More and more young people want to become professional truck drivers, but not many understand what this job implies, especially when we talk about international freight transport.
Given the development of a real digital infrastructure, which brings much closer the carriers to forwarders (as the freight exchange available to all our users), we consider that a series of tips are useful in order to become a truck driver:
What skills does a candidate should have for the truck driver job?
Not everyone can become a truck driver, due to the endurance and repeatability of this activity. Like any other job in this world, before you put the time and effort in learning this job, you should make sure it is something that you will enjoy, in order to be practiced to the highest standards.
Therefore, those who want to apply for this kind of job must love driving a lot. The passion for mechanics and large vehicles is another plus that employers are looking for in those who apply for such positions.
As mentioned above, two of the key elements that can very well define this job are endurance and repeatability (routine). In order to be able to manage them properly, candidates for a truck driver position must have a very good mental health and increased resistance to discomfort. Not everyone can work up to 15 hours a day, especially when the job also involves loading-unloading-surveillance activities.
Usually, truck drivers are active people, very involved in their job with a great passion for trucks. They can also add in the CV the orientation towards a preventive driving style and a proven maturity, in making decisions in crtitical moments.
By what can you differ a very good driver from the rest?
A truck driver who can be described as a "true professional", respects his job and practices it every day with great responsibility. He can easily work in any country of the European Union, due to the foreign languages that allow him to speak with different people and has the ability to find effective solutions, when he is in a certain impasse.A professional truck driver respects his employer and colleagues, without resorting to certain actions that may lead to reprimands, warnings, dismissal or even criminal liability. A professional driver knows very well the current road legislation, both in Romania and in the EU countries he transits. Moreover, he works according to the legal working hours and puts into practice the theoretical notions learned both at the driving school courses and at those for obtaining the professional certification.
Last but not least, a professional driver takes special care of the vehicle he receives, especially if the truck is also shared with another colleague. A driver who returns from the trip with damaged mirrors, bent tilt corners and scratched bumbers, proves to others that he is not at that level of professionalism that every employer is looking for.
Foreign languages represent a plus in the CV
The question "Does it matter to know 2-3 foreign languages, when you work on the truck?", should always have the same answer: Yes! Knowledge of international languages is a differentiating factor in a job interview for a truck driver, especially if we are talking about the possibility of a job involving international transit.
English is the main language in the case of interactions with foreigners, as the handlers at the loading and unloading points of the goods you transport. We are talking about German, French, Spanish or Italian people, with whom it is not possible to maintain a dialogue based on signs, because the interaction with them is frequent. Moreover, if drivers want to be hired in a transport company in a Nordic country (eg Sweden, Norway, Denmark), knowledge of the national language is a factor in moving to a more advanced stage of the employment process. Therefore, without knowing a foreign language, truck drivers cannot hope for a good job in the EU.
Risks to take into consideration when accessing a freight exchange
The advantages that carriers and forwarders can benefit from when they choose to use the services of an online freight exchange come with a number of risks, too:
Risks to which forwarders are exposed
- Theft of goods after loading them into the truck;
- Non-compliant transport service.
Risks to which carriers are exposed
- Difficult collection of the transport invoice;
- Involuntary involvement in the theft of transported goods.
Risks to which drivers are exposed
- Provoking a non-conformity in the transport;
- Involuntary involvement in the diversion of the transported goods.
Risks to which warehouse operators are exposed
- Theft of loaded goods.
Click HERE to discover other useful information on the risks of the transport activity.
Stay with us for even more useful information, dedicated to carriers and forwarders!
Vlad Vrinceanu, DWF - 123cargo partner
