Truck Driver Job Description
On any major highway or interstate, it’s inevitable to see at least ten alarmingly large semi trucks driving down the road. It’s more common than not to want pass them and get as far away from them as possible; the doors in the back of the truck look as if they could open at any given moment and spill the heavy contents right on top of the unfortunate car behind them. Truck drivers have many responsibilities, including driving safely for long hours while transporting tons of cargo.
Planning
Although it is the job title, driving trucks is only a small part of the job responsibilities for a truck driver. There is a lot of planning involved with being a truck driver. They have to plan their own routes, which isn’t easy. They have to make sure that they get to their destination in the specific time frame allotted for the transport. In addition, they must be sure that the route that they choose allows trucks on the roads. They must also be wary of traffic, roadblocks, and be able to understand the rules of the road, especially when it comes to rules involving trucks.
Truck Inspection
Before embarking on the trip, they must perform an inspection of their truck and count their inventory to ensure that the truck will be working properly and that the entire recorded inventory is accounted for. For the vehicle inspection, fluid levels, breaks, lights and windshield wipers are all examined to make sure that maximum safety is reached. When the driver comes back from the destination, he must report anything that went awry during the trip, such as any damages to the truck or any service problems.
Inventory Responsibilities
Truck drivers are also responsible for the inventory that they are transporting. There are designated truck weigh-in stations every so often on major highways and interstates. For companies such as FedEx or UPS that include delivering packages, the driver is responsible for making sure that the package is delivered to the customer. Sometimes, a signature is required to obtain before the driver leaves the customer’s home. At other times, the package can be left on the doorstep. These drivers usually only travel locally and short distances and sometimes have a specific route they follow on a daily basis.
Other companies that have their truckers drive long distances to distribution facilities sometimes have other people unload the truck once it arrives. Other times, the trucker also has the responsibility of unloading the truck. Regardless of who unloads the truck, the driver is liable for any missing goods, and must report everything when he gets back from the trip.
The job of a truck driver is a lot more involved than most people can imagine or give credit for. It involves driving long distances and fatigue often happens. It involves extensive planning, reporting, and checking the truck and its inventory. It requires the ability for heavy lifting and the ability to maneuver a large truck with tons of weight on it.