance bridge just to try to save time or miles.
These have been known to occur because truckers use non-commercial motor vehicle versions of GPS units instead of trucker GPS units -- or they simply didn't consult a good truckers atlas to stay on truck routes.
Professional truck drivers need to understand the limits they are pushing themselves to make or are being asked to push. They need to stand firm in their resolve not to compromise with the law or with safety.
If possible, they need to untangle themselves from obligations they placed themselves under -- such as with a commercial truck lease -- so that they don't feel pressured financially.
Read the information on our whistle blowing page to learn more about how the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA), 49 U.S.C. §31105, protects truckers from certain things on the job.
Is it possible to get drowsy on the job even if you're a local truck driver?
You bet it is!
Mike recently had a situation when he had to park his truck at a truck stop and get a quick 45-minute nap because he had started to get drowsy.
He knew not to push the limit regarding his body's need for sleep.
As it turns out, Mike's compensation plan recently changed from being paid by the hour to being paid by other performance measures, so he didn't need to fear being accused of "padding the clock" when taking a nap.
A wise professional truck driver understands the law, truck maintenance needs and his/her own personal limits -- and works to stay within them.
Don't pressure yourself so much that you leave no "wobble room" in your schedule for
You'll be glad you did.
Note: This article -- which was originally written and published on January 22, 2014, by Vicki Simons -- was updated slightly in 2018.
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