A professional trucker must have strong decision making stills and good judgment.
All truck drivers must make quick decisions while on the road, and should have critical thinking skills to help them make the safest choice. Trucking has a lot to do with good decision making and sound judgment, as truckers are responsible for their truck and cargo. In certain situations, these decisions could be the difference between life and death.
Trucking Industry Is Focused On Safety
Trucking companies are so focused on safety that they may not hire someone with poor judgment or bad decision making abilities. For example, a company will do a background check on potential hires, and look for things that point to poor judgment. They simply look for things that show how a person will decide to protect drivers on the road, as well as the company’s equipment and cargo they will carry. If a member lies about a failed drug test that was discovered during a background check or has a history of speeding tickets, this points to poor judgment that is not fitting for a trucking career.
Every Driver Will Face Difficult Situations
Trucking is not an easy career, and every driver will have to find their way out of difficult situations. New drivers will likely face these often, as they are bound to make more mistakes than experienced truckers. While everyone makes mistakes, the best truckers will have the decision making needed to get out of the situation safely.
On truckingtruth.com, a user called “Rainy” describes a particularly tough situation when she faced an 11-foot clearance bridge and decided to call the police to assist her U-turn. This was the right choice, as she mentions that someone with poor judgment may have tried to turn on their own, which could result in a bad accident if someone drove around the corner to fast.
Quick Decision Making
While all driving includes spur of the moment decision making, truck driving requires more thought out decisions. Since trucks are much larger than cars, they can’t switch lanes as easily, and it takes a longer time to come to a full stop. This is why truckers must always think ahead, whether it’s at a traffic light where they must think of how long it will take them to stop, or if they see brake lights ahead of them on the highway. Truckers must also predict what other drivers will do, as many drivers decide to switch lanes without much thought, or speed up to get in front of a truck, then suddenly slow down. These situations would be tough for most drivers, which is why truckers need excellent judgment and decision making abilities to succeed.
For All Your Trucking Needs
Evan Transportation provides trucking and transportation services for clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. All of our drivers and staff are offered competitive salaries, benefits, and are guaranteed to be home every day. Interested in finding out more? Visit us online or give us a call at 443-673-3365. For even more information, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+.